Faculty Summer Teaching Grants Program

Narrative Guidance

Use the following headings, included in the template, to address key merit criteria within the project narrative:

Introduction: Provide a brief overview (3-4 sentences) describing the proposed project and how the summer award will advance instruction at the graduate or undergraduate level.

Background: Your application will be evaluated based on the clarity, completeness, and strength with which you describe the following:

• Promotion of the mission of the department, college, or university
• Enhancement of specific courses, programs, or department curricula
• Benefit to students
• Contribution to your professional development
• Advancement of your expertise as a teacher

Applicants are encouraged to use subheadings corresponding to these areas to improve proposal clarity.

Deliverables and Timeline: Your proposal will also be evaluated based on the clarity and feasibility of the timeline and endpoints. Provide enough information so that the committee can evaluate the feasibility of accomplishing the scope of the project over the course of the summer, including:

• Expected outcomes (e.g., publication, exhibition, performance, external grant proposal, dataset, manuscript, or other scholarly products).
• Major project activities and milestones.
• The proposed timeline demonstrating that project goals can be achieved during the award period. 

If applicable:

• Distinguish proposed summer activities from work conducted during professional leave.
• Describe outcomes from previous Summer Teaching Grant support and explain the relationship, if any, to the current proposal.
• Explain how work extending beyond the summer period will be sustained

Bibliography: Include references within the three-page narrative page limit, if appropriate.

Keep in mind that reviewers are an interdisciplinary group of faculty and may not be familiar with field-specific terminology, methods, or theoretical frameworks. As such, applicants should:

• Minimize discipline-specific jargon.
• Clearly explain specialized methods, techniques, or approaches.
• Ensure any charts, figures, or graphics are legible and fit within the page limit. 

CV Guidance

Following the 3-page narrative, applicant must also include a current CV highlighting qualifications relevant to the proposed project not to exceed 2-pages. 

Prior to Submission

The 3-page narrative template and the 2-page CV must be combined into a single PDF document and attached to the application form. 

Teaching Grants are awarded for activities that substantially enhance the instructional quality of the university’s academic programs. Proposals must demonstrate the activity requires significant effort that goes beyond that normally expected of faculty. A broadly representative faculty committee evaluates proposals based on the extent to which the proposed work addresses the criteria listed in the Narrative Contents. In addition, the committee will consider:

• The clarity and accessibility of the proposal to an academically diverse committee.
• Whether the proposal is appropriately scoped for a Summer Teaching Grant.
• The equitable distribution of awards across colleges.

Rubric

• Enhances specific courses, programs, or department curricula.
• Benefits students.
• Expands the applicant's expertise as a teacher.
• Enhances the applicant's professional development.
• Promotes the mission of the department, college, or university.

Proposals are reviewed by a subcommittee of the Research and Creative Activities Council who submit their recommendations to the Vice Provost for Research for approval.