Deadline: 14-Oct-22
The United States Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the applications for Special Technology Development Program (STDP) to quickly move mature research findings into practical applications by developing or improving technologies that increase their ability to manage and restore forest systems through prevention, detection, and response to forest insects, pathogens, and invasive species.
The Special Technology Development Program is administered at the national level and funds are provided by the USDA Forest Service Forest Health Protection, Forest Service Research, the Eastern Environmental Threat Assessment Center, and the Western Environmental Threat Assessment Center.
Projects submitted to this Program must contribute to fulfilling the Forest Health Protection (FHP) mission: To protect and improve the health of America’s rural, wildland, and urban forests – i.e. must address forest insects, forest pathogens and diseases, and invasive plants.
National Priorities
Priorities are set by the FHP Directors, which if met, will give a higher ranking to proposals. STDP national program priorities are:
- Technologies that address field diagnostics and screening tools that lead to the early detection of high priority emerging invasive species
- Technologies that help quantitatively assess the impacts or risks of multiple interacting threats, including native/ invasive insects and diseases, invasive plants, fire, environmental disturbances, and climate change, and include capabilities to better integrate forest health data into cross boundary and landscape-level analyses
- The development of silviculture and other pest management tools and methods that improve, maintain, and restore forest health
Funding Information
- A maximum of $2500 in travel is allowed in the 1st year if the project is a 1-year project.
- A maximum of $2500 per year in travel is allowed in the 2nd and 3rd year for multi-year projects or $5000 for the life of the project.
Types of Projects Considered
Technology oriented proposals addressing a broad range of topics are accepted. Examples include but are not limited to:
- More rapid or cost-effective detection of insects, pathogens, or invasive plants, especially exotics
- Improved hazard rating systems for insects, diseases, or invasive plants
- Models that evaluate climate change impacts on the spread of native and non-native invasive species
- Develop or improve insect trapping technologies
Eligibility Criteria
- Must address the FHP program mission
- Must be submitted through the STDP Regional Representatives
- Must have an FHP sponsor who is directly involved in the project proposal, development, and implementation. The FHP sponsor must agree to sponsor the project prior to proposal submission
- Have a maximum project duration of 3 years with results that can be implemented upon completion
- Must meet cost-share match requirements if you are a non-federal entity receiving funds through a Grant or Cooperative Agreement. However, in certain circumstances and on a case-by-case basis, match may be reduced or waived by the Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry.
- Must meet FS Grants and Agreements requirements. Please specify where any requested salary expenses are going to (e.g., contracts, in-house, etc.).
For more information, visit USDA.
For more information, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/foresthealth/working-with-us/index.shtml