More than a century ago, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign welcomed Illinois Extension as a vital partner in its mission to deliver research-backed solutions to the people and industries of Illinois. Today, the college is reaffirming and deepening that partnership with a nearly $2 million investment in the Illinois ACES Land Grant Initiative.
The newly piloted competitive grant program will fund four three-year projects co-led by ACES researchers and Extension staff. Like other internal funding opportunities offered by the ACES Office of Research, IALGI supports innovative, interdisciplinary, and solutions-oriented research with federal funds. But IALGI uniquely draws on the expertise and connections of Extension personnel, who will help guide study design and implement results directly in communities across the state.
“Our Extension professionals are on the ground in all 102 Illinois counties. They know firsthand what their neighbors and local industries are struggling with,” said Matthew Vann, associate dean and director of Illinois Extension. “Bringing that insight and those stakeholder relationships into IALGI proposals will be key for delivering outcomes that matter for the people of Illinois.”
The four funded projects were selected from among 32 pre-proposals and nine invited proposals submitted over the last several months.
Read the full article at College of ACES.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.