About

The Agreement between Wayne State University and the Wayne State University Chapter of the American Association of University Professors-American Federation of Teachers, Article XXVI, Research and Professional Development Grants and Programs under Educational Development Grants, states: 

During the life of this Agreement the University shall provide annually at least $15,000 for educational development grants evaluated by the University Educational Development Grant Committee.

Applications are invited from faculty and academic staff as defined by the WSU/AAUP-AFT Agreement for awards under this provision. All personnel on the grant request must be represented under the WSU/AAUP-AFT agreement for the application to be considered. The applications will be reviewed by the University Educational Development Grant Committee, which will be appointed under the terms of the WSU/AAUP-AFT Agreement.  

Proposals will be judged according to their quality and the degree to which they promise to contribute to the educational mission of the University as perceived by the Committee. This grant is not intended for the normal work of continuous improvement of courses and curriculum development in departments.  

Some examples of projects which this program is intended to support are: development of interdisciplinary courses and programs involving several departments; the application of new technologies in the teaching of specific courses; the development of new techniques to enhance instruction, to enrich resource materials, and to provide new learning experiences in specific courses and programs; the development of new courses to support new programs or new areas of study; the improvement of evaluation procedures within a given course or program; the development of new techniques in such areas as advising, counseling, and library usage; innovative use of our urban environment to provide a resource for certain courses or programs. Details of the evaluation criteria are included at the end of the application for reference. 

The awards may be used for salary during the summer, release time during the academic year, student assistants, or necessary supplies and equipment. The funds may not be used, however, to replace any portion of the regular supplies and equipment budget of the department or college.  Proposals may be for any amount but may not exceed $5,000.  The amount awarded may be less than that requested due to the limited funds available.  

All awardees will present their work and results at the Office for Teaching and Learning within one year of the end of the grant term. 

2025-2026 guidelines

At a glance

• Deadling for submission of proposals is: January 6, 2025 
• Applications submitted after this deadline date will not be accepted
• Awards will be announced by: April 4, 2025

Please contact the Office for Teaching and Learning at otl@wayne.edu for inquiries regarding this program.  

Instructions

1. Each application should be in the form of a proposal not to exceed nine (9) pages, including the face page (attached). The proposal may be single or double-spaced. Each applicant may submit only one application. (Department chairpersons, research associates, research assistants, e.g., are not eligible for the Educational Development Grant.)  The body of the proposal should include all the following information, labeled and in the prescribed order: 

   1. Title
   2. Abstract
   3. Objectives and significance of the report
   4. Description and background of the project
   5. Publication plans (EDG funds will not cover travel for conference presentations)
   6. Detailed budget (in addition to brief summary on the first page)
   7. Assessment Plan (how will you evaluate that the proposed changes are effective) 
   8. Curriculum vitae of all personnel (not counted in the nine-page limitation)

2. Proposals exceeding or not fulfilling the application instructions will be returned to the applicant without action. 

Please submit your EDG cover page in PDF format using the EDG application form. The form will also ask you to briefly describe how your proposal meets the criteria below. 

Evaluation Criteria

The selection of the grantees is at the full discretion of the Education Development Grant Committee who are recommended by the Provost and elected by the Academic Senate. The criteria below are provided to the committee members to help guide the discussion but are not a strict rubric. The descriptions are provided to help guide applicants in preparing the proposal. All proposals are not expected to score highly in every category. 

• Impact on Student Outcomes (20%): The proposal directly positively impacts student success in courses or programs and supports the university's goals of retention and graduation.  
• Innovation & Creativity (15%): The proposed project describes a unique addition to the instruction or student services at the university compared to standard methods in your discipline. This could include creative uses for new technology, pedagogy or activities.  
• Fills Gap or Need (15%): The proposal identifies a clear gap in the offerings at the university, college, or program level. The grant writer clearly explains the current status and how this proposal fills that need.  
• Feasibility & Sustainability (10%): The scope of the project is reasonable for a one-year timeframe and goals of the project match the skills and expertise of the personnel involved or includes training or resources that will be required to fill any gaps is identified. The project also clearly states how it will be maintained after the grant period ends.   
• Assessment Plan (10%): The project has clearly identified measurable goals and includes an assessment plan with clear markers for success.  
• Budget (10%): The project clearly explains and justifies the funds requested, including a specific line-item budget. There is a clear rationale for why external funds are needed for the project.  
• Interdisciplinary (5%): The proposal supports multiple areas of the university or involves personnel from multiple subject areas (including different disciplines in the same school or college department). 
• Expand University Reach or Urban (Detroit) focus (5%): The proposal will create a new audience or access method for the university. For instance, creating a new academic or outreach program. Or the project will utilize the resources in the area or addresses local issues. Detroit and other urban areas are rich with culture and community that can be leveraged to enhance learning. 
• Overall Proposal Strength (10%): The proposal has a clear impact on the university and fits the intention of the grant as determined by the committee members. All aspects of the proposal are presented in a coherent and well written plan.   

Application

Please complete the EDG cover page and submit it in PDF form using the EDG Application form. The form will also ask you to briefly describe how your proposal meets the criteria above.