Future Interdisciplinary Research Explorations (FIRE)
Forecasted
The FIRE grant from the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station funds interdisciplinary ACES research to generate data and foster collaborations for future external grant proposals.
Funder: Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station
Due Dates (Anticipated): February 2027 (Full application deadline, projected)
Funding Amounts: Up to $60,000 total for 2 years; single-year projects up to $35,000; typically funds up to 4 awards per cycle.
Summary: Supports ACES associate/full professors in launching interdisciplinary research to generate preliminary data for future external grant proposals, with a focus on innovation and Multistate Hatch project participation.
Key Information: PI must be an ACES associate/full professor and participate in a Multistate Hatch project.
Description
The Future Interdisciplinary Research Explorations (FIRE) program, funded by the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station through the ACES Office of Research, is designed to catalyze innovative, interdisciplinary research collaborations among faculty in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. FIRE aims to help teams generate preliminary data and results to support competitive proposals for significant external funding, especially those aligned with USDA NIFA’s science areas and Multistate Hatch projects. The program expects projects to expand the PI’s research portfolio, foster new or enhanced collaborations, and lead to the preparation and submission of extramural interdisciplinary research proposals.
