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Purpose
Competitive Instructional Grants provide up to $3,500 in support of curricular or pedagogical innovations designed to enhance the quality of degree-credit instruction at DePaul. This program is intended to supplement, not replace, other sources of support available through departmental budgets, college-controlled funds, and external grants. Applicants are expected to explore all sources of assistance. Successful Competitive Instructional Grant proposals are often expanded and developed into external grant applications.
Competitive Instructional Grants are intended to foster pedagogical excellence in DePaul's degree-credit curricula. The Quality of Instruction Council (QIC) accords highest priority to projects that promise a direct and significant impact on the quality of teaching, including improvements in the assessment of student achievement. Both the number of courses and students likely to be affected are important. Creativity and innovation are encouraged but are not necessary. The Council welcomes proposals that broaden DePaul's use of proven methods or materials.
Possible uses of Competitive Instructional Grants
- development of courses in accord with college and/or university strategic plans and initiatives
- integrating technology to address new pedagogical or curricular needs
- develop cross-disciplinary courses
- instructional evaluation and assessment experiments
- attendance at workshops to enhance teaching skills
- develop instructional materials
Deadlines
Program deadlines are October 15 and March 15. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on the due date. If a due date falls on a weekend, the due date will be the following Monday at 9 a.m. Late applications cannot be accepted. Funding is for 18 months after the Council approves the grant.
Eligibility
All faculty and full-time professional administrative staff members of DePaul University are eligible to submit proposals. In awarding grants, the Council takes into account three priorities: demands on strategic plans and initiatives, applicant’s record of completing projects, and how project sustains university. Faculty and staff cannot receive Competitive Instructional Grants after two consecutive years unless they submit evidence of consultation with the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (x2-7388) for external funds. The Council expects projects to be completed in a timely manner and will not fund projects beyond three years. Grant recipients, who have overspent their grants, will not be eligible until the overage is resolved. Applicants should refer to General Guidelines for a complete list of eligible and ineligible expenses.
Study Abroad Courses: Proposals for Study Abroad courses must meet QIC requirements for course acceptance and is reviewed according to the same criteria. The focus of the proposal should be on describing course development. The course must be supported by the chair/director of the relevant department(s). The proposal should be sent also to the Study Abroad Committee for their endorsement. For the short-term program in which two DePaul faculty teach different courses, the two faculty must prepare separate proposals, each will focus on describing the course to be taught.
Online Course Development: Full-time faculty have the option to apply for grant support under this program or through the QIC Summer Stipend program. The Competitive Instructional Grant covers expenses associated with developing a new course for delivery. The Summer Stipends Program provides a faculty member time via salary support to develop an online course for delivery. However, unlike the traditional Summer Stipend request, faculty may apply at the October 15 or March 15 due date. Note that all stipends are paid during the summer. Click here to apply for a (stipends).
Review Process
Applications are made directly to the Council. It is necessary to have course approval from chairs or directors. Applicants may contact members of the Quality of Instruction Council for assistance (see list of QIC members ). The Council members will make it a matter of record that they have consulted with the applicant before the submission of the proposal, without prejudice to the application. Applications are reviewed without reference to any applicant's identity, and it is the applicant's responsibility to remove identifying information from all materials.
Competitiveness
The program is intentionally competitive, both to insure the best use of available funds and to encourage development of proposal-writing skills. Not all proposals can receive awards. It is important that applicants take the same care in assembling a University proposal as they would a proposal to a national agency. Proposals may be revised and resubmitted for a later round of funding.
Institutional Compliance: Management
Standards Training
Completion of the Financial Affairs internal grants
training workshop is mandatory for internal grant recipients and
satisfies the annual Management Standards Training requirement for
budget managers at DePaul. No grant funds will be released until the
recipient has completed budget manager training. Workshop participants
receive a resource guide that includes quick reference materials and a
current Management Standards Handbook. Topics include understanding
chartfields, use of web authorization, use of SAHR delegation, finding
and reading Mobius reports, correcting transactions, requesting budget
changes, review of key compliance standards, overview of travel
guidelines and eProcurement procedures, and overview of payroll
guidelines.
Review Criteria
Please review the General Guidelines when preparing applications for council programs. Specifically, the Council supports projects that
- improve the quality of teaching at DePaul;
- improve student learning in degree-credit courses;
- fully justify the proposed budget;
- have an adequate plan for evaluating the project's outcomes;
- follow the "Outline of Proposal" below.
Competitive Instructional Grants should be a part of long-term planning for professional development, both for the individual applicant and the department/college. Faculty are encouraged to contact the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research for advice concerning opportunities for external support (x2-7595).
Final Report
A final report must be submitted within 30 days of the expiration of the grant. The report should describe the activities conducted during the grant and address the achievement of the project outcomes. Failure to do so will result in the faculty member being ineligible for future funding from the councils. Projects that request continued funding of a project must have a clearly marked section after the initial statement of the project indicating the outcomes that have been achieved as a result of the previous funding. The second proposal must then incorporate those outcomes into the proposed project. Resubmission of the original proposal for a second funding will not be accepted.
University Policies
Any published work resulting from a Competitive Instructional Grant must include a credit to DePaul for support. Please consult the Faculty Handbook for University policies regarding a wide array of issues related to scholarly and creative work.
Outline of Proposal
All proposals must be in an editable text format. Only the CV may be submitted in PDF format. Do not include your name in any part of the proposal narrative. It is your responsibility to remove all personal references.
A complete online application will include the following:
1. Budget page; (Click here to download the budget form.)
2. An abstract, not more than 10 lines long. This should be a summary of, rather than an introduction to, your project.
Failure to include will delay consideration of the proposal.
3. The following information, in not more than 5 double-spaced pages, in no less than 11 point font:
(a) a statement of objectives
(b) current course offerings and rationale for proposed course
(c) curricular significance of project
(d) a description of provisions for assessing student achievement. See the AAHE's "Principles of Good Practice" for further guidance
(e) teaching focus and scholarship
(f) tentative syllabus
(g) plan of work
4. A detailed budget narrative must be included. Cost of travel must be documented utilizing current prices and citing the sources of the pricing (e.g., Expedia, Travelocity, etc.). The Council has limited funds for food on travel budgets and
currently does not fund this item.
5. Endorsements from the appropirate chair(s) or dean(s) - (click here for instructions). Requests for Study Abroad courses must also have an endorsement from the Study Abroad Program. Cross-listed courses must have endorsements from both departments. (Instructions to Chairs)
6. Attach a complete curriculum vitae. This will not be circulated to the Council, but the Chair will retain it for reference.
Submit an online application to the Chair of the Quality of Instruction Council by October 15 or March 15. Applications must be received by 5 pm on the due date. |
