Landslide External Grants - Priorities

Guidance Criteria for Grant Applicants

Each grant cycle, the USGS outlines Guidance Criteria to help applicants focus on priority areas in landslide risk reduction. These criteria align with program goals but are not restrictive—innovative and alternative approaches are welcome and encouraged. The intent is to provide helpful direction, not to limit creativity or proposal scope.

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Guidance Criteria Summary

Proposals submitted to the USGS Cooperative Landslide Hazard Mapping and Assessment Program must address at least one of the following Guidance Criteria (GC). These criteria support the goals of the National Landslide Preparedness Act and the National Strategy for Landslide Loss Reduction, which aim to reduce landslide risk, protect communities, and improve preparedness and response. The following are summaries of the GC, which are fully described in the NOFO available on grants.gov.

Guidance Criteria GC1: Landslide hazard mapping and assessments

This criterion supports projects that improve the quality and availability of landslide hazard maps and assessments. Proposals may include landslide inventories, susceptibility and risk modeling, event databases, and studies on landslide behavior or the influence of land use.

Guidance Criteria GC2: Landslide planning and coordination

This criterion focuses on enhancing preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery through improved planning and collaboration. Projects may involve developing emergency response protocols, forming working groups, or improving coordination among government agencies, researchers, and emergency managers. The goal is to ensure timely, actionable information reaches the right people and that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined to streamline landslide response efforts.

Guidance Criteria GC3: Landslide education, engagement, and outreach

This criterion emphasizes the importance of stakeholder engagement and effective communication. Proposals may include public education campaigns, training programs, collaborative workshops, and development of new tools or messaging strategies. Projects should aim to increase awareness, improve understanding of landslide risks, and support the integration of hazard information into planning and decision-making across all levels of government and the public.

Guidance Criteria GC4: Landslide hazards in Alaska

Alaska’s steep terrain, complex geology, and dynamic climate make it highly susceptible to landslides, which can be triggered by earthquakes, heavy precipitation, glacial retreat, or permafrost degradation, and may cause tsunamis near coasts and lakes. Remote locations, difficult travel, and limited communication further complicate risk mitigation. This Guidance Criteria seeks innovative, scientifically robust proposals to reduce landslide risk in Alaska’s unique landscapes and communities, focusing on fundamental research into landslide initiation, development of geospatial tools for hazard communication, and strategies to effectively convey uncertainties and support risk reduction actions such as warnings and evacuations.