2026-2027 NICCS Funding Opportunities

NICCS Faculty Travel Awards provide financial support for NIU faculty to present their sustainability-related research or artistry at a regional, national or international conference. The focus of the presentation must be related to a NICCS theme (water, energy, food systems or environmental adaptation).

NIU faculty may apply to receive up to $1,000 for travel to present their research or artistry related to sustainability at a regional, national or international conference or symposium. Presentations may be in the form of posters or oral presentations (including panel discussions, if a sustainability-related project will be discussed). The focus of research or artistry must relate to the NICCS themes of water, energy, food systems or environmental adaptation. Awards will be disbursed as reimbursement upon submission of receipts following NIU travel rules.

Requirements

To be eligible, awardees must

• Be presenting research or artistry that relates to a NICCS theme of water, energy, food systems or environmental adaptation at a regional, national or international conference or symposium
• Be the presenting author or panelist
• Provide a clear explanation of costs for which NICCS funds are requested in the application form

Purchases and payments must be made before June 15, 2027. Purchases made prior to October 2026 are eligible, so long as travel has not yet occurred and receipts have not been submitted for reimbursement elsewhere. Other conditions may apply.

Selection Criteria

• The subject of the presentation focuses on a NICCS theme of water, energy, food systems or environmental adaptation
• The potential impact of the research or artistry on the field
• The extent to which the conference increases the visibility of the faculty's program as well as NIU
• Clear and reasonable justification of expected expenses
• Additional factors considered include colleges, disciplines and representation of NICCS themes in selection; priority will be given to those submitted before October 8 and in order they are received thereafter

Review of applications will begin on October 8, with award notification beginning October 21. The program will continue to accept applications through 2026 or until faculty travel funding resources are expended, with eight awards expected.

Application Materials

The NICCS Travel Award application is available as a Microsoft Form. A completed application will include the following information:

• Basic information including your department and college, details about the conference you plan to attend and details about your presentation
• Response to two questions describing how the research or artistry relates to the NICCS program and extent to which the conference increases the visibility of the faculty's program and NIU
• A detailed description of expenses you expect the funds to cover

If selected, you will be asked to provide proof of abstract submission or equivalent indicator of participation, indicate whether any other department funds will be used for this travel (for NIU accounting purposes) and confirm that you will make purchases for requested NICCS funds before June 15, 2027 prior to submitting for reimbursement.

All recipients of awards must submit a request for authorization to travel to their college prior to making any purchases.

NICCS Student Travel Awards provide financial support for NIU undergraduate and graduate students to present their sustainability-related research or artistry at a regional, national or international conference. Presentations must relate to a NICCS theme: NICCS themes are Water, Energy, Food Systems and Environmental Adaptation.

NIU undergraduate and graduate students may apply to receive up to $800 for travel to present their research or artistry related to sustainability at a regional, national or international conference or symposium. Presentations may be in the form of posters or oral presentations (including panel discussions, if a sustainability-related project will be discussed). The focus of the presentation must connect with the NICCS themes of water, energy, food systems or environmental adaptation. Awards will be disbursed as a reimbursement upon submission of receipts following NIU travel directives.

Requirements

To be eligible, awardees must

• Be an undergraduate or graduate student at NIU for at least one full semester after returning from the conference
• Be presenting research or artistry related to a NICCS theme of water, energy, food systems or environmental adaptation at a regional, national or international conference or symposium
• Be the presenting author
• Provide a clear explanation of costs for which NICCS funds are requested

Purchases and payments must be made before June 15, 2027. Purchases made prior to October 2026 may be eligible, so long as travel has not yet occurred and receipts have not been submitted for reimbursement elsewhere. Other conditions may apply.

Selection Criteria

• The subject of the presentation focuses on a NICCS theme of water, energy, food systems or environmental adaptation
• The potential impact of the research or artistry on the field
• The extent to which the conference increases the visibility of you as a researcher or artist and NIU as an institution
• Clear and reasonable justification of expected expenses
• Additional factors considered include colleges, disciplines and representation of NICCS themes in selection; priority will be given to those submitted before October 8 and in order they are received thereafter

Review of applications will begin on October 8, with award notification beginning October 21. The program will continue to accept applications through January 2026 or until student travel funding resources are expended, with eight awards expected.

All award recipients must have approval to travel prior to making any purchases. 

Application Materials

The NICCS Student Travel Award application is available as a Microsoft Form. A completed application will include the following information:

• Basic information including your department and college, details about the conference you plan to attend and details about your presentation
• Two response questions describing how the research or artistry relates to the NICCS program and extent to which the conference increases your visibility and NIU as an institution
• A detailed description of expenses you expect to charge to NICCS

If selected, you will be asked to provide proof of abstract submission or equivalent indicator of participation, indicate whether any other NIU funds will be used for this travel (for NIU accounting purposes) and confirm that you will make purchases for requested NICCS funds before June 15, 2027 prior to making any purchases.

Proposals are due through NIU InfoReady on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

The Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability (NICCS) is pleased to announce the 2026-27 cycle of the NICCS Faculty Grant Program. NICCS Faculty Grants will provide financial support of up to $5,000 to NIU tenured or tenure-track faculty whose programs advance research or artistry related to any of the NICCS themes (water, food systems, energy or environmental adaptation) that relate to people, communities or ecosystems.

