The University of Iowa has allocated up to $15 million in P3 funding for fiscal year 2026 to support continued progress on the university’s strategic plan.
The funding will go toward one new interdisciplinary project selected from a campuswide call for proposals, the continuation of a major facilities renovation, additional investments in faculty hiring and retention, and timely support for other strategic plan initiatives throughout the year.
“The P3 program helps us turn great ideas into real progress,” says Kevin Kregel, executive vice president and provost. “By aligning our investments with areas of need and opportunity, we are achieving new levels of student success, faculty excellence, and impact across the university.”
Improving health outcomes for cancer survivors
A three-year, $642,896 project will establish a new Exercise Oncology Clinic focused on improving the health and quality of life for cancer survivors. Housed in the Department of Health and Human Physiology, the clinic will offer personalized exercise programs and advanced imaging technology to support rehabilitation.
In addition to providing direct patient care, the clinic will serve as a clinical research hub — generating new knowledge on the benefits of physical activity for cancer survivors — and provide hands-on learning experiences for students in exercise and health-related fields.
The Exercise Oncology Clinic was selected from the pool of 11 projects that were submitted through a campuswide call for P3 proposals in fall 2024.
Continuing investment in educational infrastructure
The university will invest $3 million in FY 2026 to continue renovations to the Performing Arts Annex (former art museum), which will become the new home of the Department of Dance. The updated facility will better support the needs of students and faculty in the department and encourage further collaboration with other performing and visual arts programs. Construction began in February 2025, with completion of the project expected in August 2026.
Funding for strategic plan implementation and faculty hiring
The remaining $11.36 million in FY 2026 P3 funding will be reserved to support additional strategic plan initiatives throughout the year. Of that amount, $4 million has been designated to support the High Impact Hiring Initiative, which strengthens Iowa’s ability to recruit and retain faculty in areas of excellence and impact. The High Impact Hiring Initiative has supported 75 faculty recruitments and 32 retentions across 10 colleges since its inception in 2021.
The Strategic Plan Action and Resource Committee’s (SPARC) Strategic Plan Implementation Fund was launched in FY 2024 and has supported 19 campus projects — including seven in FY 2025. A full list of projects funded through the SPARC Strategic Plan Implementation Fund can be found on the strategic plan website.
Background on the P3 Program
The P3 Program provides resources for strategic investment in the UI’s core missions of teaching, research, and scholarship. 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 allow the university to invest about $15 million per fiscal year in support of the UI’s strategic plan priorities.
For more information on the P3 Program and funded projects, visit the strategic plan website.
