NPS Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Units (CESU) Master Cooperative Agreements
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-04-29. Official notice and agency instructions control.
If your university or research organization is in a CESU network, this is recurring cooperative funding for applied park and ecosystem research with predictable ~$60k project sizes.
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What this is
This is a cooperative agreement opportunity for universities, tribes, NGOs, and government agencies already part of the CESU network to receive funding for applied research and technical assistance in national parks. The NPS obligates $30–40M annually across all CESU agreements, with individual projects averaging ~$60,000 and lasting up to 5 years. Projects must support informed decision-making on park resources, ecosystem management, and cultural heritage across 17 U.S. biogeographic regions. This is not a typical grants competition; applicants must be existing CESU network participants or be willing to join the network.
Who can apply
Applicants must be existing members of the CESU network (universities, tribes, NGOs, state/local government, federal agencies) or be based in one of 17 designated CESU biogeographic regions. Non-network members may still apply but will be reviewed separately. CESU network participants outside listed regions are encouraged to apply.
Eligible applicant types
- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Full description — from the agency
The National Park Service (NPS) are seeking applications for Master Cooperative Agreements from CESU network participants in the following CESU network regions: North and West Alaska Californian Chesapeake Watershed Colorado Plateau Desert Southwest Great Basin Great Lakes Northern Forest Great Plains Great Rivers Gulf Coast Hawaii/Pacific Islands North Atlantic Coast Pacific Northwest Piedmont-South Atlantic Coast Rocky Mountains South Florida Caribbean Southern Appalachian Cooperative agreements to CESU network participants residing in CESU network regions other than those listed above will be pursued separate from this notice of funding opportunity; however, those CESU network participants may still apply for a Master Cooperative Agreement under this announcement. Application instructions are found in Section D. Application and Submission Information. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated as they are received and may be submitted at any time up until the closing date of this announcement. The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units network is a national consortium of Federal agencies, tribes, academic institutions, state and local governments, nongovernmental conservation organizations, and other partners working together to support informed public trust resource stewardship. The CESU network includes 390 non-Federal partners and 15 Federal Agencies in seventeen (17) CESUs representing biogeographic regions encompassing all 50 states and U.S. territories. The CESU network is well positioned as a platform to support research, technical assistance, education and capacity building that is responsive to long-standing and contemporary science and resource management priorities. The seventeen (17) CESUs bring together scientists, resource managers, students, and other conservation professionals, drawing upon expertise from across the biological, physical, social, cultural, and engineering disciplines (from Anthropology to Zoology) to conduct collaborative and interdisciplinary applied projects that address natural and cultural heritage resource issues at multiple scales and in an ecosystem context. Each CESU is structured as a working collaborative with participation from numerous Federal and non-Federal institutional partners. CESUs are based at host universities and focused on a particular biogeographic region of the country. The NPS is required under “Research Mandate” 54 USC 100702 to ensure the management of NPS units are “enhanced by the availability and utilization of a broad program of the highest quality science and information.” To help answer this mandate, the NPS works cooperatively with approved CESU cooperators. Annually the NPS obligates between $30M and $40M in CESU cooperative agreements agency wide. Individual projects are up to five (5) years in duration with an average of approximately $60,000 per agreement. The NPS plans to create Master Cooperative Agreements with CESU partners to carry out the CFDA program 15.945, Cooperative Research and Training Programs – Resources of the National Park System. The NPS is announcing the intent to solicit proposals from organizations within the CESU network. The objectives of the CESU program are: a. Provide usable knowledge to support informed decision making. b. Ensure the independence and objectivity of research. c. Create and maintain effective partnerships among the Federal agencies and universities to share resources and expertise. d. Take full advantage of university resources while benefiting faculty and students. e. Encourage professional development of current and future Federal scientists, resource managers, and environmental leaders. f. Manage Federal resources effectively.
Topics: ecosystem research · national park science · cooperative agreements · applied conservation research · cesu network · natural resource management · federal-university partnerships
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.