{"id":17762,"date":"2025-10-08T09:10:04","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T16:10:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/?page_id=17762"},"modified":"2026-03-02T12:05:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-02T20:05:03","slug":"big-ideas-initiative","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/funding\/internal\/big-ideas-initiative\/","title":{"rendered":"President’s Big Ideas Initiative"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

President\u2019s Big Ideas Initiative<\/strong> is a bold, mission-aligned research investment strategy designed to accelerate WSU\u2019s impact across the state, the nation, and the world. This initiative will catalyze transformational research through three major funding tracks<\/strong> each aligned with WSU\u2019s existing research strengths<\/a> and Washington\u2019s most urgent needs. From wildfire resilience, to AI-powered agriculture, to biomanufacturing and energy testbeds, these tracks aim to unlock breakthrough solutions, forge high-value partnerships, and solidify WSU\u2019s role as the people\u2019s research university.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funding Tracks<\/h2>\n\n\n
\r\n \n
\r\n\t\n
\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\tTrack 1: Innovation Platforms\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n
\r\n\t\n
\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\tTrack 2: Public Impact Research\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n
\r\n\t\n
\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\tTrack 3: Enterprise Partnerships\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n\n\n
\r\n

\r\n Track 1: Innovation Platforms for the Future <\/h3> \n\n

Funding Available<\/strong>: Up to $1,000,000 total
Award Size<\/strong>: $200,000 \u2013 $400,000 per award
Number of Awards<\/strong>: 3 \u2013 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This track supports interdisciplinary clusters in high-opportunity domains\u2014including but not limited to AI + Ag-Tech<\/strong>, Rural Health Resilience<\/strong>, and Energy & Climate Futures<\/strong>. By combining systemwide capacity into mission-aligned platforms, WSU will increase efficiency, visibility, and translational power.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\tLearn more about this funding track\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n
\r\n

\r\n Track 2: Public Impact Research for Washington <\/h3> \n\n

Funding Available<\/strong>: Up to $700,000 total
Award Size<\/strong>: $100,000 \u2013 $200,000 per award
Number of Awards<\/strong>: 4 \u2013 7<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This track targets applied research that directly benefits Washington\u2019s communities, infrastructure, industries, and environment. Priorities include but are not limited to wildfire response, regional climate resilience, <\/strong>and sustainable water and energy systems<\/strong>\u2014delivered in partnership with state agencies, industry, and nonprofits.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\tLearn more about this funding track\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n
\r\n

\r\n Track 3: Enterprise Partnerships for Transformative Research <\/h3> \n\n

Funding Available<\/strong>: Up to $300,000 total
Award Size<\/strong>: $50,000 \u2013 $150,000 per award
Number of Awards<\/strong>: 2 \u2013 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This track fuels collaborative R&D with industry leaders in sectors like, but not limited to, biomanufacturing, aerospace, forestry, and precision agriculture. It also supports fee-for-service lab models, AI solution hubs, <\/strong>and IP commercialization<\/strong>, expanding WSU\u2019s capacity as a responsive, enterprise-ready innovation partner.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\tLearn more about this funding track\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Deadlines<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Event<\/th>Date<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Letters of Intent Due<\/td>November 10, 2025<\/td><\/tr>
Full Proposals Due<\/td>February 2, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.<\/td><\/tr>
Applicants Notified & Awards Announced<\/td>March 2026<\/td><\/tr>
Funding Start Date<\/td>April 2026<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Contact & FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have any questions about the Big Ideas Initiative or the proposal submission process, please contact the Office of Research at or.orap.servicedesk@wsu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers to frequently asked questions about the Big Ideas Initiative have been collected at the page linked below:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/i>\n\t\t\t\n\t\tFrequently Asked Questions\t\t\t<\/a>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

President\u2019s Big Ideas Initiative is a bold, mission-aligned research investment strategy designed to accelerate WSU\u2019s impact across the state, the nation, and the world. This initiative will catalyze transformational research […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4662,"featured_media":0,"parent":87,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17762"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4662"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17762"}],"version-history":[{"count":61,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17762\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18435,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/17762\/revisions\/18435"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/87"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17762"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=17762"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.wsu.edu\/advancement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=17762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}