College of Education Seed Funding 2025-2026
The College wishes to encourage and support the development of faculty research programs. The Bureau of Educational Research and the College Research Committee, honoring faculty research and scholarship, invite College of Education faculty researchers to apply for Seed Grants.
This opportunity is made possible, in part, by an endowment from Charles Dunn Hardie to support faculty scholarship.
Proposal Due Date: Monday, December 1, 2025
Overview
Eligibility and Funding Priorities
The purpose of these funds is to promote new research efforts and to enhance the collaborative research culture in the College, providing initial support necessary to undertake research collaborations that will continue beyond the funding period. The PI should be a faculty member in the College of Education with an FTE appointment.Project Types
- Planning projects likely to be competitive for external research funding.
- Examination of a topic where external funding is unlikely, but a sustained research program would be possible and productive.
Competitive Preferences
While proposals on any research topic will be considered, priority will be given to projects to one or more of the following:
- Projects that align with Illinois state initiatives and/or collaboration with state agencies or foundations supporting these initiatives.
- Projects that seek to address 'big picture' challenges and opportunities relating to the future of education. (Could include projects that respond to changes in federal priorities or those discussed at the Oct 17th Faculty Development Session titled “The Future of Education: What's it Mean for Me?”).
- Projects that have cross-departmental or interdisciplinary collaborations within the College.
Projects that do not fall within the categories listed above may still be considered if they present a compelling rationale. Applicants are encouraged to clearly articulate the significance, innovation, and potential impact of their work to demonstrate its value and alignment with the broader goals of the College.
- Research initiatives that involve partnerships with K–12 schools, school districts, or community-based organizations to address shared challenges or co-develop solutions.
- Projects led by mid-career or early-career faculty members, especially those seeking to establish or expand their research agendas through collaborative or innovative work.
- A project seeking to understand the aspirations of UIUC undergraduate learners in a world of fast-changing labor demands and educational requirements, observed through focus group discussions and workshops.
- A cross-departmental project to advance mixed methods research through a combination of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and thematic analysis (TA) of a survey administered to Illinois middle school leaders about perceptions of and preparedness for AI.
- A project that combines philosophical case studies with data analytics to better understand how College of Education EdD students experience the changing dynamics and ethical challenges of sustained multiyear online learning.
Award Amount and Timeline
Applicants can request funds of up to $10,000. The project is expected to be completed by May 2027; where a longer project period is necessary, this should be clearly explained in the proposal.Use of Funds
Funds may be used to support: (1) Undergraduate and graduate student hourly wages; (2) Other research expenses, including materials and supplies, participant incentives, data access expenses, programming costs, meeting expenses, and travel costs; (3) Costs for collaborating organizations to participate. Fringe benefits will be assessed on all student hourly salaries budgeted. Indirect costs (F&A) will not be assessed.Proposal Preparation and Submission
Proposal Contents
Proposals must include:
- Title of the proposed project.
- Team Member names, titles, affiliations, and contact information, project roles.
- Abstract: 250 words.
- Project Narrative: 3-page single-spaced project narrative outlining the proposed project (motivation, research plan, and an outline of how future work might grow beyond the efforts funded by this program).
- Excel Budget that breaks down a proposed use of funds, with dollar amounts for each item. Anticipated costs for collaborating organizations should be specific.
- Please contact BER pre-award staff via grants@education.illinois.edu (Kim Darnell and Laura Cooky) for assistance in developing this budget.
- Budget Narrative: 1-page narrative that provides clear explanations for the proposed use of funds. Any anticipated costs for collaborating organizations should be explained specifically.
- Work Beyond the Funding Period: 1-page single-spaced plan.
- For projects targeting external funding proposals, indicate what future external funding will be pursued, including (if known) identification of intended funder(s), program(s), and submission due dates.
- For projects not readily aligned with external funding sources, provide a projected timeline to pursue sustainable research activity beyond the seed-funded period.
Proposal Submission
Proposals will be submitted to BER’s Seed Funding interface.
