Strategic Investment Fund (SIF)

As UIS progressed from Academic Reorganization to Academic Revitalization, funds were made available to implement initiatives that accelerate progress toward achieving goals for increased enrollment. Proposals for the $2.5 million funding pool are being considered in two rounds: round 1 applications during AY 22/23 and round II applications during AY 23/24. Select from the accordion menu below to find details about each of the Strategic Investment Fund (SIF) application and award rounds.

Resubmission Process Spring 2024

The following links may be useful to individuals whose proposals have not yet been funded, and who have been invited to revise and resubmit for consideration based on suggestions in the original notification letter.

SIF II Call for Proposals Spring 2024

Call for Proposals

The Office of the Provost invites Deans and academic unit heads to apply for funds to implement initiatives that will increase enrollment at UIS. This was a primary goal of the University’s recent Academic Reorganization. The University of Illinois system recognized this goal in allocating $2.5 million toward the Strategic Investment Fund effort.

Funding Information

Funding is available for both one-time investments and recurring funding over a two- to three-year term.

A list of eligible primary purposes for the SIF-II funding is provided below. Variations on the primary purposes will be considered with a compelling reason for the funding that clearly addresses the primary goal of increasing enrollment.

Funding is available during the AY 2024-25 application cycle for:

  • New Academic Program Development/Implementation
    • New programs may include for-credit micro-credentialing programs
  • For other innovative ideas that will increase enrollment, consult with the Provost

Funding will be awarded based primarily on the projected/perceived increase in enrollment. A clear case must be made by the principal investigator that the proposed project or program will increase enrollment. This implies documentation either of the strong demand for students in this area using labor market information or documented research showing a link between a particular project or program and enrollment growth. Proposals requesting one-time investments will receive extra points in the evaluation stage for including co-investment by the proposing unit or college. Multi-disciplinary collaboration is encouraged, but not required. Points will be given in the evaluation stage for proposals demonstrating multi-disciplinary collaboration.

Proposal Format

Proposals should address the questions/points below and be no longer than five pages in length, plus a budget page with explanation (to be uploaded separately)

  1. Name and purpose of the strategic investment fund proposal.
  2. Describe clearly and with supporting documentation how the project or program will increase enrollment. Also include the metrics that will be used to determine the effectiveness of the project or program.
  3. What is the timeline for the investment, including anticipated expenditures and assessment?
  4. What resources (both financial and non-financial) does the investment require? (Prepare a separate budget plan, including any co-investment from units or colleges. Proposals for a new program should include a New Program Economic Viability form available from the Office of Budget and Financial Analysis), which is to be uploaded as the "budget page" referenced above.
    • What other units are involved/affected and has the project been reviewed by all affected units?
    • What other funds have been or are being requested in support of this proposal? Examples of this might include grant funding sources and UI system resources.
    • For projects or programs that will continue after the SIF funding is exhausted, detail a plan for ongoing funding of the project. (Specific funding sources such as reallocated state funding must be identified, and the Dean or unit director must acknowledge that this funding will be available after SIF funds have been drawn).
  5. Who is (are) the key personnel responsible for the initiative?
  6. The completed New Program Proposal online form pdf should be attached to proposals for new academic programs (not applicable to microcredential proposals).

Submission and Review Process

Each college and academic unit will develop an internal review process and deadline for developing and prioritizing proposals during the Fall semester. SIF-II proposals can be initiated by any academic unit, department, school, or college, follow the appropriate internal review process, and be submitted electronically by the appropriate college or Office of the Provost.

Deans will submit approved Academic Program Development/Implementation proposals in priority order to the Provost by February 12 (note updated submission date). Online submission will include a statement from the dean acknowledging and approving the proposal, and a statement of available resources meeting the requirements of item 4(c) above. Other innovative SIF-II proposals, outside of new academic programs, should be submitted to the Office of the Provost for review and prioritization by February 12 (note updated submission date). Proposals within this category that are selected to advance to the next level of review will be submitted online by the Office of the Provost.

The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (VCFA) shall share and review the proposals with the University Planning and Budget Committee (UPBC) for their advisory recommendations. Deans and unit heads will present proposals to the UPBC in February. The UPBC will submit their recommendations in March.

The Provost, in consultation with the VCFA, will share the recommendations of the UPBC and the Provost and VCFA recommendations with the Chancellor’s Strategic Investment Fund Committee, who shall meet in April. The Chancellor will announce funded proposals to the university by May 1.

SIF Funding Decisions

Initial Funding Commitments

  • Marketing - $208,728
  • CBM - High School Trading Competition - $10,000 (Minh Tam Tammy Schlosky, Serkan Karadas)
  • CHST - HSC - Online MLT-MLS Articulation - $16,425 (Andrea Jensen)
  • CHST - HSC - Anatomage Teaching and Learning Laboratories - $114,650 (Celest Weuve, Jessica Bonnett, Alan Freedman, Andrea Jensen, Misty Sax, Jeff Sudduth, Natalya Zinkevich)
  • CPAE - SPMP-HMS-CAST Curriculum Revitalization - $10,843 (Betsy Goulet and project team)

Fall 2023 Resubmission Commitments

All four proposals resubmitted in October at the invitation of the Review Committee were fully or mostly funded.

  • SIF-R1 HDC Counseling and Therapy Training Center and PSY Training and Research Labs  - $141,144 (Carrie Switzer)
  • SIF-R2 Centralized Equipment Facility in Teaching and Research - $409,614 (Tom Rothfus)
  • SIF-R3 Reinventing Possible in Education II - $251,450 (Beth Hatt)
  • SIF-R4 ISP BS Degree in Environmental Science - $214,950 (Tih-Fen Ting)