Opportunity Information: Apply for F18AS00173
The grant opportunity titled "Assessment of Population, Reproductive, and Health Impairments in Colonial Waterbirds Breeding in Michigan's Areas of Concern and Grand Traverse Bay" is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Department of the Interior) effort to support continued, targeted research on how environmental contamination is affecting fish-eating colonial waterbirds in key Great Lakes locations. The work is focused on Michigan's federally recognized Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), including Saginaw Bay and the Raisin River, and it also extends to additional sites such as Grand Traverse Bay and Bellow Island. The central purpose is to document whether contaminants in these ecosystems are linked to measurable changes in bird population status, reproductive outcomes, and immune system health, using methods that can be compared directly with results from prior years.
The project is designed as a monitoring and assessment continuation rather than a brand-new exploratory study. The recipient is expected to collect fresh field and laboratory data that can answer two core comparison questions: first, how bird health and reproduction in contaminated AOC sites compare with reference locations that are not considered AOCs, and second, how current conditions compare with historical measurements taken in the same colonies in earlier investigations. This emphasis on comparability is a major feature of the award, since the value of the dataset depends on consistent endpoints, consistent sampling approaches, and experienced handling of sensitive breeding colonies over time.
A key requirement of the opportunity is demonstrated expertise. The recipient institution must have an established track record working with Great Lakes colonial waterbird colonies and must be capable of measuring specific immunological endpoints that reflect immune function and overall health. That requirement is meant to protect scientific integrity, reduce variability introduced by inexperienced handling or inconsistent lab techniques, and ensure that new findings can be interpreted alongside earlier datasets with confidence. While the notice does not list every endpoint in the text provided, it makes clear that immune function metrics are central, alongside standard population and reproductive measures used in colonial waterbird monitoring.
In addition to continuing the long-running work across AOCs, the grant adds a specific expansion component: the same population, reproductive, and immune function endpoints will also be measured at Bellow Island. The work at Bellow Island includes an added focus on contaminants of emerging concern, meaning newer or increasingly recognized chemical stressors that may not have been fully captured in earlier monitoring efforts. The goal is to evaluate whether these emerging contaminants could be influencing the measured health and reproductive indicators in ways that matter for management decisions.
The practical outcome of the study is decision-relevant data for the Great Lakes cleanup and restoration framework, particularly the assessment of Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs) related to wildlife. Specifically, the findings will be used to inform the "Wildlife Populations and Reproductive/Deformities" BUI determinations in Michigan's Areas of Concern. In the AOC program context, BUIs are formal indicators used to track environmental harm and guide remediation; evidence that bird populations or reproduction are impaired by contamination can support the case for continued cleanup, targeted interventions, or, conversely, progress toward delisting an impairment if conditions improve.
Administratively, this funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number F18AS00173) is a discretionary grant under CFDA 15.662, categorized under Environment and Natural Resources. The award ceiling is $210,000, and only one award was expected. Importantly, the notice states there is no open application process because it is a notice of intent to make a single-source award to Calvin College, led by Dr. Keith Grasman, justified under the cited departmental policy provisions. The posting dates indicate the notice was created June 14, 2018, with an original closing date of June 21, 2018, reflecting a short public notice period typical of single-source intent announcements rather than competitive solicitations.Apply for F18AS00173
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the environment, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assessment of Population, Reproductive, and Health Impairments in Colonial Waterbirds Breeding in Michigan's Areas of Concern and Grand Traverse Bay" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.662.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 14, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 21, 2018 There is not an application process for this funding opportunity. This is a notice of intent to award asingle source grant to Calvin College (Dr. Keith Grasman) under justification 505DM 2.14B 2 and 4.. (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 $210,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Assessment of Population, Reproductive, and Health Impairments in Colonial Waterbirds Breeding in Michigan's Areas of Concern and Grand Traverse Bay."
Which agency is offering this funding?
The effort is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S. Department of the Interior).
What is the main purpose of the project?
The purpose is to support continued, targeted research on how environmental contamination may be affecting fish-eating colonial waterbirds in key Great Lakes locations in Michigan. The project is intended to document whether contaminants are linked to measurable changes in bird population status, reproductive outcomes, and immune system health.
Is this project a new exploratory study or a continuation of prior work?