The goal of this program is to enhance faculty research and artistry programs related to NICCS themes, either through providing seed money to develop preliminary data, discovery or creation; or to augment existing research or creative projects. For example, faculty could use funds to support student researchers on new or ongoing projects; purchase supplies, equipment or other research tools; travel to new or existing project sites; travel to meet and collaborate with current or new project partners; ship samples to external labs and pay for additional analysis; or implement other activities to support faculty research and artistry programs. Proposals should describe how additional resources will make a meaningful contribution to the faculty's program and increase visibility or efficiency in their field and how their research or artistry relates to NICCS themes.

Funds must be spent between award notification (late October 2026) and June 15, 2027 (application materials must include a plan and timeline for spending).

Review Criteria

• Benefit of the funding to enhance the faculty research or artistry program
• Clear and reasonable justification of expected expenses; proposed expenses must be allowable costs
• Relation to NICCS themes (water, food systems, energy, environmental adaptation)
• Additional factors considered include colleges, disciplines, and representation of NICCS themes in selection

NICCS estimates that six grants will be given.

Application Materials

The NICCS Faculty Grant application is available through NIU InfoReady. The application requires applicants to provide:

• A summary of how the funds will be used and how it fits into the faculty's overall research or artistry program
• Planned activities, estimated timeline of activity and expenditure and expected outcomes or products of the research or artistry the expenditures will support
• How the project relates to NICCS themes
• A brief description of how the NICCS Faculty Grant will increase the faculty's productivity or efficiency

The second part of the application requires a detailed explanation of costs including a clear explanation of how the funds will be used and a timeline for using those funds prior to June 15, 2027. Limitations include:

• Funds may be used for additional stipend (e.g., faculty or graduate student summer support, undergraduate support) if sufficiently justified as enhancing the faculty's program and used between award notification (late October 2026) and June 30, 2027
• Funds may not be used for conference travel to present research, but may be used for travel to workshop methods, data, techniques or ideas
• Publication fees will not be provided through this funding source
• Funds cannot be used for pay at any time beyond 100% salary (i.e., addpay)

Requirements

• Acknowledgement of support from the Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability on posters or presentations
• Faculty must submit a 1-2 page project report (including pictures or other images) summarizing accomplishments and spending by the end of calendar year 2027.

Proposals are due through NIU InfoReady on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

The Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability (NICCS) is pleased to announce the 2026-27 cycle of the NICCS Graduate Student Grant Program. NICCS Graduate Student Grants provide financial support of up to $5,000 to NIU graduate students conducting research or artistry for completion of a graduate degree that is related to any of the NICCS themes. The NICCS themes are water, food systems, energy or environmental adaptation that relate to people, communities, or ecosystems.

Award details

NICCS Graduate Student Grants are intended to enhance projects for completion of graduate students' degrees by providing financial resources to add components not originally included in their proposals or excluded due to resource constraints. For example, students could use funds to add an additional site or project season, purchase supplies needed for additional study or creation, ship samples to external labs and pay for additional analysis, collect additional data or samples, collaborate with additional groups or expand their study design or creation. Proposals should describe how additional resources will make a meaningful contribution to the faculty's program and increase visibility or efficiency in their field. NICCS expects that six grants will be awarded.

Funds must be spent between award notification (late October 2026) and June 15, 2027 (application materials must include a description of timeline for spending).

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible, awardees must:

• Be working toward completion of a graduate degree
• Be conducting research or artistry that is related to any of the NICCS themes
• Provide a clear explanation of costs for which NICCS funds are requested in the application

Purchases must be made before June 15, 2027. Proposed expenses must be for allowable costs. Other conditions may apply.

Review Criteria

• Benefit of the additional funding to enhance the student's research goals, relative to the student's overall project
• Relation to NICCS themes (water, food systems, energy, environmental adaptation)
• Background/knowledge/experience/training of the student to accomplish the additional research
• Strength of support from the graduate advisor to implement the additional research or artistry

Application Materials

The NICCS Graduate Student application is available through NIU InfoReady. The application requires:

• A summary of the additional research or artistry that the funds will support and how it fits into the student's overall graduate project objectives
• Planned activities, estimated timeline of activity and expected project outcomes
• Specific description of how the funds will be used, along with an estimate for spending the allocated funds
• How the project relates to NICCS themes
• An uploaded letter of support from your graduate advisor. The letter should relate to your capacity (ability and timing) for implementing the additional proposed research or artistry; one or two paragraphs is sufficient.

The second part of the application requires a detailed explanation including:

• A clear explanation of how funds will be used
• A timeline for when funds will be used

Funds may be used for additional stipend (e.g., graduate student summer support, undergraduate support) if sufficiently justified as enhancing the graduate student's research project. Funds may not be used for article publication or conference travel to present research, but may be used for travel to workshop methods, data, techniques or ideas.

Requirements

• Acknowledgement of support from the Northern Illinois Center for Community Sustainability on posters or presentations
• Students must submit a 1-2 page project report (including pictures or other images) summarizing accomplishments and spending by the end of calendar year 2027