The University of Michigan is encouraging innovative ideas from faculty and staff — and is accepting applications for $1 billion in funding to make those ambitious concepts a reality.

During his State of the University address in November, President Domenico Grasso outlined U-M’s plan to invest $1 billion over 10 years for initiatives that advance the university’s mission and create lasting, transformational changes across society.

Those funds are now available through the Strategic Initiative Fund, which provides one-time financial resources to pursue high-value, high-impact projects at varying scales.

Faculty and staff across all three campuses and Michigan Medicine are invited to submit proposals that demonstrate institutional value, social impact, holistic problem-solving and groundbreaking solutions.

The SIF is designed to accelerate ideas that meet the institution’s vision and create broad or deep impact.

With higher education facing unprecedented challenges on several fronts, Grasso said U-M has an obligation at this moment to deliver bold new solutions.

“We must not compromise the potential of the future for the exigency of the present. We are calling on our community to submit their best ideas,” Grasso said. “The world’s brightest minds surround us on all three campuses, and together we can be more strategic and disciplined than ever about our finances. The answer is thinking differently.”

One-time funding awards for this application cycle are available in three tiers: up to $500,000, $1 million and $5 million.

The fund is designed to support proposals that:

• Advance high-priority institutional transformation realized through the Look to Michigan vision.
• Expand or deepen research, teaching, and/or service impact in the vision’s five impact areas and six commitments.
• Build meaningful and productive interdisciplinary collaborations for holistic problem-solving across units/campuses.
• Address high-impact opportunities with broad value to the U-M community and/or society.

“Strong institutions invest in their people, especially during challenging times. The Strategic Initiative Fund represents a deliberate choice about where to invest when resources are constrained and innovation remains a core value,” said Provost Laurie McCauley. “With this fund, we are looking to our community to elevate areas of great promise in continuing to deliver on our mission and fortify our future.”

Early university investments supporting the Look to Michigan vision include the Faculty Expansion Program and Impact Institutes.

Proposals for the first annual university-wide open application period are accepted through Feb. 9, 2026, and will be evaluated by a review committee including internal and external subject matter experts. Final funding decisions will be communicated in March 2026.