It is designed as a continuation of monitoring and assessment rather than a brand-new exploratory study, with a strong emphasis on collecting new data that can be compared directly to results from prior years.
What locations are included in the study?
The work is focused on Michigan's federally recognized Great Lakes Areas of Concern (AOCs), including Saginaw Bay and the Raisin River, and it also extends to additional sites such as Grand Traverse Bay and Bellow Island.
What are "Areas of Concern" (AOCs) in this context?
In this opportunity, AOCs refer to federally recognized Great Lakes Areas of Concern in Michigan where contamination and related environmental impacts are being assessed and addressed under Great Lakes cleanup and restoration frameworks.
What species or group is the project centered on?
The project centers on fish-eating colonial waterbirds breeding in the specified Great Lakes locations.
What types of impacts will be assessed in the birds?
The project targets three main categories of endpoints: population status, reproductive outcomes, and immune system health (immune function metrics) as indicators of overall health and potential contaminant-related impairment.
What are the core comparison questions the project is expected to answer?
The project is expected to generate data to answer two central comparison questions: (1) how bird health and reproduction in contaminated AOC sites compare with reference locations that are not considered AOCs, and (2) how current conditions compare with historical measurements taken in the same colonies during earlier investigations.
Why does the opportunity emphasize comparability with prior years?
Comparability is emphasized because the value of the dataset depends on consistent endpoints, consistent sampling approaches, and experienced handling of sensitive breeding colonies over time. This consistency helps ensure that new findings can be interpreted alongside earlier datasets with confidence.
Are immunological measurements required?
Yes. The opportunity specifically requires the capability to measure immunological endpoints reflecting immune function and overall health. While the specific endpoints are not fully listed in the provided notice text, immune function metrics are described as central to the work.
What expertise is required of the recipient institution?
The recipient institution must demonstrate an established track record working with Great Lakes colonial waterbird colonies and must be capable of measuring specific immune function endpoints. This requirement is intended to protect scientific integrity, reduce variability from inexperienced handling or inconsistent lab techniques, and maintain continuity with earlier datasets.
What is the expansion component mentioned in the notice?
In addition to continuing long-running work across AOCs, the grant adds an expansion to measure the same population, reproductive, and immune function endpoints at Bellow Island.
What is different about the work at Bellow Island?
The Bellow Island work includes an added focus on contaminants of emerging concern, meaning newer or increasingly recognized chemical stressors that may not have been fully captured in earlier monitoring efforts.
What is meant by "contaminants of emerging concern" in this opportunity?
Based on the notice description, contaminants of emerging concern are chemical stressors that are newer or increasingly recognized and may not have been fully included in earlier monitoring. The aim is to evaluate whether these contaminants could be influencing health and reproductive indicators.
How will the results be used for management or decision-making?
The study is intended to produce decision-relevant data for Great Lakes cleanup and restoration, specifically to inform Beneficial Use Impairment (BUI) determinations related to wildlife in Michigan's AOCs.
Which specific BUI does this work inform?
The findings will be used to inform the "Wildlife Populations and Reproductive/Deformities" BUI determinations in Michigan's Areas of Concern.
What are Beneficial Use Impairments (BUIs)?
In the AOC program context described, BUIs are formal indicators used to track environmental harm and guide remediation. Evidence that wildlife populations or reproduction are impaired by contamination can support decisions about continued cleanup, targeted interventions, or progress toward delisting an impairment if conditions improve.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is F18AS00173.
What is the CFDA number associated with this grant?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.662.
How is the opportunity categorized?
It is categorized under Environment and Natural Resources.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $210,000.
How many awards were expected?
Only one award was expected.
Is there an open, competitive application process?
No. The notice states there is no open application process because it is a notice of intent to make a single-source award.
Who is the intended recipient of the single-source award?
The notice indicates the intent to make a single-source award to Calvin College, led by Dr. Keith Grasman.
Why was this posted if there is no open application process?
The posting functions as a public notice of intent to make a single-source award, which is typically accompanied by a short notice period rather than a full competitive solicitation.
What were the posting and closing dates listed?
The notice was created on June 14, 2018, with an original closing date of June 21, 2018.
What does the short notice period suggest about the type of announcement?
The short notice period is described as typical of single-source intent announcements rather than competitive solicitations.
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