Student Impact Grant


Student Impact Grants provide funding for a variety of University of Iowa undergraduate and graduate student activities outside the classroom, such as research, travel, and service projects. The goal is to enable students to pursue opportunities that might not otherwise be possible without financial assistance.

The President's Office has generously allocated $7,000 per semester to help enhance the student experience through these grants. The designated funds come from generous philanthropic gifts made by alumni and friends who have chosen to provide unrestricted support to the university.

Grants are awarded twice a year. Applications are typically accepted for the summer/fall semester beginning in January and for the winter/spring semester beginning in September.

The grants are made possible by a partnership between the Office of the President and Student Advancement Network (SAN).

GRANT GUIDELINES

Award Application Process

Applications will be considered for funding based on the timeline below. An online form will be available for students and student groups to use when the application period opens. A maximum of $7,000 in total grants will be awarded. Grant amounts will range from $100-$1,000 awards.

Winter 2024 and Spring 2025 Semester Award Grant Cycle

  • September 2: Application opens
  • September 27: Application deadline (5 p.m.)
  • November 20: Grant recipients will be notified about funding requests for summer or fall semester.
  • December 4: Signed recipient agreement form due
  • December 3: Summer/Fall 2024 grant recipient presentations detailing how the funds were used and how the grant impacted the recipient’s Iowa experience. This event is open to the public.
  • December 23: Award transfers/payments for winter projects
  • January 21 : Award transfers/payments for spring projects
  • April 29: Winter/Spring 2025 grant recipient presentations detailing how the funds were used and how the grant impacted the recipient’s Iowa experience. This event is open to the public.

Student Eligibility Requirements

  • Applicants must be enrolled full time as a University of Iowa undergraduate or graduate student for the spring 2025 semester and be in good standing as defined in University of Iowa Code of Student Life.
  • Student groups or organizations must be recognized by the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership or by a University of Iowa department.
  • If your program is funded in full by other programs or funding methods your program is not eligible.
  • Program/experience must abide by all university guidelines. Grant funding does not permit activities that conflict with these guidelines.
  • Program/experience must abide by all university research guidelines. Grant funding does not permit activities that conflict with Institutional Review Board (IRB) guidelines. Funding does not provide IRB permission for the project.
  • Funding requests must be shown to improve or enhance the student experience and may not be used to reimburse research subjects. Recipients will share about this outcome during a biannual Student Impact Grant Presentation event.
  • Once a student receives a grant, they are not eligible for another University of Iowa Center for Advancement student grant within the next three years.
  • Grants are not renewable.
  • Recipients must present during the winter/spring grant recipient presentation detailing how the funds were used and how your Iowa experience was enhanced because of this award. Presentations will be held on April 29, 2025.

Review Process

Members of the University of Iowa Student Advancement Network will review all submissions and make a recommendation. A University of Iowa Center for Advancement employee will oversee the scoring and review process. After review, recommendations will be sent to the Office of the President, which will make the final decision on all grant awards.

Awardees will then be notified of their selection to receive a grant, and payment will be provided by the Office of the President through a transfer to the student's U-Bill or student organization's account. The University of Iowa Office of Student Financial Aid will be consulted to ensure that funding does not affect other financial aid that a student may receive.

If you have questions, please contact Hannah McClintock at hannah.mcclintock@foriowa.org.

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In June, he will attain a master's degree in health and human physiology before starting medical school at the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine this fall. "The Tyner Scholarship has played such an enormous role in my life because it created the time I needed to study to be successful," says McDonell. "I went from barely scraping by to having everything I need." MAXIMIZING TALENT Joseph McDonell McDonell exemplifies the type of student the Tyner Scholarship aims to help: talented scholars who haven't received a major scholarship or award and need additional support to reach their potential. Tyner (70BA), who earned entry into the Honors Program as a freshman and became a Marshall Scholar, established his scholarship in 2015 to create opportunities for high-achieving honors students. He recently increased the scholarship endowment to support four students annually and provided additional support to the Honors Program's student enrichment fund and excellence fund, allowing more students to participate in experiential learning. Beyond his financial support, Tyner is an active member of the Honors Program Advisory Board and mentors students who are applying for major scholarships. The Shenandoah, Iowa, native annually shares his story of self-discovery with students at an honors seminar. Demonstrating the importance of an education in opening many career paths, Tyner details his journey from a farm boy who became a top Honors Program scholar at Iowa to attaining degrees at the University of Manchester, the London School of Economics, and Yale Law School. Along the way, his career trajectory evolved from wanting to teach in higher education to becoming a successful international lawyer in Saudi Arabia. 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His interest in nursing evolved to medicine as he researched gas-exchange abnormalities in premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. McDonell's research will provide another data point for clinicians to determine whether an infant's lungs are exchanging gas efficiently to guide more targeted treatment. He will continue his neonatal research at the Carver College of Medicine and hopes to do a residency at UI Stead Family Children's Hospital. Passionate about his small-town roots, McDonell also hopes to expand telehealth networks to rural communities. Getting a chance to meet Tyner left an indelible impression on McDonell. "It really stuck with me that he knows who I am, my story, and where I came from," says McDonell. "I hope to one day be as generous as he is." NEW OPPORTUNITIES Eli Bratsch-Prince Eli Bratsch-Prince (20BA) developed into a top Honors Program scholar in his first year at Iowa. 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