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.

Summer and Fall 2025 Semester Award Grant Cycle

  • January 27: Application opens
  • February 21: Application deadline (5 p.m.)
  • April 11: Grant recipients will be notified about funding requests for winter or spring semester.
  • April 21: Signed recipient agreement form due
  • April 29: Winter/Spring 2024 grant recipient presentations detailing how the funds were used and how the grant enhanced the recipient’s Iowa experience. This event is open to the public.
  • May 19: Award transfers/payments for summer projects
  • August 25: Award transfers/payments for fall projects
  • December 2: Summer/Fall 2025 grant recipient presentations detailing how the funds were used and how the grant enhanced 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 fall 2025 semester and be in good standing as defined in the 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 Summer/Fall 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 Dec. 2, 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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One spring afternoon in 1950, Bob Osterhaus (52BSPh) was in his University of Iowa room studying for a botany exam when fate came knocking. ?Bill Wallace, who lived down the hall, came to my door and asked if I wanted to join him and a girl from his hometown for a picnic at Lake Macbride,? says Bob. ?I told him that I needed a date, so Bill found me one.? That date turned out to be Ann Duhigg Osterhaus (52BA), and their first outing led to a lasting romance. ?I remember thinking, ?Wow, she is something,?? says Bob, who has been married to Ann for more than 65 years. Ann and Bob Osterhaus Neither Bob nor Ann could have envisioned that a picnic at Lake Macbride would be the start of a lasting connection with the University of Iowa. Now, 68 years later, three generations of Osterhauses have graduated from Iowa, and in turn, have become its strong advocates and supporters. On Saturday, Nov. 10, the Osterhauses will be recognized as the inaugural recipients of the University of Iowa?s Family Spirit Award at halftime of the Iowa-Northwestern football game. The newly created award recognizes a Hawkeye family?spanning at least three generations?that supports, or volunteers time to, the University of Iowa and personally or professionally contributes toward bettering the state of Iowa and its communities. A total of 46 Osterhaus family members will be in attendance for Family Weekend. ?The Osterhaus legacy of generosity and volunteerism is truly inspirational and has made a significant impact on the College of Pharmacy and the University of Iowa,? says Lynette Marshall, president and CEO of the University of Iowa Center for Advancement. ?This is a well-deserved honor for a tremendous family, and I?m excited for them to receive the inaugural Family Spirit Award.? The Iowa connection runs deep for the Osterhauses. Five of Bob and Ann?s children graduated from Iowa?the Rev. Mark Osterhaus (78BA), Matt Osterhaus (80BSPh), Jane Osterhaus (81BSPh), Molly Osterhaus Whitmore (84BSN) and Meg Osterhaus McNaught (87BS). In addition, three grandchildren are Iowa graduates and one is a current UI student. ?The University of Iowa played a large part in my upbringing and my husband?s, and our children have been singing the Iowa Fight Song since they could talk,? says Molly, whose husband, Robert Whitmore (86BSE), and in-laws also graduated from Iowa. ?My parents have given so much back to Iowa, and I think it?s a great award to give on Family Weekend. It?s truly a special honor.? Molly and her siblings developed these strong Iowa connections in Maquoketa, Iowa, where Bob owned and operated Osterhaus Pharmacy for 30 years. He tirelessly served the health needs of the community and was involved in numerous national and international pharmacy organizations. Both Bob and his son, Matt?who now runs Osterhaus Pharmacy with his wife, Marilyn Slee Osterhaus (80BSPh)?have been active in statewide initiatives through advocacy and volunteerism in campaigns, councils, steering committees and boards. The father and son have served as presidents of the Iowa Pharmacy Association and the American Pharmacists Association; Bob and Ann received the Outstanding Community Partner Award from the UI Office of Outreach and Engagement for helping stimulate renewal efforts in Maquoketa; and Matt received the State of Iowa Governor?s Volunteer Award. Osterhaus Pharmacy was one of the first pharmacies to host University of Iowa students from the post-graduate residency program for clinical rotations, and to date, more than 300 UI students and professionals have benefitted from these hands-on experiences. Today, Osterhaus Pharmacy continues to be a champion for pharmaceutical care, pharmacy education and the pharmacy profession in Iowa and around the world. ?The University of Iowa is part of the fabric of our lives,? says Matt, whose father-in-law, Jack Slee (58BSPh), also was a graduate of the UI College of Pharmacy. ?We believe it?s a place that attracts people who want to go out and be successful?not only doing well in the world, but doing well for the world.? Besides providing valuable learning opportunities for future pharmacists, the Osterhauses also have given financially to the university that has given them so much. ?We have made so many wonderful friendships at Iowa,? says Ann. ?When you?ve been very fortunate?with happy lives and success in the community?you should give back with your time and your treasure, and we?ve tried to do that at the University of Iowa.? Learn more about the latest news, programming and events for alumni and friends.

The Graduates of the Last Decade ("GOLD") Leadership Group advocates for the interests of recent graduates of the University of Iowa (alumni who earned a UI degree within the past 10 years).

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