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Instructional Development Grants

Grants for instructional development will be awarded by the Office of Faculty Development, to support efforts of Board appointed, bargaining unit faculty at Western Michigan University to improve student learning through instructional and curricular redesign and innovation. Funding is provided for in Article 40.4 of the Western/WMU-AAUP Agreement 2021-2026 and Article 17.5 of the WMU-PIO AFT/AFL-CIO Agreement 2021-2025.

Part-time Instructors

Part-Time Instructors

§ 17.5 Instructional Development Grants

Western agrees to provide a minimum of six thousand dollars ($6,000) each year of this Agreement to be used to support teaching and learning proposals from bargaining unit members. Proposals are encouraged as well from groups of part-time instructors, from departments, and from inter-department consortia of part-time instructors. Topics of proposals may include, but not be limited to: program development, continuing self-education, and international education. Proposals will be reviewed through a process developed by the Office of Faculty Development and approved by the Office of the Provost.

Download the full agreement:

WMU-PIO AFT/AFL-CIO Agreement 2021-2025

Full-time Faculty

Full-Time Faculty

§ 40.4 Instructional Development Grants

Western agrees to provide a minimum of eighty thousand dollars ($80,000) each year of this Agreement to be used to support teaching and learning proposals from bargaining unit faculty members. Proposals are encouraged as well from groups of faculty, from departments, and from inter-department consortia of faculty. Topics of proposals may include, but not be limited to: program development, continuing self-education, and international education. Proposals will be reviewed through a process developed by the Office of Faculty Development and approved by the Office of the Provost.

Download the full agreement:

Western/WMU-AAUP Agreement 2021-2026

Types of Grants Available

There are two categories of grant funding: Instructional Development Travel Grants and Instructional Development Project Grants. Funds allocated for each category are preliminary and will be adjusted as needed to accommodate the kinds of applications submitted.

  • Project Grants

    Project Grants

    Instructional Development Project Grants support instructional and curricular development projects at WMU. The maximum level of award is $5,000 each. Funding preference will be for projects involving units that have not had projects funded through Instructional Development Project Grants in the prior three-year period. Group, department and interdisciplinary projects will be given priority.

    Project grants may be used to fund:

    • Experts to visit campus and work with a department or team of instructors on specific instructional improvement approaches and/or address specific student learning outcomes.
    • Site visits to other schools or locations to examine specific instructional improvement approaches or address specific student learning outcomes.
    • Group attendance at workshops or training programs directly related to the funded project or webinar registration.
    • Student wages or support for instructional improvement projects.
    • Materials to study or support specific instructional improvement approaches (e.g., software, books, other media, props).

    Project grants will not fund:

    • Faculty summer salary, academic year release time, or any compensation for instructors.
    • Computer equipment.
    • Individual travel to conferences (funds may be sought for this purpose).

     

  • Travel Grants

    Travel Grants

    Instructional Development Travel Grants support attendance at teaching and learning, assessment, and diversity focused conferences, workshops, and meetings. The maximum award level is up to $2,000 or the cost of the trip, whichever is lower. Preference will be given to faculty who have not received a travel grant in the prior three-year period.

     

Application Process

  • Project Grants

    The submitted application form for the project grant must provide:

    • Proposal Narrative (4 pages maximum).

      The Proposal Narrative document should be approximately 4 pages and include the following information:

      1. State the title of the project.
      2. What is the purpose of the project? (one to two sentences)
      3. Objectives: State the objectives for the project. Key elements should identify clearly. Objectives flow from purpose and are the specific aims for the project. What do you intend to do, what literature supports the proposed innovations, and why is the project important?
      4. Provide a brief description of the project's alignment with academic program mission and objectives.
      5. Assessment: How is the project's purpose and objectives assessed and/or evaluated?
      6. Dissemination: Applicants should state the uses and diffusion of information acquired throughout the course of the grant. For example, how could results be used beyond the specific project? How, when, and by whom will the information be disseminated?
      7. Budget: Provide a summary of the budget as delineated in the Proposal Budget Template which follows. All proposals will be reviewed to determine the suitability of budgeted items in terms of stated project activities and fidelity with University policies and regulations.
    • Complete cost breakdown/budget worksheet for project, including other funds being used (included in application section).
    • Acknowledgement of direct supervisor support.

    Application deadlines for project grants: April 1st and November 1st of each year for for funding during the current fiscal year.

    Single-year proposals are preferred although multi-year proposals will be considered if a strong rationale is provided in the application (e.g., collection of student outcomes from multiple semesters).

      Project Grant Application Form

     

  • Travel Grants

    The submitted application form for the travel grant must provide:

    • Application form.
    • Proposal Narrative and Materials:
      1. Details (including copies of brochures or links to web-based information) regarding the conference/workshop/meeting for which they are applying for travel support.
      2. How they intend to use the knowledge they gain from attending sessions, other than presenting a paper.
      3. How sessions link to classroom teaching development and activities.
    • Complete cost breakdown/budget worksheet.
    • Acknowledgement of direct supervisor support.

    Applicants will travel under their department's authorization, submit reimbursement to their department, and the Office of Faculty Development will reimburse the department for those travel costs.

    Multiple applications from the same program unit for travel grants may be submitted each year, but priority will be given to supporting travel grant applications from as wide a range of disciplinary programs as possible.

    Application deadlines for travel grants are four weeks prior to upcoming travel. Applicants previously denied travel support on the merits of the application may not re-apply for the same trip at a later time.

    Information for Part-Time Instructors

    Part-Time Instructors/PIO members should NOT fill out this Travel Grant Application. Instead, PIO members should use the Instructional Development Project Grant application to apply for grant funding.

      Travel Grant Application Form

     

Timetable and Criteria

Grants should be completed by the end of the fiscal year they are funded. All funds in Instructional Development Grant accounts will be swept 40 days after the allotted time period and may not be reclaimed.

A subcommittee of the WMUx Office of Faculty Development Advisory Board will review proposals and recommend projects for funding to the advisory board. Applicants will receive reviewer comments in summary form upon request. The subcommittee will use the following criteria to recommend proposals for funding:

  • 40%: The resourcefulness of the project in its alignment with the unit, college or division goals. The project's intent to facilitate change with regard to improvement of student learning and/or program quality.
  • 30%: Demonstration of intended student learning outcomes.
  • 15%: Budget of expenses congruent with the project goals.
  • 15%: Timeline of activity congruent with project goals.

Awardees may be required to complete a poster about their travel or project experiences to be printed by OFD and shown at an OFD event during the fall semester.

Contact us with any questions, comments, or concerns.