Proposals must be submitted by Monday, December 1, 2025, 11:59pm. Bureau initial screening and support will be available prior to the submission date to provide submitting teams the opportunity for improvements and modifications to meet the funding criteria.
Review and Outcome
Proposal Review
College Research Committee proposal review will be conducted during December 2025, with funding decisions announced in January 2026, for award funds to be made available beginning May 16, 2026.
Submissions will be reviewed according to the following process:
- Proposals will be received by BER and then presented directly to the College Research Committee (CRC) for review and funding recommendations. CRC recommendations will be made within one month of receipt by the Committee.
- The Associate Dean for Research and the Bureau will resolve any questions arising during CRC review. Follow-up communications with the submitting teams will be made by the ADR, CRC Co-Chairs, or by BER, as appropriate; BER will prepare funding recommendations to present to the Dean.
- Final decisions for funding rest with the Dean.
Review Criteria
Proposals will be reviewed by the College Research Committee along the following criteria:
A. Required Elements:
- Intellectual merit: To what extent does the proposed work advance knowledge?
- Innovation potential: Does the proposal clearly articulate theoretical and/or methodological innovation?
- Research quality: Is the proposed plan feasible in the given time frame? Is it clearly described and logically organized?
- Impact: Does the proposal address the needs of the field of education (students, the COE, the State of Illinois, and society)? Is the work consistent with the College of Education 2028 Strategic Vision?
- Quality of resources: Are sufficient resources available to conduct the proposed work? If the proposed work will involve human subjects, are intended tools consistent with the latest campus technology guidance? (See Seed Funding FAQ for details and latest guidance updates.)
- Plan for work beyond the funding period (as applicable):
- Identified external funding sources: Is the proposed project aligned with the priorities of the identified external funders?
- Projects for non-funded sustained efforts: Are the arguments presented for the growth and sustainability of the proposed project detailed and compelling?
B. Competitive Preferences:
- Projects that align with Illinois state initiatives and/or collaboration with state agencies or foundations supporting these initiatives. Will the proposed project take action on an identified state priority or initiative and/or collaborate with others working toward these initiatives?
- Projects that seek to address 'big picture' challenges and opportunities relating to the future of education. Does the proposal identify a specific challenge or opportunity put forth by a named body, and does it propose a credible approach for producing new findings or practices?
- Projects that have cross-departmental or interdisciplinary collaborations within the College. Will the proposed collaboration enable outcomes greater than those possible within the primary investigator's department only?
- Projects that do not fall within the categories listed above may still be considered if they present a compelling rationale. Does the proposal clearly articulate significance, innovation, and potential impact?
Expected Outcomes
- Awarded applicants will be expected to present a talk, based on their findings, in a College venue within six months of completion of specified project activities in the proposal.
Research product(s)
- For projects targeting external funding: One or more ready-to-submit external funding submissions will be expected to further the work of the project.
- For projects organizing a sustained research effort: a creative product (e.g., academic publication, podcast series, video) to engage audiences with emerging research findings.
For additional information, please visit the Seed Funding FAQ below or email the Bureau of Educational Research with your questions.
FAQs: Eligibility and Fit
What external sources of funds could I be aiming to pursue?
A broad array of external funding opportunities may be considered, selecting those sources best matched to the proposed research topic and plan. In some cases, multiple sources and source types could be considered if they are positioned to fund specific components of a particular project.
The purpose of this program is to be inclusive and interdisciplinary, so funded projects will be those with the potential to maximize educational and social impact.
I plan to name a graduate student as a Co-PI role in my seed-funded project. Will I be able to give that student a similar role in the external funding proposal I eventually plan to submit?
External proposals are submitted in the name of the university, and so need to adhere to university rules governing research participation. Graduate students can be named as “senior personnel” if they play significant roles in an external funding proposal. University submissions do not typically name students in PI or co-PI roles because that entails fiscal responsibilities for the conduct of the project. Please consult the Bureau with specific questions.
I am a pre-tenure faculty member conducting research supported by startup or other institutional funds. I have encountered difficulties or delays in conducting this research. Am I eligible to apply for a seed award to address these additional needs?
