Special Programs

The Chancellor’s Call to Action Research Program provides support for academic research and the expansion of community-based knowledge that advances the understanding of systemic bias and structural disparities – some of the greatest challenges facing our society. The goal of the program is to enhance exceptional cross-disciplinary research strengths and expand collaborations to build cultures of research and scholarship that address system bias and social injustice. We seek high quality, high integrity scholarship and creative activity to fundamentally address the roots of these issues with generative ideas, imaginative strategies, and open, unexpected collaborations.

The successful project will approach this research with clarity about the complexities, fissures, barriers, and assumptions that perpetuate systemic biases and social injustice, as well as present a strong vision for how we might become a more just and equitable university, state, and nation where all can live in their full humanity. We welcome projects that have the potential to make a deeper connection with students and reciprocal partnerships with communities, in addition to those rooted in Illinois’ research strengths. Of foremost importance are accountability, sustainability, and impact. A plan for how the work can be continued, improved, and shared beyond the funding year is a critical component of the application. Please see below for the key evaluation criteria.

Application Guidelines

The application process is comprised of one phase: Full-Proposal. The Full-Proposal submission will be evaluated by internal peer evaluators to determine if it aligns with the Call to Action and if it should be funded.

Full-Proposal Deadline: November 4, 2023, 5 pm Central Time

• Full-Proposals may be submitted October 2, 2023 through November 4, 2023, 5 pm Central Time.
• No extensions or exceptions will be entertained.
• The selection committee will only consider complete applications. An application is complete when the proposal is submitted in the SPWT, with the "requested information", and the invited internal evaluators’ webform entries are completed by November 4, 2023, 5 pm Central Time.
• The “requested information” is a Full-Proposal Submission which includes the completion and submission of the following templates: 1)Project Synopsis, 2)Project Full-Proposal Description, 3)Project Personnel Listing, 4)Budget, and 5)Budget Justification. It also includes the submission of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by your executive officer, a Project Timeline, and Team Biographies. Templates are not provided for the timeline and biographies. Please select formats that work best for your project. This is a Sample of the required Full-Proposal Submission documents. You must select “Start a New Application” to retrieve editable versions of the templates which are downloadable from Step 5.

Notification of proposal funding status will occur in January 2024. An email will be sent from the Call to Action RFP email address: C2ARFP@Illinois.edu.

Please see the complete RFP at the Call to Action Research Program website for information on the research focus areas, funding period, and funding tracks to assist in the Full-Proposal preparation.

Eligibility

Principal Investigators (PIs) and Co-PIs must hold appointments at the University of Illinois at the Urbana- Champaign campus. The PI may be either a tenure-stream or specialized faculty (instructors and lecturers), or an Academic Professional with appointments (0 to 100%) in any unit. The PI is responsible for the design, scientific and technical conduct, administrative oversight, fiscal accountability, regulatory oversight, and reporting for research, instructional, or public services project. A PI may submit more than one proposal, but it must be a different proposal submitted to a different funding track. A PI can participate in more than one proposal as a research team member.

University members are encouraged to collaborate with community organizations or PreK-12 educational institutions. Community members are also encouraged to initiate collaborations with university members. Community collaborators may be from non-profit organizations, public agencies, school districts, etc. but cannot serve as PIs or Co-PIs. Instead, they may be listed as Co-Project Leader.

Applicant Requirements

• To the best of the applicant's knowledge, the information provided in the application is correct.
• The PI is the applicant and must enter and submit the proposal in the proposal system.
• A PI must currently and will have an appointment of 0% to 100% in any UIUC unit for the award funding period. The appointment must be either as tenure-stream or specialized faculty or an academic professional.
• A PI may submit more than one proposal if they are in a different funding track.
• A PI may serve as an internal evaluator for a funding track for which did not submit a proposal.