The Maryland Water Resources Research Center (MWRRC) announces the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the FY 2024 Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Competitive Grant Program by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Water Resources Research Act Program, in cooperation with the National Institutes for Water Resources.

Section 104(g) of the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 requires that this competitive grant program focus on: “water problems and issues of a regional or interstate nature beyond those of concern only to a single State and which relate to specific program priorities identified jointly by the Secretary (of the Interior) and the (water resources research) institutes.” Objectives of this program also include the following:

1. Promote aquatic invasive species research as related to hydrodynamics, water quality, control technologies, and(or) human dimensions in the upper Mississippi River basin to address critical needs, including integration with ongoing USGS science and monitoring.
2. Promote the dissemination and application of the results of the research funded under this program, both to the scientific community and to the general public.
3. Assist in the training of scientists in relevant water-resource fields. Proposals that include a strong educational component (student support) are encouraged, as are those from early-career faculty.

RESEARCH PRIORITIES

The challenges and opportunities that link aquatic invasive species and water resources are poorly understood, despite the real and growing effect of numerous aquatic invasive species on water quality, water quantity, and aquatic ecosystems. Research is needed to better identify and understand these interactions and to guide management decisions that will help to improve invasive species management and thus reduce effects of invasive species on water resources and aquatic ecosystems at local, regional, and national scales. Proposals are sought on the following specific areas of inquiry (levels of priority are not assigned, and the order of listing does not indicate the level of priority):

• Effects: Research that improves our understanding of the effects of aquatic invasive species on lakes, rivers, and associated tributaries in the upper Mississippi River basin, including changes to water quantity, water quality, and ecosystem dynamics.
• Characteristics: Research that identifies physical, biological, and chemical characteristics of water bodies that infer resistance and resilience to the distribution, establishment, and effects of aquatic invasive species in the upper Mississippi River basin. Research is needed to better understand these interactions to guide management decisions that will improve invasive species management and result in positive effects on aquatic ecosystems.
• Management: Research on assessment of the detection, spread, and management of aquatic invasive species in the upper Mississippi River basin and the connections to human dimensions, both socially and economically. Note that this does not include physical control of AIS.

ELIGIBILITY AND PROPOSAL PREPARATION
Proposals under this RFP are welcomed from any U.S. state or territory, although the research must focus on the upper Mississippi River basin. Any investigator at an institution of higher learning in Maryland is eligible to apply through the MWRRC. If a proposal from an institution other than the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP) is selected for funding, the funds will be managed as a subcontract from UMCP. Projects will only be awarded if funds are appropriated to the USGS to support the program.

Proposals may be for projects of 1 to 3 years in duration, may request up to $348,000 in federal funds, and require a 1:1 (non-federal:federal) match. Federal funds may not be used to pay Indirect Costs (IDC); the foregone IDC may be included in the non-federal match. Proposals in PDF format must be emailed to the MWRRC Director Dr. Kaye Brubaker at kbru<at-symbol>umd.edu by 11:59 p.m., May 15, 2024, to allow adequate time for MWRRC to submit the proposals by the May 30, 2024, deadline for institutes. Only proposals submitted to MWRRC by May 15, 2024, will be transmitted to the National Grants Competition Proposal Peer Review Panel.

Additional information about research priorities, proposal content, format and review process are available in the RFP.

PIs who intend to submit proposals under this program are asked to notify the Center as soon as possible (kbru<at-symbol>umd.edu) so that we may prepare for and assist with proposal preparation and processing

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