Thursday, September 9, 2021
Written by: Office of Strategic Communication

The University of Iowa Strategy Team is accepting preliminary proposals (letters of intent) for FY2023 P3 proposal initiatives that support the university’s strategic priorities. The team currently anticipates that up to $15 million in non-recurring funds can be requested for a one- to three-year time period starting July 1, 2022. A preliminary proposal to submit a full application must be sent to the strategy team by Oct. 21, 2021.

Individuals planning to submit a preliminary proposal are encouraged to discuss their proposal with the applicable collegiate deans or central unit leaders beforehand. Information sessions on constructing a competitive letter of intent are scheduled for Sept. 22 and Sept. 28. 

The UI Strategy Team will review the preliminary proposals, and the project leads of selected proposals will be invited in early December 2021 to submit a full application. Full applications will be due by Feb. 18, 2022.

The full application process and subsequent allocation of funding are intended to elevate the university’s commitment to student, faculty, and staff success; research and discovery; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and engagement. The P3 Program is envisioned to provide unique opportunities to strategically invest in areas of distinction that focus on developing Iowa into a destination university—the first choice for students, faculty, and staff. Therefore, preliminary proposals are expected to illustrate how proposed projects will contribute to this goal.

Projects should demonstrate the following criteria:

    • Institutional-level high impact (i.e., a high return on investment) across more than one strategic priority area (student, faculty, and staff success; research and discovery; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and engagement);
    • How project activities are outside of scope, or unable to be supported, through the current budget model (project activities should extend beyond core functions or operations related to the central missions of teaching, research, and service);
    • The potential to leverage additional funds (i.e., grants, philanthropy, and/or other strategies) to ensure the continuation of project activities after the funding period; and
    • Cross-campus collaborations, including interdisciplinary, cross-unit activities that build on existing strengths and/or areas of opportunity for growth and distinction.

The letter of intent must be completed via an InfoReady form and include:

  • Project title
  • Project lead (include name, title, and college/unit)
  • List of project collaborators (include names, titles, and colleges/units)
  • Summary of project purpose including how it meets the above criteria
  • Assessment plan that includes intended benchmarks and expected outcomes
  • Budget information

Please visit the P3 Program website for more information and to view a list of previously P3-funded projects.

Nearly $1 billion in funding from the university’s 50-year partnership with ENGIE North America and Meridiam to operate the utility system was placed in an endowment. Earnings from the endowment will allow the university to invest about $15 million per fiscal year via grants dedicated to supporting the UI’s strategic plan and core missions of teaching, research, and scholarship.