Skip to main content
Look to Michigan

Strategic Initiative Fund (SIF)

An investment in mission and vision-aligned initiatives demonstrating a commitment to our future and in service to the University of Michigan community and to the public.

A rendering of campus with a new pedestrian bridge over the Huron River
Researcher in scrubs looks closely at screen

Strategic Initiative Fund

The SIF is not currently accepting applications as our inaugural open call ended on Monday February 9th, 2026.

The block M flag flying on the roof of the Michigan Union

The SIF is a major university investment aligned with the Look to Michigan  vision. It provides $100 million a year in one-time funds for ten years, totaling $1 billion in overall university funds, and is divided into several fund segments to support a broad range of institutional priorities.

Initiatives that are situated in the Look to Michigan Vision Impact Areas and/or Commitments, and demonstrate potential for significance to our community and/or service to the public are the best fits. Ideas that represent a bold approach or innovative solution for the future are also good fits.

Innovativeness includes demonstrating why trying a new approach to a specific problem is needed, showing why a novel solution has potential for significant value, using creativity to test a new solution(s), achieving a breakthrough on a difficult problem, or partnering with other U-M stakeholders in original ways.

Boldness includes challenging the status quo by introducing a meaningfully different way of doing our work, proposing a significant (rather than incremental) change, or presenting an unconventional yet promising approach, which may mean taking a risk.

Proposals may be submitted by faculty and staff across our three campuses and Michigan Medicine. We are especially looking for interdisciplinary teams to submit proposals.

The proposal process includes a required endorsement from your unit leader (Dean/Director), so we ask you to connect with them to understand any internal pre-review processes. For proposals submitted by or including staff please ensure your supervisor is both aware of and in support of your proposal.

Please note that adjunct and visiting faculty and temporary staff are ineligible to apply.

Not necessarily. Single-unit proposals are eligible, but cross-unit collaborations are often more competitive.

No. There is no limit on how many proposals an individual may lead or participate in, though it should be clear from the proposal how each collaborator will be substantively included in the initiative. Applicants should consider internal unit expectations and capacity as well, including asking about any stipulations schools/colleges/units may make about the number of submissions per faculty/staff.

The Strategic Initiative Fund opens a call for proposals on an annual basis, while retaining some flexibility for ad-hoc opportunistic endeavors.

For this call we are funding projects in three tiers. These include projects ranging from up to $500K, up to $1M and up to $5M. For proposals larger than $5M please reach out to sifproposals@umich.edu for more information.

Proposals may range in length from one to five years. Extensions may be considered on a case-by-case basis if justified.

For this call there is no list of allowable and unallowable expenses; however the SIF Implementation team reserves the right to propose budget modifications to project submissions. All budgets and their justifications should clearly justify all requested costs, explain why each cost is necessary to achieve the initiative's objectives, and address risks including mitigation strategies for proposed expenses as necessary.

Please refer to the SIF Funding Principles document that outlines how we fund SIF commitments, track them, and close them out at the end of the award period.

Funding may support term-limited positions. Ongoing salaries must have a sustainability plan after the SIF period.

We will consider external partners with a clear rationale for their role in the initiative, an appropriate budget justification, and a risk management plan in place. The U-M unit identified as the operational home for the SIF award assumes responsibility for managing the partnership.

By the conclusion of your SIF award you will need to determine how to proceed with your initiative. If you wish to continue your initiative, you are required to identify and secure new funding sources to sustain it. If additional funding cannot be found, you will need to plan for the responsible conclusion (sunsetting) of the project, ensuring that all obligations are met and stakeholders are properly informed.

No. Unspent funds at the end of an award period return to the SIF. Extensions may be considered on a case-by-case basis if justified.

Submissions are made via Qualtrics and include:

  • Proposal narrative (maximum 5 pages, references optional and excluded from page count)
  • Metrics and timeline (1 page)
  • Budget and justification (up to 2 pages)
  • Leadership endorsement(s) (PDF)

Budgets for large teams may cluster costs by category rather than listing individuals.

Every proposal must include a Leadership Endorsement from the Dean, Director, or their designated representative for each participating unit. If current staff are included in your proposal you must include a statement that their supervisor(s) has approved of their participation in the initiative.

Schools/Colleges/Units will decide their own processes for Leadership Endorsements so please check-in with them to ensure you are following their protocol.

Yes. Each initiative must identify an operational home responsible for financial management and administrative oversight of SIF funds.

No. Consultations and office hours are optional and not required unless your proposal is +$5M. For proposals larger than $5M please reach out to sifproposals@umich.edu for more information.

Initially, proposals will be reviewed for completeness. Incomplete proposals may be returned without review. Complete proposals will next be evaluated by a review committee, including subject matter experts, who will provide both quantitative and qualitative feedback. A working group consisting of designated senior leadership from the Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Office of the Chief Financial Officer, and the Office of the Executive Vice President of Michigan Medicine will review committee feedback and prepare recommendations for final review. Final review and approval rests with the Executive Vice Presidents and the President.

Subject matter experts may be drawn internally from the U-M community of faculty and staff or externally from alumni and/or industry experts. Subject matter experts include both disciplinary, or topical experts, and social impact experts who evaluate proposals for their claims of campus or societal impact.

Conflicts of interest will be managed appropriately.

We expect the review to take anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks. During that period we may follow up with you for additional information.

The SIF FAQ is dynamic and updated regularly. Information session dates and office hours are posted on the SIF webpage.

Email: sifproposals@umich.edu

Contact

For questions or guidance on developing a proposal, please email us:

sifproposals@umich.edu
Equipment in the dark with blue lights illuminated on it