Thursday, September 15, 2022
Written by: Office of the Provost

Preliminary proposals are now being accepted for FY2024 P3 initiatives to support the University of Iowa Strategic Plan for 2022-2027. Anyone in the campus community can submit a proposal for a one- to three-year grant that would start July 1, 2023. Up to $15 million in nonrecurring funds will be distributed through an open and transparent grant process. Preliminary proposals must be submitted by Oct. 31.

Individuals planning to submit a preliminary proposal are encouraged to first discuss their proposal with their collegiate dean or central unit leader. All proposals should demonstrate a direct connection of the initiative to the strategic plan. Information sessions on constructing a competitive preliminary proposal are scheduled for Sept. 29 and Oct. 13. 

The Strategic Plan Action and Resource Committee (SPARC)—the team responsible for implementing the new strategic plan—will review the preliminary proposals. Funneling proposals through SPARC and its work groups allows for increased coordination of P3 projects with the strategic plan.

Project leads of selected proposals will be notified by Dec. 8 if they are invited to submit a full application. Full applications will be due by March 10, 2023.

The P3 Program provides resources that are essential for the implementation of the strategic plan and will help the UI progress toward its vision of being a destination university—the first choice for students, faculty, and staff.

Proposals should demonstrate each of the following criteria:

    • Institutional-level high impact (i.e., a high return on investment) across more than one strategic priority area (excellence in teaching and learning, innovative research and creative discovery, welcoming and inclusive environment, holistic well-being and success, and/or transformative societal impact). Projects should align specifically with one or more 2022-2027 UI Strategic Plan goals, objectives, and strategies and have the potential to make measurable (or significant) progress toward one or more overarching metric.
    • 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 for longevity beyond the funding period, whether the project will be able to leverage additional funds (e.g., grants, philanthropy, and/or other strategies) or to continue project activities by making them a regular part of institutional operations.
    • Cross-campus collaborations, including interdisciplinary, cross-unit activities that build on existing strengths and/or areas of opportunity for growth and distinction.

Visit the P3 Program website or view the annual P3 Program report for more information and to view a list of previous P3-funded projects.

In March 2020, 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 priorities of excellence in teaching and learning, innovative research and creative discovery, welcoming and inclusive environment, holistic well-being and success, and transformative societal impact.