The creativity and innovation of faculty and staff is critical to the success of our students. Experiential learning is one way faculty and staff can help students build a toolbox full of interpersonal skills, professional skills, and discipline-specific skills to help them excel in their future careers.
Both faculty and staff are eligible to apply for grants to support experiential learning. These grants are designed to encourage the connection of classroom learning (knowledge, skills & abilities) to real-world applications and strengthen career readiness.
There are two types of grants available: EL curriculum grants and mini-grants. In cases where there are more applications than funds, preference will be given to curriculum grant proposals.
Unless the proposals span multiple semesters (e.g., revising a series of classes) funds awarded in this grant cycle are intended for use during Spring 2027 and early Summer 2027. Funds should be spent by June 30, 2027.
In general grant funds should not be used for student wages, gas cards, gift cards, or any activity during a study abroad trip that is included in the cost of the trip. Some exceptions may be possible (e.g., a research project that uses gift cards)
Funds must be deposited into a 51- account. They cannot be deposited into a 52- account. If you do not have a 51- account available to you, it is possible you may need to decline a grant.
We are specifically looking for proposals to embed experiential learning throughout the undergraduate academic program/curriculum (vs. an activity based on enrollment in a single class). Examples of EL activities could include, but are not limited to, lab and/or skill-based instructional activities, community-based projects, research, creative activity, service-learning, internships, and study abroad.
Grants of up to $2,000 will be awarded through this initiative. We expect to offer these grants semi-annually as funds allow. Funds should be directly tied to design, implementation, and assessment of EL integration in the curriculum. The proposed changes must be a sustainable part of the program's annual assessment review and reporting. All full-time faculty are eligible to apply, individually or in teams. A faculty member can also apply on behalf of a department.
We expect most applications to be 2-3 pages in length, but there are no absolute requirements. Applicants should submit a proposal as a single pdf that includes:
Grant applications will be due Monday, Oct 26, 2026 at 11:59pm.
Faculty and staff can apply for up to $250 to facilitate EL activities with students. These can be awarded for any EL activity that directly benefits undergraduate students, but we expect they would most likely be used in stand-alone events or activities. This may include (but is not limited to):
Grant applications will be due Monday, Oct 26, 2026 at 11:59pm.
If you are interested in offering courses as part of the experiential learning program you can find all the necessary documents and information below. This includes approval process, approval request form, grant information, and the mini grant form.
If you have any questions, contact Dr. Dawn Simon at simondm@unk.edu.
