Management Implications of Winter Emergence Behavior of Indiana Bats and Tricolored Bats | P18AS00599

Opportunity Information: Apply for P18AS00599

The grant opportunity titled "Management Implications of Winter Emergence Behavior of Indiana Bats and Tricolored Bats" (Funding Opportunity Number P18AS00599) was a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service. It was offered as a cooperative agreement, which usually means the National Park Service expected to have an active role in the project as it was carried out, rather than simply providing funds and stepping back. The activity category was Natural Resources and it was listed under CFDA 15.945, aligning it with federal assistance programs connected to resource conservation and management.

The central purpose of the project was to study winter behavior in two bat species of high conservation concern: the Indiana bat and the tricolored bat. Specifically, the project aimed to investigate torpor patterns and winter cave emergence behavior. Torpor is a lowered metabolic state that allows bats to conserve energy during cold months when insects are scarce, and emergence behavior refers to bats leaving their winter roosts (typically caves or mines) during the hibernation season. Understanding when, why, and under what conditions bats emerge in winter can directly affect how caves are managed, when human access should be restricted, and how conservation staff interpret bat activity near hibernation sites.

From a management angle, the opportunity focused on translating behavioral findings into practical implications for protecting these species and their habitats, especially within or near park-managed cave systems. Winter emergence can be influenced by temperature swings, humidity changes, disturbance, disease pressures, and energetic stress. Because emerging in winter can be risky and energetically expensive, documenting emergence timing and frequency can help managers evaluate whether bats are being disturbed, whether microclimate conditions inside caves are stable, and whether additional protective measures are needed during sensitive periods. Although the short description does not spell out methods, research of this type typically involves monitoring cave conditions and bat activity through non-invasive techniques such as dataloggers for temperature and humidity, acoustic detectors at cave entrances, infrared or thermal imaging, or limited and carefully controlled surveys designed to minimize disturbance.

Eligibility for the award included private institutions of higher education, as well as other applicants described in additional eligibility text (not provided in the excerpt). The maximum award amount (award ceiling) was $27,678, indicating a small, targeted research effort rather than a large multi-year program. The posting was created on August 29, 2018, and the original closing date was September 7, 2018, which suggests a short application window consistent with many time-sensitive or narrowly scoped cooperative research needs. The listing shows expected awards as 0, which can appear in some postings when the agency is unsure whether an award will be made, expects to fund via a specific partner, or uses the announcement to satisfy procedural requirements even when funding is limited.

In practical terms, this opportunity was about filling a specific knowledge gap that can improve winter cave and bat management decisions. By clarifying how Indiana bats and tricolored bats use torpor and when they emerge during winter, the National Park Service could better time cave closures, refine visitor and staff access protocols, assess potential disturbance impacts, and strengthen conservation strategies for vulnerable bat populations that rely on stable hibernation conditions.

• The Department of the Interior, National Park Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Management Implications of Winter Emergence Behavior of Indiana Bats and Tricolored Bats" 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 Aug 29, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2018. (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 $27,678.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for P18AS00599

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