Call for Submissions: Teaching & Learning Grants
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U of T Mississauga Opportunities
UTM Opportunities
1. UTM Pedagogical Research Fund (PRF)
The PRF provides up to $10000 in funding. In contrast to many of the pedagogical project opportunities below that require impact within a U of T classroom, the PRF is a research grant that prioritizes a clear research outcome. Please visit the [https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/vp-research/funding-awards/faculty/internal-funding-faculty/pedagogical-research-fund-prf] for more information.
2. UTM Teaching Development and Innovation Grant (TDI)
The TDI is a seed grant that provides a maximum of $5000 for a UTM faculty member to support the implementation and assessment of innovative practice in an undergraduate course at UTM.
Deadline: November 24, 2023 and May 24, 2024. Email submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca, and use the Teaching and Learning Grant Cover Sheet (.doc). Please note that all submissions must be signed by the departmental chair or relevant director.
Description: This grant is intended to fund projects related to enhancing teaching and learning in an existing course, such as implementing and assessing the effectiveness of a pedagogical innovation. Proposals for the UTM Teaching Development and Innovation Grant may be funded up to a maximum of $5000. (Please note that projects related to experiential learning initiatives might be applicable for the Experiential Learning Development Grant at the Experiential Education Unit).
Eligibility: We encourage all instructors at UTM with an interest in teaching and learning to apply. This includes faculty members with continuing appointments in the teaching or tenure stream, librarians, sessional instructors II and III (teaching in the current or next academic session at the time of application), and staff. Collaborative proposals from multiple departments or academic support units on campus are encouraged.
Application Process: Applications must clearly define how the proposed project will enhance the quality of teaching and learning at UTM and include strategies for measuring and assessing the project’s impact. Proposals must include the following sections: (i) Abstract; (ii) Project Goals: (iii) Timeline; (iv) Assessment; (v) Dissemination; (vi) Budget; (vii) Budget Justification; (viii) Cover Sheet including Signature of Support from the relevant Department Chair or Director. The Application package should be a maximum of four (4) pages long, excluding the cover sheet.
Selection Criteria & Process: Proposals are reviewed by the UTM Teaching Development and Innovation Grant Committee according to the following criteria: (a) Innovation, (b) Strategies for Assessment, and (c) Inclusion and Accessibility, and (d) Impact on UTM, including transferability and sustainability.
3. UTM Teaching Development Travel Grant (TDT)
The TDT provides a maximum of $2000 for a UTM instructor to present at a pedagogical conference or in the pedagogical track at a disciplinary conference. This can be applied to both in-person as well as remote conferences.
Deadline: November 24, 2023 and May 24, 2024. Email submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca.
Description: This grant is intended to support a faculty member’s presentation at a teaching-themed conference (e.g., Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education) or teaching symposium within a discipline-based conference. The fund will also support a presentation at a discipline-based conference when the talk is directly connected to the faculty member’s teaching.
Eligibility: We encourage all instructors teaching at UTM to apply. Sessional Lecturer II and Sessional Lecturer III can apply for funds to present at teaching-themed conferences or symposia, provided that they are teaching at UTM in the current or next academic session at the time of application. The fund will reimburse up to a maximum of $2000 per calendar year. Applicants that have been previously successful for this grant will have lower priority for funding than new applicants.
Application Process: Applications must include an abstract of the work to be presented, a description of the conference/symposium, a brief budget and a discussion of how the applicant’s attendance at the conference/symposium will enhance the quality of teaching and learning at UTM. Applications should be a maximum of two (2) pages long. The cover sheet does not need to be included with this grant.
4. UTM Teaching & Learning Conference & Colloquia Fund (TLCC)
The TLCC provides a maximum of $1500 towards the organization of teaching & learning focused conferences or colloquia at UTM.
Deadline: November 24, 2023 and May 24, 2024. Email submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca.
Eligibility: Eligible conferences and colloquia must take place at UTM, and must have an external component in terms of attendees consisting of both UTM-based instructors and instructors from other institutions. We encourage all instructors teaching at UTM to apply. Sessional Lecturer II and Sessional Lecturer III can apply for funds provided that they are teaching at UTM in the current or next academic session at the time of application.
Application Process: Applications must include (1) a description of the conference/colloquia including the number of attendees; (2) a description of how the conference/colloquia would enhance teaching and learning at UTM; and (3) a description of how the conference/colloquia would showcase UTM’s work on teaching & learning to the broader community. Also, applications must include a budget and the cover sheet signed by the appropriate chair. Applications should be a maximum of two (2) pages long, excluding the cover sheet.
