Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy Research Funding
Northwestern University's Trienens Institute funds innovative, interdisciplinary faculty research in sustainability and energy, focusing on climate, resilience, infrastructure, and global change.
Funder: Northwestern University
Due Dates: September 1, 2026 | March 1, 2027
Funding Amounts: Up to $85,000 per seed grant; total pool ~$725,000 per year; awards are typically for one year.
Summary: Supports innovative faculty-led research projects in sustainability and energy, with emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and preliminary data generation.
Key Information: Only Faculty Affiliates of the Trienens Institute at Northwestern are eligible to apply.
Description
The Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University provides research seed grants to support faculty-led projects that advance innovative solutions to critical challenges in sustainability and energy. The program is designed to catalyze new research directions, foster interdisciplinary partnerships, and generate preliminary data for future external funding. Proposals are welcome across a wide range of topics, including climate and decarbonization, ecosystems and resilience, energy and infrastructure, markets and public policy, society and global change, and sustainable materials. The most competitive projects will advance the institute’s thematic priorities of climate and energy transition and resilient communities.
