Institute on the Environment Home Research Programs
A New Funding Opportunity for Launching Interdisciplinary Collaborations
Proposals Due February 1, 2011
The Institute on the Environment (IonE) of the University of Minnesota is launching a new "Mini Grants" program, which is intended to provide support and funding for interdisciplinary teams that seek to organize and develop new activities around environmental research, education or engagement.
IonE Mini Grants are intended to help spur new collaborative efforts by providing small amounts of funding (from $1,000 to $5,000, with average grants being $2,000), administrative support (including organizing and staffing meetings) and space (for meetings, small conferences, new courses, reading groups, etc.) to interdisciplinary groups of faculty, staff and students from across the University system. The grants are meant to encourage collaboration across disciplines, units or campuses at the University of Minnesota.
IonE Mini Grants can be fairly open-ended, but are meant to support the following kinds of activities:
* helping interdisciplinary teams develop new research proposals and projects;
* supporting faculty teams to develop new cross-disciplinary course offerings, curricula, and training programs;
* facilitating the development of new partnerships between the University and outside organizations, including NGOs, businesses and government agencies;
* encourage more international collaborations and partnerships around environmental work at the University; and
* other innovative projects that cross disciplines in environmental research, education or engagement.
Funds can be used to conduct preliminary research, develop a proposal, sponsor a workshop or meeting, bring in outside partners, support travel for visitors, etc. However, funds must not be used for sponsoring departmental seminar speakers, or work that would otherwise occur in traditional departments, research programs, etc.
Connecting to IonE
Interdisciplinary teams, led by faculty members from any campus of the U of M, are eligible to apply. However, we first ask that the proposing faculty complete an application to become an Associate Fellow of the Institute (if they aren't already connected to the IonE as a Resident Fellow or as a PI on an active Discovery Grant).
Proposal Requirements
The proposal process is simple. Please write a 2 page letter, outlining the following:
* who is involved in the proposal, and what disciplines, units and campuses they represent;
* what the project would entail and why it fits the goals of the IonE Mini Grants program;
* what the expected benefits and outcomes of the project will be; and
* what your budget, administrative and space needs would be, and how these resources will be used.
Proposals are due on February 1, 2011. Decisions on funding will be made by the end of February, and funds will be made available immediately. We anticipate that this will become a regular IonE program, with solicitations every semester.
Proposals must be sent electronically (as a single PDF file) to ione@umn.edu with the subject line "Mini Grant Proposal" by midnight on February 1, 2011.
For additional information, please contact Jonathan Foley (jfoley@umn.edu), Director, Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota.
