GLNF-CESU Lake Superior Monitoring and Research - APIS | NPS NOIP17AC00246 04

Opportunity Information: Apply for NPS NOIP17AC00246 04

The grant opportunity titled "GLNF-CESU Lake Superior Monitoring and Research - APIS" (Funding Opportunity Number: NPS NOIP17AC00246 04) is a discretionary National Park Service cooperative agreement focused on strengthening science-based management of nearshore ecosystems in Lake Superior, with particular emphasis on Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. The central idea is to formally engage a university partner in hands-on, shared monitoring and research activities that help park managers and surrounding communities respond to emerging nearshore threats, especially harmful algal blooms and the environmental conditions that may be driving them.

The project is structured around three main objectives. First, it aims to sustain and continue ongoing nearshore monitoring, ensuring that consistent field data are collected over time to track ecological conditions and detect changes. Second, it supports experimental research designed to get at the underlying causes of newly emerging algal bloom problems, which can involve examining nutrient dynamics, tributary inputs, nearshore circulation patterns, and other stressors that influence bloom formation and persistence. Third, it funds modeling work intended to improve prediction and understanding of algal bloom occurrence, so managers are better equipped to anticipate when and where blooms might develop and what factors are most responsible.

A key feature of the opportunity is its emphasis on coordination and shared stewardship. Monitoring is not framed as a standalone research exercise, but as a collaborative program linking the National Park Service, the recipient institution, and other partners through coordinated nearshore and tributary monitoring. The expected outcome is both practical and scientific: park decision-makers gain actionable information for managing nearshore waters, while the broader Great Lakes research community benefits from new knowledge, datasets, and improved understanding of Lake Superior nearshore ecosystem processes and the changing nature of algal bloom risk.

The University of Minnesota-Duluth Large Lakes Observatory is identified as the partner expected to assist with these efforts. Their role includes helping the National Park Service maintain nearshore monitoring at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and carrying out related research on tributary-to-lake interactions and recent ecological changes. The description highlights the public purpose of bringing recognized large-lake research leadership (including Dr. Robert Sterner and colleagues) into direct collaboration on nearshore management problems affecting both the park and coastal communities in western Lake Superior.

Beyond technical outputs, the opportunity also stresses public communication and education. By linking research activities to National Park Service interpretation and to outreach efforts led by the recipient, the project is intended to improve public understanding of nearshore Lake Superior ecosystems, including how these waters support recreation and natural resources and how they may be changing over time. In practical terms, the collaboration is expected to produce new information on nearshore conditions, improve bloom forecasting and understanding through modeling and experiments, and translate those findings into clearer communication that helps visitors, local residents, and decision-makers make sense of Lake Superior ecosystem change.

Administratively, the award is a cooperative agreement under the Department of the Interior, National Park Service, with a CFDA number of 15.945. Eligibility is limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. The opportunity listed an award ceiling of $750,000 with one expected award. The posting was created on April 4, 2019, with an original closing date of April 14, 2019.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the education, employment, labor and training, environment, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "GLNF-CESU Lake Superior Monitoring and Research - APIS" 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 04, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 14, 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 $750,000.00 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.

Apply for NPS NOIP17AC00246 04

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