The Research and Innovation Office (RIO) provides approximately $6.4 million in funding and awards annually to support and nurture the University’s systemwide research enterprise.
The following grants and awards are open to all campuses and are supported by funds from a variety of sources, including technology commercialization revenue. Grant proposals are reviewed by a committee of UMN peers.
| Grant Programs | Eligibility | Application Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Artist-in-Residence | UMN faculty and staff in art-related fields | Aug-Sept 2024 |
| Biotechnology & Biomanufacturing Seed Grants | UMN faculty | TBD |
| Grant-in-Aid | UMN faculty | Spring: Jan-Feb Summer Bridge Funding: May-June Fall: Aug-Sept |
| NC A&T & UMN Research Partnership | UMN faculty | September/October 2024 |
| Research Infrastructure | UMN faculty and staff | Mar-April 2024 |
| Social Justice Impact Grants | UMN faculty | Feb-Mar 2024 |
| Sustainable GeoCommunities | UMN faculty and staff | Aug-Sept 2024 |
| Award Programs | Eligibility | Application Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Innovation Impact Case Award | UMN faculty P&A employees Other staff | April-May 2024 |
| Research Technical Staff Award | Research technical staff Not eligible: tenured, tenure track, clinical track, and research track faculty; administrators; postdocs; students; RIO unit employees |
May-June 2024 |
See this quick guide to RIO Funding & Awards for 2024.
Grants
Artist-in-Residence
The Artist-in-Residence program lies at the intersection of art and science, allowing artists to collaborate with scientists to benefit both science and art, spurring creative thinking and innovation.
Biotechnology & Biomanufacturing Seed Grants
The Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Seed Grants aim to stimulate research in biotechnological solutions to and/or biomanufacturing of: biofuels; decarbonization and carbon storage/capture solutions; and recycling/upcycling of waste products.
Grant-in-Aid
The Grant-in-Aid of Research, Artistry, and Scholarship program promotes the research, scholarly, and artistic activities of faculty and supports academic excellence throughout the University.
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) & University of Minnesota (UMN) Research Partnership
The North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T) & University of Minnesota (UMN) Research Partnership or NC A&T & UMN Research Partnership is an interdisciplinary seed grant program aimed at developing a strategic collaboration and research partnership between the University of Minnesota and the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.
Research Infrastructure
The Research Infrastructure Investment Program provides funding that supports research infrastructure.
Social Justice Impact Grants
The Social Justice Impact Grants (SJIG) aim to catalyze rigorous, solution-oriented research on social justice topics, including criminal justice reform, housing segregation/gentrification, systemic racism, achievement gaps, health disparities, environmental justice, and related topics.
Sustainable GeoCommunities Seed Grants
The Sustainable GeoCommunities Seed Grants leverage the power of research to help local communities around the world to meet UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Awards
Innovation Impact Case Award
The Innovation Impact Case Award recognizes research that has led to significant impact outside of academia and has made a meaningful difference in our communities.
Research Technical Staff Award
The Research Technical Staff Award recognizes staff for their distinguished service to the research community and celebrates exemplary leadership that positively impacted their colleagues and advanced the University's mission.
Other RIO Funding
Matching Funds
RIO provides Matching Funds for certain grant proposals to external sponsors on an ongoing basis.
Affiliated Centers, Institutes & Initiatives
The following groups offer funding opportunities for UMN faculty, staff, and students.
MnDRIVE
The MnDRIVE program offers a range of funding opportunities for UMN researchers. See the research areas pages (Robotics, Global Food, Environment, Brain Conditions, Cancer Clinical Trials) for available funding.
Research Computing
Research Computing offers funding opportunities for faculty, researchers, and graduate students to advance their informatics research by supporting research proposals that are innovative, align with new or existing initiatives, seek to develop new multidisciplinary collaborations, and identify means to sustain University of Minnesota-based research.
Inactive Grant Programs
The following RIO grant programs are currently on hiatus or are no longer actively seeking applicants.
COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants
The COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants were offered to catalyze and energize small-scale research projects designed to address and mitigate the risk associated with the coronavirus pandemic, including cascading impacts in communities. Currently inactive.
International Institute for Biosensing
The International Institute for Biosensing (IIB) promotes the convergence of research in biological disciplines and physical domains including the materials, components and systems. Currently inactive.
Minnesota Futures
The Minnesota Futures program advances new, collaborative research by fostering opportunities for researchers to cross disciplinary and professional boundaries and respond to emerging interdisciplinary research and scholarship. Currently on hiatus. Currently on hiatus.