Office of the Provost
WMU students in the Gwen Frostic school of Art lab

Experience-Driven Learning Venture Grants

Western Michigan University is advancing Experience-Driven Learning (EDL) as an increasingly intentional part of the undergraduate experience. Across WMU, faculty already engage students in meaningful learning through research and inquiry, authentic projects, community and industry partnerships, studios, laboratories, clinical and field experiences, creative work, simulations, global learning and many other forms of applied learning. 

The 2026-27 Experience-Driven Learning Venture Grant cycle is designed both to learn from the strong work already occurring and to support faculty in developing what comes next. Two complementary opportunities are available: Experience-Driven Learning in Practice and Experience-Driven Learning Innovation Grants.

What do we mean by Experience-Driven Learning?

WMU's Experience-Driven Learning framework is still developing through a collaborative institutional process. For purposes of these opportunities, EDL is understood through three interconnected dimensions: 

Enhances Learning: Students deepen disciplinary learning through authentic application, inquiry, integration, reflection and opportunities to use knowledge in meaningful contexts.

Shapes Professional Purpose: Students make connections among their learning, professional or community contexts, future pathways, mentoring, and an evolving sense of professional identity or purpose.

Empowers Students: Students develop agency, confidence, adaptability, leadership, independence and the capacity to make meaningful decisions about their learning and future.

EDL can look different across disciplines, courses and levels. An experience does not need to emphasize every dimension equally to represent meaningful EDL. 

Experience-Driven Learning in Practice

Experience-Driven Learning in Practice recognizes and helps WMU better understand EDL that is already occurring in undergraduate courses. Faculty are not being asked to create something new. Instead, participants will describe an existing EDL experience, reflect on it using the developing EDL framework and rubric, and provide representative course materials. 

EDL in Practice grants are not competitive. This opportunity is designed to identify, document and recognize Experience-Driven Learning already occurring in undergraduate courses across WMU. Eligible faculty whose submissions meet the EDL in Practice criteria will receive the associated faculty honorarium.

Why participate? The goal is to build a richer institutional picture of where EDL is happening, what forms it takes, when students encounter it, and what faculty may need to strengthen it. Courses do not need to represent a fully developed or exemplary model. Experiences at different stages of development are valuable to this discovery and learning process.

Deadline: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026

Apply for Experience-Driven Learning in Practice

Board-appointed faculty who meet the criteria for EDL in Practice will receive a $500 honorarium in recognition of the time involved in documenting and reflecting on their EDL practice and sharing representative materials. Faculty may receive an honorarium for a maximum of two EDL in Practice submissions.

Applicants will provide basic course information; describe the EDL experience and its authenticity/application; identify intended student learning and development; reflect using the unnumbered EDL rubric; identify where the experience occurs in the curriculum; upload a current syllabus and representative materials; and identify possible areas for future development.

This is a discovery and learning process, not an evaluation of individual faculty or courses.

Preview all questions in the EDL in Practice survey so you can reflect on your course and draft your responses before opening Qualtrics.

Download EDL in Practice survey

Experience-Driven Learning Innovation Grants

Experience-Driven Learning Innovation Grants provide competitive funding for faculty-led projects that create, test, expand or meaningfully enhance EDL opportunities for undergraduate students. 

Application deadline: Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026
Award notification: By Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2026

Apply for an Experience-Driven Learning Innovation Grant

Innovation should be interpreted broadly. A project does not need to be entirely new to WMU or unprecedented in higher education. It may introduce an approach that is new to a course or context, substantially strengthen an existing experience, test a promising strategy, build a new partnership or extend an effective EDL practice to additional students.

Priority consideration will be given to strong proposals involving one or more of the following areas, although projects are not required to fall within a priority area:

  • Client-based projects
  • Undergraduate research integration
  • Community-engaged learning
  • Sustainability-focused learning
  • Global learning

Funding requests should reflect the scope, needs and anticipated student impact of the proposed project and be clearly justified in the budget. Previous Venture Grant awards have generally ranged from $10,000 to $50,000, with awards not exceeding $50,000.

Applicants will describe the educational need or opportunity, proposed innovation, alignment with EDL, intended student learning and impact, implementation plan, assessment strategy, sustainability and transferability, and project budget. Applicants will also use the EDL rubric as a planning tool to identify relevant areas of development.

Preview all questions in the EDL Innovation Grant application so you can plan and draft your proposal before opening Qualtrics.

Download copy of EDL Innovation Grant application

Spring 2027 will serve as the preparation/development period, with implementation expected during the 2027-28 academic year.

Innovation Grant Proposal Development Workshops

Faculty interested in applying for an Experience-Driven Learning Innovation Grant are invited to participate in a series of proposal development workshops. Each session will focus on a different aspect of developing a strong EDL project and proposal. Faculty may attend one, two or all three workshops depending on the nature and developmental stage of their proposed project. Participation is encouraged but is not required to apply and will not be considered in the review of proposals.

Designing and Assessing Experience-Driven Learning: Center for Teaching, Learning and Development

Date: Oct. 28
Time: noon to 1 p.m.
Join a virtual workshop on designing Experience-Driven Learning projects and assessing student learning. Bring your questions and ideas.

Developing Community, Client, and External Partnerships: Office Government Relations and External Partnerships

Date: Oct. 29
Time: 4 to 5 p.m.
Join a virtual workshop to explore community-engaged and client-based partnerships for your EDL project. Bring questions and ideas.

Integrating Research and Inquiry into EDL: Office of Research and Innovation

Date: Oct. 30
Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Join this virtual workshop to explore ways to build undergraduate research and creative scholarship into your EDL project. Bring questions and ideas.

Which opportunity is right for me?

WMU Student and professor engaging with technology

Experience-Driven Learning in Practice

Best fit if:

  • Already using a meaningful EDL approach and willing to help WMU learn from it.
  • Interested primarily in documenting and reflecting on an existing course experience.
  • Interested in helping WMU identify current EDL strengths across the curriculum.
WMU students observing art on campus

Experience-Driven Learning Innovation Grant

Best fit if:

  • Seeking resources to develop or pilot a new EDL approach.
  • Planning a substantial enhancement or expansion of an existing EDL experience.
  • Developing a new client, community, research, sustainability or global learning experience.

May also be appropriate if proposing a significant enhancement:

  • Already using a meaningful EDL approach and willing to help WMU learn from it.

Need Venture Grant application support?

Find the Experience-Driven Learning rubric, support for applicants, resources and frequently asked questions.
Find application support


More questions? Contact the Experience-Driven Learning Team by emailing Amy Naugle.