Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00151
The grant opportunity titled "GRPL- CESU: Monitor the Response of Bats to the Arrival of White Nose Syndrome at Jewel Cave National Monument (JECA)" is a National Park Service (Department of the Interior) cooperative agreement focused on tracking how bat populations at Jewel Cave respond once White-nose Syndrome (WNS) arrives. The central value of the project is that Jewel Cave has strong pre-WNS baseline information, allowing researchers to compare bat health, abundance, and behavior before and after disease arrival in a way that is rarely possible in the western United States. Because much of the early WNS science and documented impacts have come from eastern North America, this project is positioned to provide some of the first clear, baseline-based documentation of how western bat species respond when WNS reaches a site where detailed pre-arrival monitoring already exists.
The project is designed around three connected goals. First, researchers will actively capture bats in and around Jewel Cave using mist-net surveys to document changes in bat community statistics and health that may occur with WNS emergence. These capture-based surveys will be directly compared with ongoing acoustic monitoring, which records bat echolocation activity and can indicate shifts in bat presence, relative activity levels, and seasonal patterns without physically handling animals. By pairing mist netting data with acoustic data, the study can help interpret whether changes seen in acoustic detections reflect real population changes, behavioral shifts, changes in species composition, or simply differences in detectability over time.
Second, each captured bat will be outfitted with a PIT tag (Passive Integrated Transponder tag) so the project can quantify movement patterns into and out of Jewel Cave using an automated reader system. This is meant to move beyond simple presence/absence and toward a clearer picture of how individual bats use the cave across time, including potential changes in roost use, visitation frequency, or seasonal movement that might occur as WNS pressure increases. During handling, bats will also be identified to species, and basic demographic and condition information will be collected, including sex and reproductive status. Each individual will be evaluated for signs consistent with WNS infection, supporting early detection and a better understanding of how infection correlates with behavior and cave use.
Third, the project has an explicit emphasis on communicating results to both technical and public audiences. Findings are intended to be shared with the broader science and conservation communities and with on-the-ground resource managers through peer-reviewed publications, formal reports that outline results, and participation in professional groups and conferences at local, regional, and national levels. The park also plans to use the new information for public interpretation and outreach, updating interpretive tours and talks, refreshing its Adopt-a-Bat brochure, and incorporating results into social media and a park podcast. In other words, the grant is structured not only to generate data but to ensure the results translate into practical management guidance and public-facing education.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary funding opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number NPS NOIP19AC00151) issued under a cooperative agreement mechanism, with activities categorized under education, environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development (CFDA 15.945). Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, consistent with the CESU-style partnership approach. The opportunity was posted with a creation date of April 18, 2019, and an original closing date of April 28, 2019. The anticipated award structure was a single award (Expected Awards: 1) with an award ceiling of $244,000.
Overall, the grant aims to produce one of the most informative west-region case studies of WNS arrival by leveraging strong pre-disease baseline data and combining three complementary monitoring tools: mist net capture surveys for direct health and demographic assessment, PIT tagging with automated detection for movement and cave-use metrics, and acoustic monitoring for broader behavioral and activity trends. The intended end result is actionable information that helps managers in western areas that are still WNS-free anticipate impacts, refine monitoring strategies, and set conservation priorities based on evidence from a comparable western system.Apply for NPS NOIP19AC00151
- The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "GRPL- CESU: Monitor the Response of Bats to the Arrival of White Nose Syndrom at Jewl Cave National Monument (JECA)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.945.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 18, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 28, 2019. (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 $244,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "GRPL- CESU: Monitor the Response of Bats to the Arrival of White Nose Syndrome at Jewel Cave National Monument (JECA)."
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the National Park Service (NPS) within the Department of the Interior.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
This is offered as a cooperative agreement.
Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is NPS NOIP19AC00151.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 15.945.
What is the main purpose of the project?
The project is focused on monitoring how bat populations at Jewel Cave National Monument respond once White-nose Syndrome (WNS) arrives, using multiple monitoring tools and strong pre-WNS baseline data to compare "before" and "after" conditions.
Why is Jewel Cave National Monument important for this research?
Jewel Cave has strong pre-WNS baseline information. That makes it possible to compare bat health, abundance, and behavior before and after disease arrival, which is described as rarely possible in the western United States.
Why does the opportunity emphasize western bat species?
Much of the early WNS science and many documented impacts have come from eastern North America. This project is positioned to provide some of the first clear, baseline-based documentation of how western bat species respond when WNS reaches a site with detailed pre-arrival monitoring.
What are the major project goals?
The project is organized around three connected goals: (1) capture-based monitoring paired with acoustic monitoring to document changes in bat communities and health, (2) PIT tagging and automated detection to quantify individual bat movement and cave use, and (3) communicating results to technical and public audiences through publications, reports, professional participation, and public outreach.
How will bats be surveyed and assessed directly?
Researchers will actively capture bats in and around Jewel Cave using mist-net surveys. These surveys are used to document changes in bat community statistics and health that may occur with WNS emergence.
What is acoustic monitoring in the context of this project?
Acoustic monitoring refers to recording bat echolocation activity. The recordings can indicate shifts in bat presence, relative activity levels, and seasonal patterns without physically handling bats.
Why combine mist-net capture surveys with acoustic monitoring?
Pairing mist netting data with acoustic data is intended to help interpret whether changes in acoustic detections reflect real population changes, behavioral shifts, changes in species composition, or differences in detectability over time.
Will bats be tagged as part of the project?
Yes. Each captured bat will be outfitted with a PIT tag (Passive Integrated Transponder tag).
What is the purpose of PIT tagging in this project?
PIT tagging is intended to quantify movement patterns into and out of Jewel Cave using an automated reader system, helping measure individual cave use over time (for example, changes in roost use, visitation frequency, or seasonal movement as WNS pressure increases).
What information will be collected from bats during handling?
During handling, bats will be identified to species and basic demographic and condition information will be collected, including sex and reproductive status.
Will the project look for signs of White-nose Syndrome on individual bats?
Yes. Each individual will be evaluated for signs consistent with WNS infection, supporting early detection and helping relate infection status to behavior and cave use.
How will the project share results with scientific and management audiences?
Findings are intended to be shared through peer-reviewed publications, formal reports outlining results, and participation in professional groups and conferences at local, regional, and national levels.
How will the project share results with the public?
The park plans to use new information for public interpretation and outreach, including updating interpretive tours and talks, refreshing its Adopt-a-Bat brochure, and incorporating results into social media and a park podcast.
What topic areas or categories does this opportunity fall under?
Activities are categorized under education, environment, natural resources, and science and technology research and development.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, consistent with a CESU-style partnership approach.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity had a creation date of April 18, 2019.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was April 28, 2019.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity anticipated a single award (Expected Awards: 1).
What was the award ceiling?
The award ceiling was $244,000.
What makes this project a potential "case study" for western regions?
The project aims to produce one of the most informative west-region case studies of WNS arrival by leveraging strong pre-disease baseline data and combining mist net capture surveys, PIT tagging with automated detection, and acoustic monitoring.
What is the intended end result for park managers and conservation planning?
The intended end result is actionable information that helps managers in western areas that are still WNS-free anticipate impacts, refine monitoring strategies, and set conservation priorities based on evidence from a comparable western system.
Does the opportunity emphasize management use of results, not just research outputs?
Yes. The grant is structured to generate data and translate results into practical management guidance and public-facing education.
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