Impact Institutes
Impact Driven
Frontier Bound
Impact Institutes will host two more virtual information sessions to guide prospective applicants through the application process.
Register for one of the following options:
July 16, 2025 – 9:30am to 10:15am
August 21, 2025 – 12:00pm to 12:45pm
Still Have Questions?
Impact Institutes will host two virtual office hours to answer your specific questions. No registration is necessary, simply use the link below to join, and you will be placed in a zoom waiting room and admitted in the order of your arrival.
July 21, 2025 – 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
August 18, 2025 – 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Vision and Mission
Impact Institutes are a commitment to position the University of Michigan as a global leader in addressing society’s most pressing challenges. Through interdisciplinary collaboration spanning multiple units and a focus on innovation, Impact Institutes are designed to unlock U-M’s innovative potential, foster new partnerships, attract external funding and enhance our recognition worldwide.
Impact Goals
The Impact Institutes initiative propels the creation and growth of interdisciplinary research centers at the University of Michigan. Following a lifecycle model, these institutes start at the “Seed Stage” to nurture emerging ideas. Five new institutes that show promise for national or global leadership in critical areas will progress to the “Venture Stage.”
Our interdisciplinary research centers serve as catalysts for public impact and research excellence. The program offers a structured framework for initiating and scaling these centers.
Program Structure
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- Seed Stage:
- Target: New centers with growth potential.
- Eligibility: U-M faculty eligible as PI on federal awards.
- Support: Up to $200,000 for two years.
- Venture Stage:
- Target: Successful centers ready for larger external funding.
- Eligibility: Graduated Seed Stage centers or existing institutes.
- Support: $500,000 per year for three years, with matching investments required.
- Seed Stage:
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Seed Stage applications for the first year will open in July and are due in September.
Interdisciplinary research centers and institutes offer universities a powerful means to tackle large-scale challenges and drive transformative outcomes. By combining diverse expertise and resources, these institutes enable us to achieve breakthroughs that wouldn’t be possible in isolation. Our Impact Institutes will advance this approach, propelling the University of Michigan to the forefront of innovation and discovery.