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The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) plans to invest in partnerships to promote and fund research that informs and improves soil surveys at the national level. It is all part of an ongoing effort to continue to provide critical data to the country, and partners are encouraged to prepare proposals.
Each of the 2024 Cooperative Soil Survey Research Proposals must include significant cooperation with soil survey personnel, such as those at the National Soil Survey Center, Major Land Resource Area soil survey or regional offices. The work should have national or broad regional application to fill gaps in soil survey databases, provide new approaches to collecting or interpreting soil survey data, and/or address emerging issues in the national research priority areas.
The FY24 research priorities were developed through meetings of the National Cooperative Soil Survey Research Priorities Committee and in conjunction with NRCS priorities. NRCS intends to announce a funding opportunity in three nationally relevant areas of soil survey research. They are the Dynamic Soil Properties and Soil Change, the Methods of Soil Hydrology and the Expansion of Datasets.
The period of performance could begin as early as October 2024 and could extend up to 3 years. NRCS expects to fund approximately $3,000,000 of cooperative research depending on funding availability. Individual proposals must have a total cost between $50,000 and $500,000. Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network. All proposals must include a data management plan and all data and deliverables must be made publicly available per USDA regulations.
For more information on cooperative soil survey research or FY24 research topics, contact Amanda Pennino, Research Soil Scientist: amanda.pennino@usda.gov or at 402-480-4346.