The Earth Mapping Resources Initiative (Earth MRI) Mine Waste Cooperative Agreements FY2025, administered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) under the Mineral Resources Program (MRP), offers funding through cooperative agreements to support state geological surveys in conducting mine waste inventory and characterization. This initiative is aligned with the objectives of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Bipartisan Infrastructure Law) to identify and assess potential critical minerals in mine waste, contributing to national strategies for mineral security and environmental restoration. The funding opportunity supports activities across three priorities: the creation of a national mine waste inventory (Priority 1), in-depth characterization of mine waste sites (Priority 2), and attendance at the annual Earth MRI workshop (Priority 3).

The total available funding for FY2025 is approximately $5,000,000, with individual awards ranging from $2,000 to $356,000. A total of 14 awards are expected. Funding does not require matching contributions and supports project periods of up to 24 months. State geological surveys are the only eligible applicants, though universities may apply on their behalf if the survey is part of a state university system. Notably, surveys with overdue deliverables or reports from previous Earth MRI agreements are ineligible for this cycle.

Priority 1 involves the development of a standardized ArcGIS geodatabase that records the locations, geological context, and potential resources of mine waste sites across states. Funding up to $50,000 is available for states to submit a minimum of 100 mine waste feature records, following a quality control process in coordination with USGS. Priority 2 supports more extensive field-based mine waste characterization, with budgets up to $300,000 for sampling and analysis. The USGS will provide up to $70,000 in analytical services per project, with geochemical and mineralogical analyses carried out under standardized protocols. Priority 3 allows states to request up to $6,000 to send two participants to the Earth MRI annual workshop scheduled for October 28–30, 2025, in Reston, Virginia.

Applications are due by May 14, 2025, at 3:00 PM EDT through Grants.gov. The earliest possible project start date is July 15, 2025, or upon receipt of FY2025 BIL funding. Submission requires completion of forms SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, a project abstract summary, project narrative, and supporting documents including CVs, budget justifications, and data management plans. Applicants must be registered in SAM.gov and have a Unique Entity Identifier. A workspace must be created in Grants.gov to complete and submit the application.

Proposals are reviewed for eligibility, technical merit, societal benefits, team experience, and budget appropriateness. Each priority proposed will be evaluated separately and must achieve a minimum review score to be eligible for funding. Projects are selected through a merit-based review process involving USGS and external experts. Funded projects will involve regular engagement with USGS staff to ensure consistent data standards and collaboration.

For technical questions, contact Margaret Eastman at mrussell@usgs.gov or 703-283-9642. For administrative assistance, contact Tina Hamalak at thamalak@usgs.gov or 703-648-6312. Grants.gov support is also available at support@grants.gov or 1-800-518-4726.