Proposals are now being accepted for Penn State's Institute of Energy and the Environment's (IEE) 2026 Seed Grant Program. All proposals must align with at least one of IEE's research themes: climate and natural systems; health and the environment; integrated energy systems; equitable communities and the built environment; or water sustainability. For this year's call, special consideration will be given to proposals that address at least one of IEE's Strategic Research Plans for 2025-26. They are:
- Pollution and environmental degradation from extreme events
- Novel energy storage and batteries
- Critical minerals separations and supply chains
- Grid electricity stability and equitable access
- Health and environment challenges from weather and water extremes
- Water availability and energy security
The program is open to all Penn State faculty members, including tenured, tenure-track and fixed-term, who hold an appointment of half-time or more at any Penn State campus. New teams of investigators will be given preference over those who have previously received an IEE seed grant.
Proposals are limited to two pages and must be submitted by 5 p.m. (ET) on Dec. 15. The request for proposals is available online.
The IEE Seed Grant Program helps Penn State faculty launch innovative projects that tackle today's pressing energy and environmental challenges. Designed to catalyze collaboration across disciplines, the program supports both basic and applied research, positioning teams to compete successfully for major external funding while fostering new ideas and partnerships. It also encourages bold, proof-of-concept studies within IEE's core research themes.
The 2025 Seed Grant Program awarded 10 interdisciplinary projects involving more than 30 researchers from nine colleges and institutes. The interdisciplinary projects aim to advance innovative research in energy and the environment, spanning topics such as recycling, biomanufacturing, energy storage, climate resilience and water sustainability.
Since 2016, the IEE Seed Grant Program has consistently resulted in projects that have gone on to obtain external funding. The return on investment for the program is currently at 19:1 or $19 in external funding for every dollar invested by IEE with more than $100 million in related external funding.
