CESU Involvement – Question & Answer

Essentially, what is a CESU?

Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) is a cooperative agreement that aims to facilitate productive opportunities while reducing the overhead typically associated with inter-agency agreements.

What makes a CESU different from any other cooperative agreement?

While the concept of the CESU is similar to other cooperative agreements, the chief aim of the CESU is to minimize the wrinkles and the maze of bureacracy that - under previous agreements - had a tendency to stifle productive and pragmatic solutions in large agencies.

How does a faculty member find out about opportunities with a CESU?

While there is not a centralized source for listing opportunities, the regional CESU website is usually the best place to begin. A second source of information is the regional CESU Director or the host contact person at the host university. The host university coordinates CESU meetings that also provide information about the CESU. Another source of information regarding opportunities are the federal agency representatives for the CESU. For example, every CESU has a representative for the National Park Service that can be easily reached by phone or e-mail. He or she is aware of current and upcoming projects and is eager to help.

And what if I have a good idea or solution to an agency problem?

Herein lies one of the most significant and innovative features of a Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit. Due to the results-oriented mission of the CESU, a faculty member can now propose a solution, fill a research void, or supply training or technical assistance without waiting on a Request for Funding (RFP). CESU members are able to access "fringe" or discretionary funds (see Sources of Funding below) through agreements established under the CESU. By establishing solid relationships with CESU agency members, a productive researcher is now able to inititate change and "sell" a good idea if it can meet the resource demand of a federal agency.

How does a faculty member become involved in a CESU project?

Faculty can become more involved by becoming more visible and by actively communicating their interests.

1. A good first step is a very detailed faculty webpage. It is very common for the Principal Investigators of CESU projects to be located from a search of a university website for specific research interests. Insert keywords and professional jargon into the webpage that will ensure a "hit" from a search.

2. Secondly, ask the CESU host (host university contact information can be found at regional CESU websites) if it maintains a directory of skills and capabilities. If so, ensure that all faculty research interests, skills and capabilities are submitted to the directory.

3. Third, contact the federal agency representatives and make them aware of your skills and abilities. Ask to be included on mailing lists of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) or related CESU information.

4. Fourth, actively communicate interest by contacting agency resource managers and make them aware of your skills and abilities. Tell the resource manager that your university is part of the CESU.

5. Lastly, remember it is not just what you know, but who you know and who knows you. Many projects begin when an agency representative or a resource manager recommends someone he or she knows. Effective networking is crucial!

Getting Involved - National Park Service and CESU

The National Park Service (NPS) is the largest contributor of funds for CESU projects. Ray Albright, Director of the Piedmont/South Atlantic Coast CESU, shares the details on becoming more involved:

For National Park Service (NPS), the submission of an unsolicited research proposal by a university researcher to a National Park is usually unsuccessful. Due to unexpected maintenance and emergency situations, National Parks have very few discretionary funds to hand out.
There are four sources of funding for research projects in National Parks that a university researcher could access.

NPS SOURCES OF FUNDING

Natural Resource Challenge funding: Over the last 5 years, Congress has been generously funding the NPS to ‘catch up’ on natural resource inventories, analyses and restoration. This funding looks good for the next several years. Only a National Park can submit for this funding, so a university researcher needs to become very acquainted with the natural resource needs and interests of a National Park to build a project. Talk with the NPS representative for all the information on this funding source.

Challenge Cost Share funding: About every other year, Congress releases a large cache of money for projects that have at least a 50-50 share in funding. Again, only a National Park can submit, but it has to have a partner that will put in at least 50%. The difference between the university overhead rate and the CESU overhead at 15% can be considered towards this 50%. A university researcher that can have a project(s) on the shelf with a National Park will greatly benefit from this sporadic funding source.

End Of Year funding: Pots of unspent money appear towards the end of the fiscal year that can be transferred into waiting research projects. These pots usually appear at the regional or Washington office – not at National Parks. It happens every year. Pots can vary from $ 10K to $ 100K and usually have to be obligated in a few days. Again, a university researcher that can have a project(s) on the shelf with a National Park will greatly benefit from this funding source. The researcher also needs the NPS representative at the CESU in the loop, so that when a pot becomes available, the representative can tell the researcher. In fact, the contractual paperwork can be done on these waiting projects all the way up to the last step, pending the arrival of a pot of money.

External funding: This is the private sector competitive proposal process (like NSF process) that university researchers are all too familiar with. National Parks make great research labs and any researcher is welcome to conduct research on about any National Park. Most National Parks support recognition as a partner in a competitive proposal. They may have a little bit of money that could be promised to help strengthen the partnership. The NPS representative may also have a little bit of money that could be promised on the Park’s behalf for the same purpose. Combining an externally funded project with a Natural Resource Challenge project would be a powerfully persuasive project.

And how does a faculty member find out if a personal or departmental research interest would benefit, and hence, receive the support of the NPS?

Very easily. Contact the NPS representative at the CESU and/or talk directly with the resource manager at a National Park(s). This is commonly done. The NPS rep at the CESU is aware of most research needs on associated National Parks, plus the rep can ‘smooth the way’ for the researcher in discussing a research interest with a National Park(s).
I cannot overemphasize the importance of becoming acquainted with the resource issues and needs of a National Park(s) of interest. This is a foundational block in building a research program with the National Park Service.