Professional Development Grants for Faculty

Faculty Professional Development Grants, funded by the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support (CIS) and awarded by the Instructional Development Advisory Council (IDAC), are provided to support faculty in teaching and learning-centered activities, including research projects, or teaching and learning conferences. Activities should result in a clear deliverable for current/future courses and/or programs. 

Criteria include

• Funded activities should lead directly to the improvement of teaching skills or practices relevant to a faculty member’s responsibilities in current or future courses or programs. Acceptable experiences may include instructional design, instructional technology, methodology, or pedagogy. 
• Applicants must demonstrate within their application materials that the funding will be used to support the faculty in teaching and learning-centered activities. This may include conference attendance (with active participation), purchase of materials for use in class, training experiences specifically related to teaching and learning, etc.  
• The final report (outlined below) must occur within 2 semesters (including summer) of the supported activity. 

Timeline 

• The application cycle for current funds is now closed. Future opportunities will be announced here and through the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Support communications.
• Submissions will be reviewed by IDAC (an Academic Senate-appointed committee) at their next scheduled meeting. 
• Faculty will be notified of the status of their application (grant approval/decline) prior to spring break.  
• An applicant may apply for funding of any activity occurring in the current fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th). 
• Failure to follow the guidelines, and provide adequate information, will result in the application being denied. 
• Applications can be submitted for consideration only once. 

Eligibility 

All regular faculty and fixed-term faculty on ½ time or greater appointment are eligible to apply for these grants. Graduate Assistants are not eligible to apply. Faculty salaries or stipend supplements, office support, or services intended primarily to support the delivery of instruction are not eligible for funding. Before submitting a request, applicants should provide evidence they have explored all other available funding options (e.g., Departmental, College, etc.). Projects that have received Faculty Research and Creative Endeavors (FRCE) grants are ineligible to apply to receive funding for the same project/event. Funds will not be issued as reimbursement for expenses previously covered by an academic department.

Funding limits 

Grants are up to a maximum of $500.00 per individual per academic year of reimbursable expenses per university policy (CMICH Login Required).  Support at the maximum level is not guaranteed for every request. 

Deliverables 

The recipient agrees to share their newly obtained knowledge with CIS by authoring a summary of 250-1000 words for publication in an all-faculty email and/or posting on the website. The summary should describe the knowledge gained and its application to the improvement of teaching. This must be done within two semesters of the supported event. Failure to comply will preclude eligibility for future funding. 

Recipients of these funds will be required to adhere to the university’s Intellectual Property Rights Policy.