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Home Student Philanthropy and Grants Opportunities Student Impact Grant

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.

Read the stories of previous recipients.

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 2025 and Spring 2026 Semester Award Grant Cycle

  • September 2: Application opens
  • September 26: Application deadline (5 p.m.)
  • November 20: Grant recipients will be notified about funding requests for winter or spring semester.
  • December 3: 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.
  • December 4: Signed recipient agreement form due
  • December 22: Award transfers/payments for summer projects
  • January 20: Award transfers/payments for fall projects
  • April 28: Winter 2025/Spring 2026 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 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 28, 2026.
Apply Now

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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Working Together for Systemic Change

Now is the time to amplify our efforts toward diversity, equity, and inclusion. Universities have the opportunity, and the obligation, to work toward racial justice and social equality. The tragic killing of George Floyd has awakened white Americans to what our Black and Brown citizens have known and experienced for centuries. Racial disparities and police violence are at the forefront of our thoughts and require our action, and I intend to ensure that the University of Iowa Center for Advancement, Iowa's organization for alumni and friends, is a positive part of moving toward a more just community. I know that by relying on our vast knowledge and resource base at the university and engaging our global alumni community, we can make positive change. Two years ago, the University of Iowa shared an updated diversity, equity, and inclusion action plan outlining four goals: to create an inclusive and equitable campus environment; recruit, retain, and advance a diverse campus community of faculty, staff, and students; integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into the university's core academic mission; and enhance campus-wide accountability, effectiveness, and collaboration. We have made much progress; however, in the wake of recent events, we must amplify the urgency of our efforts. We want to engage you, our alumni and friends, as we work toward systemic change. How can we help our greater university community learn more about these important issues and effect change? Please share your suggestions on our communications, events, and programming with me. The UI Center for Advancement recently convened a meeting with UI Provost Montserrat Fuentes and UI College of Nursing Dean Julie Zerwic?a co-chair of Iowa's diversity, equity and inclusion Path Forward work group?and the leadership of two of our alumni groups: the Iowa Black Alumni Association and Iowa Black Alumni Network. We listened as Melita Pope Mitchell (97BA), and Orville?(67BS, 72MA)?and?Billie Townsend?(95MA), shared their love and loyalty for the UI, while also acknowledging their disappointment in the continued experience of injustices in the university community. Through their stories, we've learned how we can better understand the challenges our students, staff, and faculty face, and how we might address those challenges. Our discussions inspired me to reach out here, to not only reinforce our support for the Black community, but also initiate a greater discussion. This is a learning moment for me and for many of us, and our faculty are an important source of information on the history, economics, and politics of racial inequity. Our fall issue of Iowa Magazine will feature leading voices from campus sharing their perspectives on the movement for racial justice. We recently launched a virtual event series, "Chat from the Old Cap," and featured director of The Privilege Institute Eddie Moore Jr. (04PhD), who?shared his insights. For those who have asked how they could help financially, your?support?of the?Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?will further our work toward a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive campus environment for all. We also are reevaluating our programs and services to ensure that we are meeting the needs of all those we serve. If you have suggestions or recommendations for alumni programming, I hope to hear from you. Together, we can make a difference for our students, our communities, and the world. For Iowa, Lynette L. Marshall President and CEO The University of Iowa Center for Advancement Please reach out to me at president@foriowa.org

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Volunteering is one of the many ways to stay connected and involved with the UI—whether it's in the classroom, at the hospital, or serving as a mentor.

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NOTICE: The University of Iowa Center for Advancement is an operational name for the State University of Iowa Foundation, an independent, Iowa nonprofit corporation organized as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, publicly supported charitable entity that works to advance the University of Iowa. Please review its full disclosure statement.

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