5. Writing Development Initiative (WDI) Program
Since the 2005-06 academic year, UTM has supported discipline-specific writing instruction through the Writing Development Initiatives (WDI) Program, which is funded by the Office of the Dean. The WDI provides financial support for projects that integrate writing instruction in core courses across the curriculum: this financial support comes primarily in the former of supplements to TA funding to allow for:
- more writing assignments;
- more time spent giving feedback on assignments;
- more writing instruction; and/or
- TA training in assessing writing and teaching writing skills.
Departments and faculty are encouraged to submit proposals for projects that will help students become better writers as they work within the requirements of their discipline.
Visit the Writing Development Initiative (WDI) Program webpage for more information.
6. Experiential Learning Development Grant (ELDG)
The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) is committed to offering innovative, high-impact, and real-world opportunities to all its students through experience-driven programs. Experiential learning (EL) is “the specific process by which a student acquires knowledge or meets learning goals through experience.” Effective EL addresses four learning modes: “hands-on experience,” “reflection,” the “integration of the experience with previous learning,” and an “opportunity to test new ideas.” Examples include academic internships, community-partnered field experiences, organization-partnered experiences, simulated work experiences, and more.
The Office of the Vice-Principal Academic & Dean offers the Experiential Learning Development Grant to help faculty offset the range of costs associated with the development and delivery of experiential learning opportunities. Funding can be used towards a variety of purposes, for instance hiring research assistants to support course planning; purchasing equipment, consumables, or software licenses; covering group transportation or registration costs for field experiences; and other expenses.
Deadline: November 24, 2023 and May 24, 2024
Faculty are encouraged to submit project proposals that focus on experiential learning to the Experiential Education Unit. Please visit the Experiential Learning Development Grant webpage for more information.
University of Toronto Opportunities
These grants are funded and administered by the Office of the Vice President & Provost. Questions about potential proposals can be directed to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education at vp.iue@utoronto.ca, as well as to the UTM Associate Dean, Pedagogical Development and Scholarship, or the UTM Vice Dean, Teaching & Learning. Please note that applications involving UTM faculty or staff as co-investigators must go through the internal UTM vetting process.
1. Learning and Education Advancement Fund (LEAF)
The Learning Education Advancement Fund (LEAF) program aims to support the President’s Three Priorities:
- Leverage our urban location(s) more fully, for the mutual benefit of University and City;
- Strengthen and deepen key international partnerships by means of a well-defined strategic focus;
Reimagine and reinvent undergraduate education.
The fund supports projects that improve undergraduate education at the University of Toronto. LEAF grants have two funding streams:
Seed grants ($5,000 to $10,000 per year for up to 3 years) are intended to encourage experimentation at the local level, either within a course or a set of courses, as a means of fostering small-scale enhancements or pilots with the potential for future scalability. These projects should have the potential for either scalability within their home unit or transferability into other undergraduate learning contexts.
Seed Grants are accepted twice a year.
- Fall Expressions of Interest are accepted between March and September. A full application is due in early November.
- Winter Expressions of Interest are due between February and March. A full application is due in mid-April.
Impact grants ($10,000 to $100,000 per year for up to 3 years) are designed to support large-scale projects with the potential to significantly enhance core elements of undergraduate education within or across academic units and divisions at the University. This can range from scaling high-impact teaching practices that have already experienced successful experimentation in their local contexts, to the development of new pedagogical or curricular approaches and practices.
Impact Grants are accepted once a year.
- Expressions of Interest must be completed between March and September.
- Full applications are due in early November.
Deadlines
2023 Fall Seed and Impact Grants
- Expression of Interest Deadline: Thursday, Sept.7, 2023
- UTM Letter of Support Deadline: Friday, Nov. 1, 2023
- Full Proposal Deadline: Tuesday, November 7, 2023
2024 Winter Seed Grants
- Expression of Interest Deadline: Tuesday, February 27, 2024
- UTM Letter of Support Deadline: Friday, April 5, 2024
- Full Proposal Deadline: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Consultations about projects are encouraged and may be particularly useful prior to submitting an expression of interest. Email a draft expression of interest submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca to set up a consultation with the Associate Dean, Pedagogical Development and Scholarship.
Email the full proposal submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca, and use the Teaching and Learning Grant Cover Sheet (.doc). Please note that all submissions must be signed by the departmental chair or relevant director. If the proposal receives support from the Dean’s Office, then a supporting letter will be provided to be included in the application package that is submitted to the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education.
Visit the Learning and Education Advancement Fund (LEAF) webpage for more information on eligibility, application process, and the adjudication and evaluation of proposals.
2. Instructional Technology Innovation Fund (ITIF)
ITIF grants provide opportunities for technology-mediated teaching and learning projects that explore and implement promising practices at different stages of their development and implementation, and creates a pathway for projects from their initial inception to their full potential. The Fund is designed to catalyze initiatives that immediately and directly impact University of Toronto education and teaching programs through innovation and development.
