Faculty Development Grants

Faculty Development Grants support research, scholarship, artistic creation and curriculum development leading directly to the applicant’s own professional development. Funding applications will only be considered if the activities relate to the applicant’s own professional development. Organizing a conference, arranging a lecture series, and providing mentoring are not funded through large and small grants, unless these activities relate to the applicant’s own professional development. These grants have become an important part of Lesley’s support for professional development and promotion through the faculty ranks. In recent years, funds have supported projects ranging from action research with student teachers, to curriculum evaluation and development, to a study of student attitudes towards incarcerated parents. Proposal topics may include, but are not limited to: 1) On-going research projects, 2) New research projects, 3) Campus or Community-Based Social Justice Initiatives, 4) Curriculum Development and Review. Other substantive areas will be considered, but should be explained by the applicant as to their relevance to their professional development.

Eligibility: Eligibility is broad for Faculty Development Grants and all contracted, core faculty members may apply. There will be separate funds and instructions available for management faculty. All grant applications require a proposal for a specific project or a discrete piece of a long-range project (See below for specific directions on small and large grants).

Preference is given to the following groups in descending order:

• Those who have never been funded
• Those who have not been funded within the past year
• Those who have not been funded with the past two years.

Funds must be used during the academic year for which they are awarded (July 1st – June 30th). Grants may not extend beyond a one-year period and any funds not expended by that time will be lost. Under exceptional circumstances, however, an awardee may apply for an extension of the original grant by submitting a request on or before the annual deadline (mid-February) along with a letter to the Faculty Life and Development Committee explaining the factors that emerged during the year which prevented the funds from being expended. The letter should be accompanied by a work plan.

If applicants apply for Faculty Development money while on Sabbatical, a carefully documented case of need more than the sabbatical award must be made. Allowable expenses on sabbatical are travel to and from research sites and consumable supplies. Not allowable are cost of living expenses.

Applicants are required to indicate other sources of funding and other projects underway during the period for which the grant is intended. The Faculty Life and Development Committee will consider these activities in its deliberation on the feasibility of the proposed project.

Faculty Development grants are designed to provide funding and support to individual core faculty members and groups of core faculty members who wish to undertake an entire project or discrete pieces of larger projects. It is expected that faculty receiving these grants will provide an end-of-year summary reporting their progress and/or accomplishments along the lines of the original grant proposal and to be prepared to share their activities, if requested, at a Faculty Life and Development sponsored forum.

Types of Awards: The Faculty Life and Development Committee awards funding in two categories, which enable contracted faculty to apply for either large or small grants. Both types of grants are eligible to apply for financial support and/or a course release. The process is essentially the same for both, although more information is required for larger grants. See below for more specific details:

1). Financial Support: Each faculty member applying for either a large or small Faculty Development Grant may request financial support. The Large Development Grants include grants ranging from $2000 - $5000. The Small Development Grants include those up to $1999. These dollar amounts DO NOT include any course release request associated with the application.

2). Course Release(s): Each faculty member applying for either a large or small Faculty Development Grant may request a course release over and above the financial support they are requesting. Faculty may apply for one course release per grant application. If there are multiple faculty members listed as authors on a faculty development grant application, each faculty member may apply for a course release. Faculty will be considered for only one course release until all applications have been reviewed and decisions have been rendered. After the first round of reviews, if additional course releases remain available, faculty who have applied for more than one course release will be considered.

Faculty Development Grant proposals for the 2019-2020 academic year (7/1/19-6/30/20) must be submitted via Dynamic Forms through the online portal, by February 18, 2019. The Faculty Life and Development Committee will review the applications, and applicants will be notified of decisions by no later than, March 22, 2019. If there are additional funds and/or course releases available after the first review, an additional call will be made in an attempt to exhaust all funds and/or course releases.

Proposal Format and Content: Proposals will be submitted via Dynamic Forms through the online portal lesley.edu/faculty-staff/provost/dynamic-forms-for-faculty. The following sections must be completed on the Dynamic Form for both large and small Faculty Development Grants:

1). Proposal Narrative: A clear description of the project’s purpose, plan, method, significance and, if appropriate, its relevance to prior work. Some mention should be made of how the project addresses professional development and serves the mission of the University or the needs of the applicant’s program.

2). Budget Narrative: A concise descriptive statement of the budget needs of the project. Any cost assigned should be clear from the narrative which will be evaluated in terms of its completeness, clarity, and detail.

3). Budget Summary: All faculty submitting a grant proposal will submit a summary of all expenses associated with their request. All amounts assigned in the budget summary should be clearly explained in the narrative. A summary will present the formulae for compensation calculations and specify types of materials, travel, etc. Alcohol and capital expenses, such as computer hardware and equipment, are not allowable expenses on these grants.

4). Course Release Consent: If a course release has been requested, the written consent of the School Dean and Division Chair is required.

5). Letters of Support: If the grant proposal is responding to the interests of the school or the program of the participant(s), the application should include the relevant letter(s) of support. Any other letter(s) of support that the applicant deems relevant can be included in this section.

6). Short Curriculum Vitae: Not to exceed three pages.

Announcement of Awards: The Faculty Life and Development Committee votes on funding awards and all applicants are notified in writing of final decisions. In some cases, funding may be awarded with some categories of the budget reduced at the Committee’s discretion.

Any questions should be directed to the Chair of the Faculty Life and Development Committee (Michelle Pate mpate3@lesley.edu).

Faculty Development Grant Report: Due November 15 of the fall semester following the grant year.

Guidelines: Submit electronically to the Dean of Faculty a 1-2 page report, answer the following:

• How were your goals met?
• Summarize any financial implications.
• How has the grant served Lesley?
• What are the possible next steps for your professional development?