2022-2031
Strategic Plan

Call For Proposals
Call For Proposals

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY’S FOCUS ON INNOVATION ENLIVENS OUR MISSION, VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS. THIS PLAN TO EXCEL INFUSES INNOVATION INTO THE ARCHITECTURE OF ISU’S FUTURE.”

- WENDY WINTERSTEEN, PRESIDENT

Quotes
Play or Pause
Color Mix
Dots and a Mix colored triangle
Our Mission

Iowa State University will create, share, and apply knowledge to make our students, Iowa, and the world better.

Our Vision

Iowa State University will advance the land-grant ideals of putting science, technology, and human creativity to work.

Our Values

Iowa State University embraces the values of our Principles of Community (Respect, Purpose, Cooperation, Richness of Diversity, Freedom from Discrimination, Honest and Respectful Expression of Ideas), and the values of Access, Excellence, and Integrity.

Red Bars
Our Pillars

Four pillars encompass the themes of acknowledged university areas of excellence.

These strengths are ingrained in the daily work and lives of our faculty, staff, and students, and have been proven time and again throughout Iowa State University's history. Intersected and interwoven throughout the pillars are our land-grant university hallmarks of teaching, research, service, and extension. Most importantly, the pillars give structure and direction on how we make a difference for our state and world in the years ahead.

Chart
Statements of Aspiration
To Be Statement

Success Factors

Underline
  • Retention, graduation rates
  • Students in high-impact practices
  • Accessibility, affordability
To Be Statement

Success Factors

Underline
  • Recruitment
  • Retention
  • Campus climate: Survey and action plan
  • Salaries: Peer and market-based
To Be Statement

Success Factors

Underline
  • Expand online learning
  • Learning across Iowa – Extension and Outreach
  • Continued learning by graduates
  • New student pipelines
  • Faculty and staff career development
To Be Statement

Success Factors

Underline
  • Innovation in curriculum
  • Innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Research impact
  • Organizational excellence
To Be Statement

Success Factors

Underline
  • Extension and Outreach in all 99 counties
  • Collaborative research initiatives
  • Impact of partnerships
Mix of colors
Our Strategic Process
The Process

Built into Iowa State's nine-year strategic plan is a regular process to invite new ideas that respond to a dynamic state, nation and world landscape, and that help the university achieve what it aspires "to be."

In July 2023, the university announced the 19 teams selected to share a $3.9 million investment in Iowa State’s 2022-2031 Strategic Plan. The projects will expand student academic and mental health services, support interdisciplinary research, assist Iowa communities, improve university child care facilities and more.

The nine-year strategic plan, which was approved by the Board of Regents in June 2022, features an annual project proposal process to advance the plan's goals and assure flexibility to address evolving priorities. The call for future proposals will open again fall of 2023.

"What brings our plan alive is the inclusion of a strategic process to regularly capture new ideas to help us achieve what we aspire to be. I encourage you to be creative, think innovatively, and take the opportunity to submit your ideas. Thank you in advance — for your important role in demonstrating our impact as we make progress on our aspirations... for moving us closer to what Iowa State University wants to be."

— Wendy Wintersteen, President, Iowa State University

Call for Proposals

This form allows Iowa State faculty and staff the opportunity to propose a project aligned with the strategic plan for funding consideration.

Proposal Form

FAQs

  • Toggle Carret

    Who can submit a proposal?

    Iowa State University faculty and staff can submit a proposal; team proposals are encouraged. Students may participate by working with faculty and staff.

  • Toggle Carret

    When can proposals be submitted? What's the deadline?

    The next call for proposals will open fall of 2023. Specific timelines will be announced through Inside Iowa State and updated here.

  • Toggle Carret

    What is the timeline for the next cycle of the process?

    The next call for proposals is expected to be issued in the fall of 2023.

  • Toggle Carret

    What information is required in a submission?