There are three funding tiers:
- Seed Funding: Maximum $2,000 with no matching requirement
- Matched Funding: Maximum $5,000 with matching funds from another source
- Support Stream: Apply to get access to an educational technology or instructional design specialist for up to 150 hours per year per project. This is a non-cash award, but it’s worth an equivalent of $20,000 that can be used as an in-kind contribution when applying elsewhere for funding.
Projects that require funding of more than $5,000 are encouraged to consider the LEAF initiative (above).
Deadlines
2023 ITIF Grants
- UTM Letter of Support Deadline: Wednesday, November 1, 2023
- Full Proposal Deadline: Tuesday, November 7, 2023
Consultations about projects are encouraged prior to finalizing the proposal. Email a draft proposal submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca to set up a consultation with the Associate Dean, Pedagogical Development and Scholarship.
Email the proposal submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca, and use the Teaching and Learning Grant Cover Sheet (.doc). Please note that all submissions must be signed by the departmental chair or relevant director. If the proposal receives support from the Dean’s Office, then a supporting letter will be provided to be included in the application package.
Visit the Instructional Technology Innovation Fund (ITIF) webpage for more information.
3. The International Student Experience Fund (ISEF)
The objective of the International Student Experience Fund (ISEF) program is to foster a learning environment on U of T’s campuses that aligns with the U of T’s global mission and profile. The Fund is intended to support academic and non-academic initiatives that: enhance the experience of international students; foster intercultural and international-to-domestic student, staff and faculty engagement; and internationalize the University of Toronto student experience.
The Fund supports two streams of activities; Seed ($5,000-$15,000 per year, maximum 3 years) and Impact ($15,000-$60,000 per year, maximum 2 years). This two-tiered system is intended to provide opportunities for projects that explore, implement and scale up promising practices at different stages of their development and implementation, and create a pathway for projects from their initial inception to their full potential. Proposals will be accepted from U of T faculty and staff with continuing appointments. The primary beneficiary of the proposal must be undergraduate and/or graduate students. The fund is intended to support both curricular (academic) and co-curricular (non-academic) initiatives. It is recommended that curricular proposals include a co-curricular collaborator.
Deadlines
2023-24 ISEF Seed Grants
- Accepted on a rolling basis.
2023-24 ISEF Impact Grants
- Letter of Intent Deadline: Friday, October 13, 2023
- UTM Letter of Support Deadline: Monday, January 15, 2024
- Full Proposal Deadline: Monday, January 22, 2024
Consultations about projects are encouraged and may be particularly useful prior to submitting a letter of intent. Email a letter of intent submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca to set up a consultation with the Associate Dean, Pedagogical Development and Scholarship.
Email the proposal submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca, and use the Teaching and Learning Grant Cover Sheet (.doc). Please note that all submissions must be signed by the departmental chair or relevant director. If the proposal receives support from the Dean’s Office, then a supporting letter will be provided to be included in the application package.
Visit the International Student Experience Fund (ISEF) webpage for more information.
4. Graduate Education Innovation Fund (GEIF)
The Graduate Education Innovation Fund (GEIF) aims to foster excellence in graduation education by enriching the experience of graduate students in both research and professional degree programs. Proposals should support at least one of themes listed in the call: Experiential Learning; Interdisciplinary Learning; Technological Innovation; Indigenous Ways of Knowing; Diverse Cultural Perspectives; Decolonization, Anti-oppression, and Anti-racism; Professional Development; and Public Scholarship.
The GEIF provides up to $5000 on an annual basis. While the projects to be funded may be implemented at a local level, there should be a clear path to scale the project should evaluation demonstrate success. Faculty with continuing appointments are invited to apply; typically, applicants hold a graduate appointment in SGS.
Deadlines
2022-23 GEIF Grants
- UTM Letter of Support Deadline: TBA
- Proposal Deadlines: TBA
Consultations about projects are encouraged. Email UTM Assoc Dean Pedagogy <assocdeanpedagogy.utm@utoronto.ca> to set up a consultation with the Associate Dean, Pedagogical Development and Scholarship.
Email the proposal submission to anna.reale@utoronto.ca, and use the Teaching and Learning Grant Cover Sheet (.doc). Please note that all submissions must be signed by the departmental chair or relevant director. If the proposal receives support from the Dean’s Office, then a supporting letter will be provided to be included in the application package.
Visit the Graduate Education Innovation Fund (GEIF) webpage for more information.
Webpage: https://www.sgs.utoronto.ca/about/innovation-in-graduate-education/graduate-education-innovation-fund/