The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is offering this Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) grant to address threats to fish and wildlife resources through scientific collaboration.

The Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network is a national, collaborative consortium of federal agencies, tribes, universities, state and local governments, and other partners that provide scientific research, technical assistance, and education on natural and cultural resource issues to federal land management, environmental, and research agencies. The mission of the CESU Network is to: Provide resource managers with high-quality scientific research, technical assistance, and education; provide resource managers with solid natural resource information; deliver research and technical assistance that is timely, relevant to resource managers, and needed to develop and implement sound adaptive management approaches; ensure the independence and objectivity of research; create and maintain effective partnerships among federal agencies and universities to share resources and expertise; take full advantage of university resources while benefiting faculty and students; provide research, technical assistance, and educational functions within the context of cultural, social, biological, and physical sciences; enhance the ability of Federal natural and cultural resource managers to generate, acquire, synthesize, act upon, and articulate to the public sound research and scientific information; encourage professional development of federal scientists and enhance their ability to manage federal science resources efficiently.

Only CESU member institutions may apply for this award. By applying, the institution agrees to accept the CESU reduced indirect cost rate of 17.5% of modified total direct costs.