    The online proposal form requires:

    • Requestor’s name, email, department/unit
    • Project Title
    • Project Leader (may be the same as Requestor)
    • Project Team Members (if applicable)
    • Executive Summary
    • Alignment to Strategic Plan Statements of Aspiration
    • Project Goal(s) and Objective(s)
    • Approach to achieve goals/objectives
    • Budget/Resources Template and Narrative
    • Impact/Return on Investment
    • Success Metrics
    • Partnerships
    Additional documentation and/or files may be included by using the “add attachments” function.

  • Toggle Carret

    What if I start a submission and need to come back at a later time or date to complete it?

    The online form will not save, or auto-save, a partial submission. Be prepared to complete all required fields and submit in one sitting, or copy and paste prepared responses to every field before hitting submit. You will receive an email message notifying you of receipt of your submission.

  • Toggle Carret

    Am I limited to how many different proposals I can submit?

    Project Leaders can only submit one proposal per funding cycle. Individuals, departments, and organizations can be listed on more than one initiative as a team member or partner.

  • Toggle Carret

    How much funding should I ask for?

    This process is open to proposals for all scales of project funding, small to large. It is important to note, however, that funding decisions will be made on a one-year basis only. You may request funding for up to three years, but funding for the 2nd and 3rd year will be dependent upon a positive review of the previous year’s progress and may require a new submission for continuation of funding.

  • Toggle Carret

    Should I list other kinds of funding committed to my proposal?

    Yes. If applicable, your narrative should include contributions from the unit(s) associated with the project as well as any external funds secured. Please use the “add attachments” function at the bottom of the online form to include any documentation related to the in-kind and/or matching funds being provided.

    Examples may include percentage of time for team members (10% of X's time), space requirements (room X in X building), consultant/professional services (from X), etc.

  • Toggle Carret

    When will decisions be made on investing in a new proposal?

    Decisions will be made and communicated by the end of June each year.

  • Toggle Carret

    What is required to report a project's results?

    Approved projects will be required to provide progress reports including success stories to demonstrate impact. The stories will help to illustrate progress toward achieving the aspirations of the strategic plan — our "to be" statements.

Red Lines
Our Strategic Plan
Download a PDF of the 2022-2031 Strategic Plan

Iowa State University's 2022-2031 Strategic Plan was the culmination of planning and development accomplished during the 2021-22 academic year. The university-wide collaborative process was led by a steering committee chaired by Vice President for Research Peter Dorhout. Four working groups comprised of more than 60 campus and community representatives represented the core of the effort. More than two dozen listening sessions and town hall meetings were held. Input was received from more than 200 survey responses and nearly 530 polling question responses. Overall, more than 500 faculty, staff, students, community members and stakeholders participated in the plan development process.

The ISU 2022-2031 Strategic Plan was approved by the Iowa Board of Regents at its June 2, 2022, meeting. On the same day, President Wendy Wintersteen announced plans to jump-start the strategic plan with $10.5 million in initial investments in high-priority initiatives linked to the plan's five strategic goals — the "to be" statements.

Sophia Magill

Senior Advisor to the President

Sophia Magill was named senior advisor to the president in the Office of the President in September 2022. Magill leads efforts to advance the goals outlined in the university's 2022-2031 strategic plan, federal relations and other strategic initiatives. She leads the review of proposals and develops priority recommendations for the president and senior leaders to invest in the most promising and strategic projects — overseeing the overall performance management and integration of university-wide initiatives to deliver upon performance goals.

In her federal relations responsibilities, she advocates on behalf of Iowa State University's federal priorities by promoting research, higher education and science activities in an effort to increase federal support and expand awareness of the university in Washington, D.C. Before joining the Office of the President in 2013, she served at the U.S. Agency for International Development. She has professional experience in government, higher education, and the non-profit sector, including the Office of Admissions at Iowa State University, the Iowa House of Representatives, Iowa's Office of the Governor and the White House.

Magill earned her undergraduate degree in political science from Iowa State University, where she served as Student Government President, and her master's degree in public administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago.