Funding

Disciplines: All

The University of Illinois System, its Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation (OVPEDI), and Northern Illinois University, are committed to advancing the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) by providing supplemental (operational) funding for several projects that address elements under the Sustaining Illinois concept, which include:

• Education and Workforce Development: developing and sustaining the education of its citizens and developing a productive and inclusive workforce for the 21st century;
• Economic Development: sustaining and developing the economy of the state, including understanding how best to support the growth of diverse entrepreneurship and business formation in Illinois;
• Health and Wellness: sustaining and improving the general health and social wellness of all Illinois citizens, including local and regional communities.
• Water, Food, and Agriculture: sustaining the water supply, with 20% of the world’s freshwater supply in the shores of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River Basin, the largest in the US and 2nd largest in the world, and enhancing the home to a national leader in food and agriculture; and
• Computing and Data: under the umbrella of Sustaining Illinois, there is a foundation of computing, big data, and artificial intelligence. This is an important area in its own right as Illinois develops its high- tech industry, but in this context, it is seen as an enabler for all other aspects of sustainability as articulated above.

For the Spring 2022 competition, the following requirements apply:

• At least two IIN hubs must be involved significantly in the project.
• Projects must represent a “seed” concept not previously funded by the IIN Sustaining Illinois Program or in later stages of project development, regardless of "seed" funding source.
• Previously submitted but unfunded projects may be submitted a maximum of three times in a three-year period.
• If applicable, as part of the proposal, previous IIN grantees applying to this competition must describe how this project is distinct from their previously awarded IIN project.

Projects are one year in length with a budget cap of $30,000. Cost matching of at least 50% is encouraged.

Applications are due May 9, 2022.

Click here to view the full funding opportunity guidelines.

Interested in applying? Email siueresearch@siue.edu.

For more information, visit https://iin.uillinois.edu/sustaining_illinois_seed_funding.