This program is not designed to provide supplemental funding. Pre-tenure faculty in need of support for project completion created by hardship should contact either the 2025-2026 Dean’s Fellow, Michelle Perry, or Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs Tamara Bertrand-Jones, who are charged with assistant professor development.How should I share the external funding proposal I develop from my seed-funded project?
Please contact Elizabeth (Beth) Niswander to share updates as your plans develop. Provided you initiate discussion early on, Beth will also field requests for strategic support (e.g., feedback on proposal drafts, assistance in finding needed resources or collaborators).The project I wish to pursue is in a topic area, or of a type, for which external funding is generally not available. Am I eligible to apply for a Seed Funding award?
One explicit purpose of this competition is to provide resources that will help faculty teams to organize education research projects with potential for significant impact. For topics that do not fall within areas of research generally competitive for external funding, a competitive proposal will present a clear argument of need and evidence of the likelihood that research outcomes will influence the field.
External funding from sources less commonly identified with education research may be available. Information on both internal (e.g., Campus Research Board, Center for Social & Behavioral Science) and external supports for projects related to the arts, humanities, and other fields is available from the OVCRI Research Advising and Project Development (RAPD) team.FAQs: Research Compliance
Will I need IRB Approval for this project?
Please follow all necessary IRB requirements through our University Office for the Protection of Research Subjects (OPRS). Note: OPRS is the best source for research safety information (should COVID-19 or other infectious disease require that research activity be modified).
Will I need to secure FERPA for this research project?
FERPA questions and requirements about access to school records will be dealt with in the course of OPRS review.
I would like this collaborative work to include a K-12 school or school district. How do I go about this?
Whether this is a newly designed activity, or one you have already engaged, in some form, with a school partner, it is essential that you make early contact with the Director of School-University Research Relations, Dr. Meghan Fisher (mfisher2@illinois.edu) , to discuss prospects, plans, and opportunities. University interest and expectations for many area schools are great, and need to be managed sensitively to preserve relationships and opportunities for all, including beyond the scope of this program.
FAQs: Budget and Financial Needs
What budget materials do I need to submit?
For the seed funding submission, you need to include both an Excel budget that breaks down use of funds, with a dollar amount for each item. This should be accompanied by a one-page narrative that clearly explains the use of these funds. Preparation and submission of the seed funding application is the researcher’s responsibility. You may request help from BER pre-award staff via grants@education.illinois.edu (Kim Darnell and Laura Cooky) to generate an Excel budget with correct salary and fringe benefit rates. Please make that request at least two weeks before you submit your seed funding proposal (Friday, November 15, 2025, at the latest). When selected for funding (and before you start spending), these documents will enable the Finance Office to administer your award funds.
How should undergraduate or graduate student participation in the project appear in my budget request?
Please include student support as an hourly wage, with fringe benefits; do not budget this as a percent time assistantship.
When will project funds be available, and how can I access them?
Funds will be available for use starting May 16, 2026. BER will notify Finance, sharing copies of your proposal and budget. In due course, Finance will assign your grant charges to the right program code (CFOP) and will send out reports of expenditures to PIs.
For seed projects leading to an external funding proposal, when should I submit this?
External proposal submissions are expected as an outcome of the seed-funded projects. Because funder due dates vary, they may fall within, or following, the 6-month to 1-year window for seed-funded activity.
External proposal submissions should follow normal BER submission processes. Please contact Kim Darnell and Laura Cooky via grants@education.illinois.edu as soon as your funder submission date is known to plan the submission process.
For projects establishing a sustained research effort, how and when should my creative work product be presented?
Timing and method for sharing will depend on the particulars of the proposed project. Please confer with the BER to establish logistics to ensure proper BER and College recognition.
What if I need to revise my project budget following an award?
Where budget revisions are tied to a significant project redesign (e.g., adding a collaborator, changing research design), please contact Kim Darnell and Laura Cooky for assistance, and then share narrative and budget revisions with Robb Lindgren and Beth Niswander.
Where budget revisions are administrative (e.g., adjusting student worker hours, purchasing minor supplies), working with Kim Darnell will be sufficient; she will communicate revisions with the Finance Office.