Sustainability Office

Explore Sustainability at the U

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Faculty Funding Options

  • This grant supports projects fostering collaboration between academic researchers and community partners to address real-world issues and enhance societal impact.

    Available to faculty with at least 0.5 FTE.

    CBR Partnership Formation Grant

  • Annually awarded to three faculty members for outstanding research achievements. Funds support research or creative projects that improve and enrich human conditions.

    Faculty with at least five years at the University of Utah are eligible.

    Distinguished Research Awards

  • This award supports faculty scholarly activities such as writing, curating, performing, creating, or designing. Funds provide one semester of full release time at full salary.

    Available to career-line and tenure-line faculty with at least 0.5 FTE.

    Faculty Fellow Awards

  • This grant supports creative research and scholarly publications. Eligible publications must be peer-reviewed, publicly analyzed, and contribute new knowledge, technologies, methods, or materials.

    Available to tenure-line and career-line faculty with at least 0.5 FTE. Adjunct faculty can join applications as co-PIs.

    Faculty Small Grant Program

  • This grant supports innovative research with the potential to attract extramural funding. Certain activities are ineligible, as outlined in the VPR Budget Guidelines.

    Available to tenure, career, clinical, or equivalent faculty with at least 0.75 FTE.

    Research Incentive Seed Grant

  • This fund supports the purchase, repair or upgrade of research instrumentation. There are four eligibility categories detailed in the link below.

    Available to tenure-line and career-line faculty with at least 0.75 FTE.

    Research Instrumentation Fund

  • This grant supports innovative responses to challenges in extreme environments, addressing both environmental conditions and improving population safety in resource-scarce settings.

    Available to faculty with at least 0.5 FTE. Project teams must include at least three faculty or research scientists from two different colleges. Inclusion of postdoctoral, graduate, or undergraduate students is highly encouraged.

    RAC Grand Challenge

  • This grant supports research on the fundamental processes of climate change as well as climate policy and opportunities. Projects already receiving funding from other sources are not eligible. Proposals must focus on a new research direction with potential to generate extramural funding.

    Available to tenure-line and career-line faculty in residence at the University of Utah.

    Wilkes SEED Grant

  • This grant fosters interdisciplinary research collaborations. The FY25 theme is “Women Across the Lifespan: Health, Technology, and Society,” but all disciplines are encouraged to apply.

    Available to tenure-line and career-line faculty with at least 0.75 FTE.

    1U4U Collaborative Grant

Student Funding Options

  • These micro-grants help students achieve short-term business development milestones within 30-90 days.

    Available to all University of Utah students.

    Get Seeded Grant

  • Offers various funding opportunities such as Early Exploration Scholarships, UROP, SPUR, and Travel & Small Grants. Categories are detailed at the link below.

    Funding for these opportunities comes from university funding programs.

    Available to all undergraduate University of Utah students.

    Undergraduate Research Funding

  • Funds support climate or environmental science research aligned with the Wilkes Center mission. Suggested topics include water instability, climate forecasting, air quality and human health.

    Available to sophomores, juniors or seniors with a research mentor.

    Wilkes Scholars

     

  • This award funds travel for research or presenting climate science and policy research at conferences. Eligibility details are available in the link below.

    Undergraduate and graduate students are eligible.

    Research and Conference Travel Award

  • Supports doctoral candidates focusing on climate science or policy during their final 1-2 semesters of dissertation writing and defense.

    Domestic and international Ph.D. students at the University of Utah are eligible.

    Wilkes Dissertation Fellowship

Student & Faculty Funding Options

  • Offers multiple funding opportunities for research in environment, climate and sustainability.

    Available to students and faculty.

    AVPR Announcements

  • This page provides links to 12 federal agencies and foundations offering energy-related funding opportunities.

    Available to all students and faculty.

    Energy Futures Funding

  • Supports water-related research, technical assistance, and education projects. Examples of funded projects are listed for 2025.

    Funding for these projects comes from the Environmental Protection Agency via federal 319 grants.

    Open to any individual meeting project requirements.

    NPS Funding

  • This page provides links to 12 federal agencies and foundations offering water sustainability funding opportunities.

    Available to all students and faculty.

    Peak Water Funding

  • Supports sustainability projects addressing energy, water and carbon challenges in Utah, Nevada or Arizona. Projects must produce innovative solutions.

    Funding is provided by community partners and stakeholders.

    Open to any individual meeting project requirements.

    SWSIE Innovation Grant

  • SCIF supports sustainability projects that enhance campus and community, encourage cross-department collaboration and create lasting impact.

    Available to students, faculty and staff from all disciplines.

    SCIF Funding