Introduction

During Fall Term 2022, CRLT will award monies from the Faculty Development Fund for activities that enhance the quality of student learning at the University of Michigan.

Grant awards up to $6,000 are available to individual faculty members or small groups of faculty proposing innovative revisions to courses or innovative course development or initiating smaller innovative projects to improve student learning at the University of Michigan.

Grant awards up to $10,000 are available to departments, programs, and other large faculty groups that want to work together on more extensive projects such as curriculum development and evaluation, inclusive classrooms, research experiences for undergraduates, and graduate student instructor (GSI) mentorship and training programs. The $10,000 grant awards are intended for larger, collaborative projects.

Please contact crltgrants@umich.edu if you have questions about the appropriateness of your project for any of CRLT’s grants competitions.

Funding Priorities

While proposals will be invited across the range of innovations in teaching and learning, two areas of emphasis are especially encouraged in this competition:

• Application of equity-focused teaching frameworks (including anti-racist pedagogy).
• Application of lessons learned from pandemic responsive teaching to apply to post-pandemic instruction.

Proposals, regardless of area of emphasis, should focus on the following types of activities:

• Innovations in teaching methods or approaches;
• Innovations in the curriculum;
• Inclusive teaching practices that foster success for students of all academic and social backgrounds;
• Faculty and/or GSI educational development activities;
• Assessment of courses or curricula.

Selection Criteria

Selection priority will go to proposals that clearly articulate how they will:

• Advance the key funding priorities, as noted above.
• Substantially enhance the learning outcomes and experiences of significant numbers of UM students.
• Represent activities that go above and beyond standard elements of course development or course revision.
• Incorporate appropriate methods for assessing, documenting, and disseminating project impact.
• Clearly link to departmental, college, or University educational priorities.
• Be sustained beyond the funding period.
• Create or enhance collaborations across faculty and/or units (for $10,000 grants).

Eligibility

The competition is open, on the Ann Arbor campus of the University, to all tenured and tenure-track faculty; clinical instructional faculty; Lecturers who have continuing appointments and course development responsibilities (i.e., an assignment from the dean, chair, or designee to develop a new course or significantly revise an existing course). For collaborative proposals, the project director listed on the Application Cover Sheet must meet eligibility requirements. Applicants who received Faculty Development Fund grants in the past may seek support for new proposals.  If a choice must be made between projects of equal merit, priority will be given to the proposal submitted by an applicant who has not received funds during the previous academic year.

Submission Procedure

All applications are handled electronically and must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.

1. Download and complete
   1. this cover/budget worksheet (not to exceed $6,000 or $10,000, depending on the conditions stated in the INTRODUCTION).
   2. see FUNDING section below for allowable expenses.
2. Prepare a 2-3 page proposal in accordance with the Proposal Guidelines below.
3. Solicit letters of support from deans, chairs, or other relevant colleagues (optional, but strongly encouraged).
4. Merge all application materials into a single pdf file.
5. Click the Submit Application button at the top of this page.
   1. Fill out the web form, which requires a project overview. This project overview (250 word maximum) will be included in a set of summary documents provided to the review panel.
   2. Upload the pdf file. Name your file LastName_GrantType_Year.pdf (e.g., Smith_FDF_2022.pdf).

Chair Evaluations

1. Forward to your chair this Chair Evaluation Form along with a complete copy of your application packet. 
2. The chairperson should evaluate the proposal and then forward the Chair Evaluation Form to crltgrants@umich.edu. These must be received by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.

Proposal Guidelines

Applicants should prepare a 2-3 page proposal that includes the following items:

1. Project Statement: Explain the specific project to be implemented, clearly delineating the need for the project and how the project represents an improvement upon, or important departure, from existing practice. Address how this project would lead to significant and sustainable change in the teaching and learning environment at U-M.  

2. Project Evaluation Plan: Explain how the success of this project will be evaluated, documented, and disseminated. Approaches might include, but are not limited to: midterm course assessments; assignment, syllabi or other course document reviews; analysis of student work; end-of-term student ratings; focus group; surveys; etc.  

*If your project includes proposed work with CRLT, please be in touch with CRLT staff to discuss the specifics of your proposal prior to an official submission

Budget

Provide a justification of the budget so that it is clear why each requested budget item is essential to the success of the project. Travel and conference attendance, in particular, require substantial justification. Grant monies must be used for project costs that do not fall within the realm of regular departmental expenditures.  

The following expenditures (among others) may be included in the budget request:

• Retreats, workshops or planning sessions
• Focus groups, surveys and written materials
• Data analysis
• Facilitator or consultant honorarium
• Faculty summer salary
• Graduate or undergraduate student salaries
• Materials and supplies
• Travel and registration fees for special teaching-related seminars or workshops
• Other travel essential to the project

Funding is NOT available for:

• Registration fees for workshops, seminars, and meetings that are not directly related to teaching
• Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) salaries
• The tuition portion of a Graduate Student Research Assistant (GSRA) appointment
• Reimbursement of costs already incurred

Funding Period

The period of funding will vary according to the requirements of the project, but is limited to two years. The funding period cannot begin until December 2022. Projects must be completed by December 31, 2024.

Funding Decisions

All Faculty Development Fund applications are reviewed and ranked by the appropriate dean and then undergo a review process carried out by members of the CRLT staff and the CRLT Advisory Board, composed of UM faculty from across campus.  Final funding decisions are made by the CRLT Advisory Board. Awards will be announced in December 2022.

Reporting Requirements

CRLT requires all grant recipients to help disseminate their results by completing a brief web form within three months of the project’s completion. These reports will be publicly displayed on the CRLT Grants Reporting website.

Questions and Consultations

Please contact CRLT at 764-0505 or crltgrants@umich.edu if you have questions. CRLT staff are available to consult with grant applicants as they prepare proposals. You may also contact us if you have issues submitting your proposal to the CRLT website.