Sustaining Illinois Seed Grants

Sustaining Illinois is the flagship seed grant program of the Illinois Innovation Network (IIN), a 15-member consortium of Illinois public universities. Awards of up to $40,000 fund early-stage collaborative research projects addressing five statewide impact themes: Education and Workforce Development, Economic Development, Health and Wellness, Water/Food/Agriculture, and Computing and Data (AI/big data). Proposals must include principal investigators from at least two different IIN member hubs, and projects must be completed within one year of funding. Since its 2020 launch, the program has funded 52 early-stage concepts, supported 161 investigators, and generated $547,000+ in follow-on funding. Each IIN member campus administers its own internal pre-award process; UIUC PIs apply via the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation (OVCRI) RFP page.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.