Innovation Fund Application Process for Planning and Pilot Grants
Information about the process is available at Innovation Fund Process (PDF) (2021–22).
Eligibility to Apply
Faculty, staff, and students may submit a proposal online. Note that the applicant must also be the project lead if funding is awarded. Therefore, for multi-year pilot projects, there is a strong preference for tenured or tenure-track faculty applicants and non-term staff applicants to ensure the continuity of a project.
More than one proposal may be submitted per individual, provided that each proposal is distinct. To promote creative thinking, no project is off limits; however, the project must have the potential for significant impact on teaching or learning and:
- Provide an innovative way to fulfill one or more parts of the College’s mission:
“The College aims to graduate individuals who can think clearly, who can speak and write persuasively and even eloquently, who can evaluate critically both their own and others’ ideas, who can acquire new knowledge, and who are prepared in life and work to use their knowledge and their abilities to serve the common good.”
- Directly contribute to the success of one or more of the College’s five strategic goals:
- Educational Excellence and Continuity (focus area for 2021–22)
- Community
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Financial Sustainability
- Health and Well-Being
While no departmental or office sign-off is needed to submit a proposal, applicants are encouraged to consult with colleagues for appropriate advice. If your proposal is accepted for further consideration, the funding committee will explore what implications your proposal may have on your department or office.
Tip: We suggest typing your application responses in an MS Word document before filling out the online form. Save the document and use it to copy/paste your responses into the online application form and for future reference.
Note: The application should be no longer than 1,200 words. This limit does not include the budget estimate portion of the proposal. The abstract is limited to three sentences.