Faculty Development Grants

Per the CBA, course releases are no longer offered as part of the Faculty Development Grant process (effective AY20)

More information, including timeline and application links, can be found on the Faculty Development Community in Blackboard.

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 and Requirements

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 received FLD support 
• Those who have not received FLD support within the past year
• Those who have not received FLD support within 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 (late January) 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 funds while on Sabbatical, a carefully documented case of the need for 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 or unit releases that come from a pool of funds and releases determined within the CBA.

Financial Support: Each faculty member may request financial support in the form of a Small (up to $1999) or Large ($2000 - $5000) Faculty Development Grant.  These dollar amounts DO NOT include any course release request associated with the application.

Proposal Format and Content

Proposals will be submitted via Dynamic Forms through the online portal lesley.edu/faculty-staff/provost/dynamic-forms-for-faculty. Applicants must provide:

1). Proposal Narrative: A clear description of the project’s purpose, plan, method, significance and, if appropriate, its relevance to prior work. Explicit 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 this 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, approval from the applicant's supervisor and Dean are 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 or Dean of Faculty.

Reimbursement/Accessing Funds

Expenses including travel are reimbursed using Lesley's Expense Voucher form and submitted with original receipts to Susan Foley c/o eLIS Department, via interoffice mail (or email if original receipts were issued electronically).  Do not make direct payments to an individual for services. Lesley will not reimburse you for payments made directly to individuals.  If direct payment is required, immediately contact Susan Foley (sfoley2@lesley.edu) for assistance in generating the payment.

Purchases for items or services must be submitted for reimbursement within 60 days; travel reimbursement must be requested within 60 days of your return date, and will not be processed by Finance until after your travel is complete.  Please refer to Lesley's procurement and travel policies to ensure your expenditures will be in compliance and reimbursable: lesley.edu/students/policies/procurement-finance-policies

Faculty Development Grant Report

A 1- 2 page report is to be submitted electronically to the Dean of Faculty by February 1 (for projects undertaken in Fall), or June 1 (for projects undertaken in Spring), and should answer the following questions:

• How were your goals met (or a reflection of why they were not met)?
• What financial implications emerged?
• How has the grant served Lesley?
• What are the possible next steps for your professional development?