UMN’s Institute on the Environment (IonE) has awarded $1.9 million in grants to support a diverse portfolio of high-impact research projects. Twelve projects, reflective of the expansion of IonE’s investment areas from one goal to 10, include among others: development of solar farms on land that also provides expanded agricultural access to farmers from underserved communities; further study of biochar bricks in construction that can absorb significant levels of CO2 and pollutants; production of a Minnesota Zoning Atlas to contribute to a national effort aimed at the standardization of zoning regulations; and, evaluation of a process to extract protein and oil from hemp in an effort to expand the market for plant-based products. IonE, a Consortium Member Center, launched its Impact Goals grant program in 2019 and has supported 30 environmental research projects since. This year’s grant disbursement is by far the largest to date.