Notice of Intent | USGS 17 FA 0116

Opportunity Information: Apply for USGS 17 FA 0116

This notice of intent from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), an agency within the Department of the Interior, describes a planned discretionary grant opportunity focused on natural resources work tied to climate science and tribal water management. The opportunity is titled "Cultivating a Climate Science Learning Community Amongst Tribal Water Managers," and it signals the government s intent to fund a project that strengthens climate science understanding, collaboration, and practical application among tribal professionals responsible for managing water resources. In general terms, the goal implied by the title is to help tribal water managers better access, interpret, share, and use climate related science and information for decision making, especially as climate variability and long term change affect water availability, quality, timing, and associated risks.

The funding instrument for this opportunity is a grant, meaning the award would support an assistance relationship rather than a procurement contract. The program is categorized under the Natural Resources funding activity area and is associated with CFDA number 15.820, which corresponds to USGS programs that provide financial assistance for science and research activities. The listing indicates this is a discretionary opportunity, so proposals would typically be reviewed competitively based on criteria established by the agency, and award decisions would depend on merit, alignment with program goals, and availability of funds.

Eligibility is limited to public and state controlled institutions of higher education. In practice, that means state universities and public colleges are the intended applicants, often partnering with tribal nations, tribal departments, or intertribal organizations to co develop trainings, workshops, peer networks, tools, and other capacity building activities. While the eligible applicant is an academic institution, the project topic clearly centers on tribal water managers as the primary participant community, suggesting a strong expectation of meaningful collaboration and engagement with tribal stakeholders and practitioners.

The notice provides an award ceiling of 55,087 dollars, which is the maximum amount that could be awarded under the described announcement. The number of expected awards is not specified in the source data, which sometimes indicates the agency had not finalized how many awards would be made or that the notice of intent was a precursor to a more detailed funding announcement. The original closing date listed is 2017 07 28, and the creation date is 2017 07 14, indicating a short window between posting and closing, consistent with certain USGS notices of intent that may be targeted, time sensitive, or intended to inform potential applicants ahead of a formal solicitation.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as support for building a learning community around climate science as it applies to tribal water management. A project under this theme would typically emphasize knowledge exchange, relationship building, and practical learning rather than purely academic research. Common elements for a learning community approach can include recurring convenings, webinars, peer to peer mentoring, shared climate and hydrologic data interpretation sessions, training on decision support methods, and the development of materials or frameworks that help participants incorporate climate information into planning and operations. The emphasis on tribal water managers also suggests the work would need to be attentive to local contexts, sovereignty, and the specific water governance and management realities faced by tribal nations.

Key identifiers for the opportunity include the funding opportunity number USGS 17 FA 0116, the title "Notice of Intent," the administering agency USGS, and the topical description "Cultivating a Climate Science Learning Community Amongst Tribal Water Managers."

• The Geological Survey in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.820.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-07-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-07-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $55,087.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

Apply for USGS 17 FA 0116

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