Find Campus Funding Opportunities

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign supports innovative research in a number of ways. Campus funding helps faculty and research staff advance new ideas, complete important preliminary studies to attract external support, and supplement resources available from other sources.

Many of the programs listed below (in alphabetical order) have revolving deadlines. Check individual websites for specific requirements and application criteria.

Current Opportunities

Beckman Institute

Molecule Maker Lab Campus Competition
The Beckman Institute is building a new core facility for synthetic chemistry, the Molecule Maker Lab, and is seeking campus proposals for new users. Two seed projects will be selected to receive $10K each.
Deadline: February 28, 2020

Birmingham–Illinois Partnership

BRIDGE Seed Fund
Illinois and the University of Birmingham have established the BRIDGE Seed Fund of $200K to stimulate wider academic engagement between the two universities. Faculty members are encouraged to apply.
Deadline: March 6, 2020

Cancer Center at Illinois

Seed Grant Program
The CCIL is soliciting interdisciplinary team research proposals for 2020-21. Each team may apply for up to $250K for a 2-year period.
Deadline: March 2, 2020

The Career Center

Robert P. Larsen Grant for Research in Career Development
The Robert P. Larsen Grant for Research in Career Development is accepting proposals to support research addressing career development and vocational issues. Currently enrolled graduate students are eligible.
Deadline: March 10, 2020

Center for Advanced Study

George A. Miller Visiting Professors & Scholars
The George A. Miller Programs Committee accepts applications for partial funding of visiting faculty appointments, bringing scholars of outstanding achievement to Illinois to participate in scholarly, professional, or creative programs.
Deadline: March 10, 2020

Center for Social and Behavioral Science

The Small Grant Program
The CSBS's Small Grants Program gives research teams a foundation for research demonstrating promise for external funding. Grants will range from $5K to $20K and are available to both faculty and staff.
Deadline: Continuous until funds are depleted

Graduate College

Graduate Student Leadership Award
The Graduate Student Leadership Award celebrates graduate students who have engaged in outstanding service that has positively impacted the campus or wider community.
Deadline: February 29, 2020

Grainger Engineering

Illinois Scholars Undergraduate Research Program
With the generosity of the DaRin Butz Foundation, the Grainger College of Engineering Illinois Scholars Undergraduate Research (ISUR) Program offers women undergraduate students funding to do research in the summer.
Deadline: March 15, 2020

Illinois Extension

Call for Applications: Illini Science Policy Fellowship
The fellowship is an opportunity to explore public service careers that make a positive impact for Illinois, solving critical issues in food, economy, environment, community, and health. Open to Illinois graduate students.
Deadline: March 16, 2020

Illinois Materials Research Science and Engineering Center

I-MRSEC Call for Seed Proposals
I-MRSEC is seeking proposals for projects that align either with current I-MRSEC research or any topic fundable by the NSF Division of Materials Research. Award size is approximately $100,000 for 12 months.
Deadline: March 2, 2020

Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities

IPRH Summer Faculty Research Fellowships
IPRH’s Summer Faculty Research Fellowships help Illinois faculty maximize the summer for research in service of their ongoing professional development. All applicants must be PhD holders and have written EO approval to apply.
Deadline: February 15, 2020

IPRH Prizes for Research in the Humanities
These prizes recognize outstanding humanities research at Illinois, with awards given at the undergraduate, graduate, and faculty levels.
Deadline: March 9, 2020

Institute of Government & Public Affairs

The Charles P. Wolff Internship
The Charles P. Wolff intern spends 12 months working with IGPA staff on a variety of projects, including communications activities, organizing events, researching potential award recipients, and some public policy research.
Deadline: March 9, 2020