The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is offering the National Climate Adaptation Science Center Program (NCASC) grant to identify host institutions for regional Climate Adaptation Science Centers (CASCs).

1. Non-Federal entities eligible to submit proposals under this Announcement include state, not-for-profit, local government, and academic institutions. USGS entities may not submit proposals and may not be listed as formal partners on proposals. Federal agencies may collaborate in the execution of research projects, but should not be a Host or a consortium partner; Federal partners must receive money through other methods as appropriate and not through Federal financial assistance (i.e., the CASC hosting cooperative agreement).

2. Any eligible non-Federal entity, organization, or consortium interested in hosting a Center in the identified CASC region may apply; consortium partners are not required to be physically located within their corresponding CASC region. However, proposals involving institutions located outside the focal region should provide strong evidence of experience and capability to conduct research and maintain active partnerships with resource management stakeholders within the focal region, either directly or through other consortium members.

3. Proposals may be submitted for a single institution or by one institution serving as the CASC Host, along with additional consortium partners. Consortium partners should only be included if they will play a clear and substantive role in CASC strategy and operations. Examples include the provision of cooperative agreement funding for faculty and students or post-doctoral researchers for research activities related to the CASC science agenda.

1. This Announcement seeks to identify applicant organizations that propose to host and, as applicable, serve as consortium partners for a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) in the regions indicated below, and to determine if their proposed science, partnership, and program support activities and strategies are appropriate to serve in the following roles:

• Alaska, Northwest, and Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Centers. The geographic footprints for potential hosts of these CASCs are indicated in the map below (see Attachment A). The high-level climate science focus areas anticipated for these CASCs are described in Attachment C.

2. Once selected, the recipient will be established as the Host Institution for the respective regional CASC. As a Host, an institution will be the sole entity eligible to receive funding to conduct follow-on research/science projects anticipated as a part of this Program Announcement. Host Institutions may engage with other institutions, including by subaward, as part of these projects.