More than $400,000 in grant support is available for faculty, staff and students to develop projects and programs for the university’s 2017 bicentennial.

“We are seeking activities and projects that will contribute to celebrating, understanding and improving the university in 2017,” said Gary D. Krenz, executive director of the bicentennial. The university will mark its 200th anniversary throughout calendar year 2017.

The funding programs include:

Bicentennial activity grants

The most extensive of the grant programs is open to all members of the university community to support a wide range of activities. Projects may include symposia or seminars, publications, events, exhibits, engagement activities or service activities. Research projects also are eligible if there is specific output that enhances programming in 2017.

“We are particularly interested in funding symposia or other intellectual programming on the intellectual history and future of U-M’s interdisciplinary research or broad disciplinary clusters,” Krenz said.

Special consideration will be given to project teams that bring together different university constituencies, such as faculty and students, faculty and staff, or students and alumni.

“We want to showcase the collaborative environment that is a Michigan hallmark,” said Krenz. “We will be looking for ideas that reflect a broad perspective on the university — proposals that promote understanding and appreciation of the diverse roots and pluralistic future of Michigan.”

Grants will range up to $30,000, with possible consideration given to more extensive proposals.

Bicentennial MCubed incentive

Working within the MCubed program, the Bicentennial Office is offering additional funding for faculty teams whose research fosters well-grounded thinking and understanding of the university’s past and future. Faculty cubes must report out during 2017 in a way that supports the bicentennial.

MCubed is designed to connect three faculty members, from at least two different disciplines, to pursue innovative research or scholarship. Once three scholars are “cubed,” they receive $60,000 in seed funding, or $15,000 for a “mini-cube.”

Bicentennial cubes will receive an additional $6,000, and mini-cubes an additional $1,500.

Third Century Expo

In October 2017, a centerpiece of the Bicentennial Fall Festival will be the Third Century Expo. In the spirit of a world’s fair, the expo will showcase how the university will address challenges heading into its third century of teaching and research.

Temporary pavilions will fill much of Central Campus to house competitions, artistic performances, readings, demonstrations and more. Events and activities will range from the fun to the thoughtful and weighty.

Grants will be available to support interactive exhibits and presentations of dynamic research, scholarship, creative activity, and work to fill the pavilions. Presentations should be exciting, interactive or hands-on where possible, and should showcase Michigan’s strength as a public research university. The process for identifying presenters and grant recipients will be announced in early 2016.

Bicentennial student initiative

Workshops are underway for student organizations interested in grant support for projects that will promote student life. Groups are being encouraged to collaborate on proposals that will help transform the student experience.

Student organizations from the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses have until February 2016 to submit their proposals for grants ranging from $10,000 to $20,000.

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