Course Improvement Grant

Providing funding to enhance teaching and learning within the College of Biological Sciences

Purpose:

The purpose of the Course Improvement Grant is to provide financial support for the enhancement of teaching and learning activities within the College of Biological Sciences. COESP aims to fund innovative projects that improve course quality, foster a culture of continuous pedagogical improvement, and ultimately enhance student learning outcomes. 

Eligibility:

This grant opportunity is open to faculty members, staff, or teaching teams engaged in instructing undergraduate and graduate-level courses within the College of Biological Sciences. Applications may include graduate student teaching assistants as part of their teams, but the application must be led by a faculty or staff member from the college. 

Value:

Up to $5,000 per year can be awarded to Course Improvement Grants. Typically funded projects have ranged from $500-$2,000, although other requests will be considered. The goal is to fund multiple Course Improvement grants within the $5,000 budget. Applicants may also be interested in applying to the AVPA Learning Enhancement Fund (LEF) for additional funds. LEF grants have a maximum budget of $50,000, with applications typically due in March.   

Deadline:

Applications are accepted 3x/yr (1x/ semester) on Aug 1, Dec 1 and April 1. Applications should be prepared as a word document and uploaded by the due date using the COESP Award application form. The department Chair will be notified of recipients from their department.  

Application Process:

1. Applicant will submit a proposal of their project, which includes:
   1. Cover page: Name, position, department & emails address of primary applicant and all co-applicants (if applicable).
   2. Project overview: A brief project overview should be written in a word doc (suggested length: 1 page, up to 2 pages max), and address the following:
      1. Context: What is the gap, need or opportunity you are addressing and why it is important? Relevant literature or other sources of evidence (eg: strategic mandate) should be included.
      2. Project: What is the specific project that you are proposing and how will it be executed?
      3. Impact: What impact will the project have on student learning (or other relevant outcome) and how you will determine if it is successful?
      4. Feasibility: How will you accomplish your project within the funding period (1yr)? How will the impact be sustained beyond the funding period?
      5. Budget: An itemized budget. Eligible expenses may include: hourly student pay, teaching materials, software, subscriptions, honoraria for elders etc.
2. COESP awards committee (min 3 people) will review all applications against a standard rubric for alignment with program criteria and provide written feedback for consideration, with an invitation to an in-person meeting to discuss (~2wk window).
3. Applicant(s) and representatives from the COESP awards committee will meet in person (or remote). Applicant will have an opportunity to address the feedback received/expand on the project as appropriate, and funds will be awarded.  

Please note: The intention behind this process (i.e. a brief written application followed by feedback and an interactive discussion) is to minimize barriers to applying, by simplifying the initial application, while maximizing the impact of the funding available and encouraging a culture of collaborative and open dialogue. New applicants are welcome to reach out to COESP for guidance prior to submission.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Strength of justification.
• Alignment with funding program objectives.
• Impact on teaching and learning 
• Sustainability
• Appropriateness of budget

Dissemination:

Awardees are expected to share their innovation with the COESP community through a variety of communication routes e.g. through social media, COESP day or other form of presentation.  

Note: This award was previously known as the Try New Things Grant