About Sustaining Illinois
The Sustaining Illinois name has multiple meanings, including the broad economic, health-related, and social well-being of the state and its communities, and environmental sustainability of its food and water ecosystem, which includes addressing issues affecting groups who are underserved, under-represented, or under-resourced.
Since its launch in 2020, Sustaining Illinois has funded 52 early-stage concepts supporting 161 investigators utilizing resources from the University of Illinois System and Northern Illinois University. Many of these projects have continued past the seed stage, earning more than $547,000 in follow-on funding.
The proposal cycle is an annual model.