The Illinois Innovation Network has awarded over $250,000 to three new social innovation seed grant projects, bringing the total number of recipients of the IIN’s Social Innovation and Impact Seed Grant program to 10.
Provided by the University of Illinois System, the funding translates research into projects that directly affect lives, address critical social problems and build trusted partnerships in communities across Illinois.
The funded projects include a multigenerational digital skills and literacy project, a program to equitably boost the statewide media workforce among young people and an initiative to launch an entrepreneur support organization in DeKalb, Ill.
“These projects approach key issues that our state is facing: digital literacy across generations, making sure Illinois has a trained and prepared workforce, and providing support for entrepreneurs from border to border,” U of I System Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation Jay Walsh said. “These seed funds will make real impact across Illinois and they all were designed with future funding and continued innovation in mind.”
IIN is a network of 15 hubs across the state working to boost Illinois’ economy through entrepreneurship, research and workforce development. Most hubs are at public universities.
Proposals for seed grants were required to include individuals from at least two IIN hubs and encouraged to include at least one Illinois community-based organization. Projects could last one or more years after receiving funding. Proposals were evaluated on their alignment with IIN principles, how well they address their stated areas of social innovation and impact, the scope of their work and level of collaboration, as well as their potential for further work.
The three newly funded projects and researchers are:
Building an Entrepreneurship Support Organization: Post-Academy Services, Regional Site Evaluation, and Human Centered Design for Breakthrough Business in Greater DeKalb and Beyond
Sean Park, program director, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Western Illinois University; Chad Glover, executive director, Opportunity DeKalb; Furkan Gur, associate professor of entrepreneurship, Northern Illinois University; Danita Sims, director of programming and community development, Opportunity DeKalb.
Connected Stories: Sustaining Lifespan Digital Literacy in Rural Illinois through Intergenerational Digital Storytelling in Public and School Libraries
Anna Smith, associate professor of teaching and learning, Illinois State University; Chris Merrett, dean for innovation and economic development, WIU; Sarah Phelps, director of computer science and STEM, Learning Technology Center; Eric Sheffield, dean of the College of Education and Human Services, WIU; Chang Su-Russell, associate professor of human development and family science, ISU.
Illinois Youth Media Innovation Network
Angela Aguayo, associate professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Julia Rendleman, assistant professor, Southern Illinois University Carbondale; Reginald Hardwick, news and public affairs director, Illinois Public Media; Zena Madison, founder, Breaking the Cycle; Denise Zaccardi, executive director and founder, Community TV Network.
