The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program (IISG) anticipates having $800,000 to invest in promising research projects relevant to southern Lake Michigan and surrounding communities in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Donor Name: Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
States: Illinois, Indiana
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/06/2023
Size of the Grant: up to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 years
Details:
Work is to be completed in the 2024–25 biennium. Work can be conducted outside of the geographic area outlined above provided applicants make a compelling case for why their work is relevant to southern Lake Michigan and surrounding coastal communities, or otherwise supports the priorities identified in this document. Funding is competitively awarded following procedures outlined below.
For the 2024–25 cycle, IISG will prioritize funding projects with outcomes that demonstrate potential to benefit underserved communities in the southern Lake Michigan region. Benefits may include but are not limited to improved quality of life, job training and student opportunities, and increased access to beneficial services or information.
For the 2024–25 funding cycle, IISG has five areas of special interest:
- Improving water safety, with a goal of reducing the number of drownings in Lake Michigan.
- Adapting to changing lake levels in the southern Lake Michigan region in support of healthy coastal ecosystems and resilient communities and economies.
- Better understanding contaminant levels in fish or shellfish that are or can be used for food.
- These may include Lake Michigan or tributary fish caught for subsistence fishing or Illinois– or Indiana-farm raised fish and shellfish. Contaminants to explore include but are not limited to legacy contaminants, contaminants of emerging concern, and toxic cyanobacteria from algal blooms (e.g., in nearshore regions; in ponds where fish or shellfish are raised).
- Addressing environmental justice concerns associated with restoration of degraded southern Lake Michigan coastal sites (e.g., decommissioned power plants, industrial parks).
- Exploring economic or legal barriers to production of Illinois- and/or Indiana-grown fish or shellfish (e.g., processing of organisms to be sold at restaurants, permitting or acquisition of resources to expand facilities, access to skilled laborers).
Funding Information
Projects can request up to $100,000 per year for two years (maximum $200,000 total). IISG anticipates funding 4–5 projects via this call.
Project Period
Funding will be provided for up to two years beginning February 1, 2024, or the date of the award, and projects should be completed by January 31, 2026.
Eligibility Criteria
Investigators from educational or research institutions including universities, museums, and NGOs, are eligible to serve as PI for these funds. Priority will be given to Illinois- and Indiana-based researchers. Researchers from other states are welcome to apply but proposed work must demonstrate how it will benefit the mission of IISG and/or meet research priorities.
For more information, visit 2024-25 Research Projects.
