FAQ: Teaching Innovation Grant

How do I access the formal application?

Interested EPIC Fellows will first set up an initial consultation with the EPIC Instructional Designer. After this meeting, the Instructional Designer will provide a password-protected link to access the formal application and submit materials.  Please email Dana Milstein, the EPIC Instructional Designer, at dana@humnet.ucla.edu to set up an initial consultation.

I am a graduate student. Can I apply as a principal investigator?

Graduate students are encouraged to apply as a co-PI or form teams with a UCLA faculty member who maintains full-time status and security of employment. In some cases, a team of graduate students may apply without a faculty lead; these exceptions would be vetted with the EPIC Leadership and Instructional Designer prior to application.

I am a Community College EPIC Fellow. Can I apply as a principal investigator?

Community College EPIC Fellows are encouraged to apply as a co-PI with a UCLA faculty member who maintains full-time status and security of employment.

Can I apply as a team member for more than one Teaching Innovation Grant?

STE fellows are able to apply as members on different teams; however, a fellow may only participate in one awarded innovation grant.

What can funds be used for?

Funds can be used to cover direct and indirect costs that include purchases of software, staff services, equipment (hardware, robotics), assistive devices, materials and production costs, infrastructure services, subscriptions, and collaborative activities with external partners. Graduate students may also be able to use funding as part of a research award, subject to determination by the committee.

My project will cost more than $5000, and we have multiple team members. Is additional funding available?

EPIC Leadership will review the project budgets; in some cases, additional funding may be awarded. The EPIC Instructional Designer will also work with the team to identify other sources of funding beyond the EPIC Program. Funds are not intended to serve as income, so the budget should reflect needs related to direct and indirect costs as listed above.

My project is nearly finished and I need just funds to support the final production and distribution of my materials. Do the grants support this type of work?

While all applications will be considered, the most compelling projects will use funds to support start-up projects that engage community partners in meaningful and sustainable ways that result in innovative undergraduate learning experiences.

How do I identify a community partner for my project?

The EPIC Instructional Designer can work with applicants to identify community partners and additional sources of funding. The community partner should play a vital rather than support role in the project.

What takes place during the initial consultation with the EPIC Instructional Designer?

This is a one hour, informal consultation to discuss your project scope and goals, which may include identifying project outcomes, community partnerships, budgetary concerns, and mediums for sharing the project materials after the funding period.

How will my materials be shared?

EPIC Administrators are working with campus partners to develop a community of practice. Pedagogical materials from the grants may be shared through a learning repository, workshops, and campus events. The EPIC Administrators request the right to contact grant recipients after the project’s end where questions of adaptability arise.

Do I own the materials produced and purchased to support the project?

Grant recipients retain ownership of any equipment, software, or materials purchased to support the project’s development. Additionally, we request permission to contact the grantee for up to two years post-project for updates and support to use the materials, and/or to occasionally make a request for the grantee (or designated collaborative partner) to serve as a casual mentor for future recipients and to present findings at future EPIC events.

How will the success of my project be evaluated?

The EPIC Instructional Designer will support the PIs to develop an evaluation protocol that accommodates the PI’s objectives and needs. Impact could be assessed using a variety of quantitative and qualitative tools including a white paper, self-reflective materials, surveys, observation activities pre- and post- implementation in an undergraduate course, and informal discussion. These assessments are created collaboratively by the PI and Instructional Designer, and will be de-identified if used to determine the impact of EPIC and Teaching Innovation Grants in undergraduate learning.

What are the application deadlines each quarter?