Instructional Development Fund

OVERVIEW

The Instructional Development Fund (IDF) is intended to support student-facing projects, instruction, and resources while encouraging faculty members to respond to specific academic needs through activities such as refining or updating teaching skills, cultivating expertise, developing innovative instructional materials and resources, and enhancing the diversity, equity, and inclusion of pedagogy and curriculum.

A broad range of proposals are considered. Proposals will be evaluated on their concrete benefits to pedagogy and/or curriculum, feasibility, innovative nature, alignment with college initiatives such as the strategic plan, and need for resources beyond those typically covered by the school or department (e.g., resources to support instructional development not instruction). Proposals are reviewed twice a year, in November (for projects January-May) and in April (for projects June-December). Individual projects may be funded to a maximum of $1500. More significant projects proposed by multiple authors within Ithaca College may be funded to a maximum of $3000. Funds must be spent by May 31 of the fiscal year for which they are awarded. 

ELIGIBILITY

IDF grants are available to all continuing full-time faculty, with priority given to faculty who have not received the grant in the past three academic years. 

Proposal Process

Proposals should include the following on the provided form linked above:

  • Central Issue/Concept: State the central issue/concept, its history, significance, relationship to other problems or issues and, if applicable, previous attempts at solution.
  • Define the Scope: Specify the limits of the proposed project, what will and will not be done.
  • Implementation: Provide a project timeline that includes the anticipated start and completion dates, as well as any necessary intermediate milestones or date markers.
  • List the Costs: Outline specific costs for the proposed project, not exceeding the grant award funding amounts outlined in the IDF overview.
  • Expected Outcomes: Describe how the project will enhance a particular course or curriculum and outline the methods and criteria that will be used to evaluate the project’s outcomes. 
  • Alignment: Explain how the project aligns with the strategic plan of the college, the goals of the IDF, and its relevance to student learning outcomes within a course or program, as well as any applicable accreditation standards.
  • Project Support: Included on the proposal form. 

Review Committee

The Center for Faculty Excellence director will annually appoint a committee of faculty selected primarily from the pool of past recipients of IDF awards to review proposals submitted to the IDF committee and make recommendations to the Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. The committee will be chaired by the CFE director or designee and will meet on the call of the CFE director. Final decisions on awards will be made and sent by the Office of the Provost. 

Reporting and Inspection

Upon completion of the project, please submit a final report on the project outlining the use of grant funds and benefits of the project to the Center for Faculty Excellence (cfe@ithaca.edu). The report will be shared with the Review Committee, Office of the Provost, and on the Center for Faculty Excellence web site for other members of the College community who may be interested. Recipients will be asked to share information on their project at campus gatherings celebrating faculty creativity, innovation, and inquiry as an example of leadership in instructional development. 

Funded proposals are open to inspection by the campus community. Submission of a proposal implies permission to share the proposal or reproduce it for on-campus discussion if it is funded.

Submit a proposal
Submit materials through the link below. Materials due October 1st & February 15th. *Extended to November 1, 2023.
Instructional Development Fund Proposal Form

Past Successful IDF Submissions

file-outline Ablard, Jonathan - Fall 2021 - ablard-jonathan_idf-proposal-revised_fall-2021_0.pdf (181.29 KB)
file-outline Bartoszynska, Kasia - Fall 2021 - bartoszynska-kasia_idf-proposal_fall-2021.pdf (11.49 KB)
file-outline Greenberger, Hilary - Fall 2021 - greenberger-hilary_idf-proposal_fall-2021.pdf (9.82 KB)
file-outline Scott, Shannon - Fall 2021 - scott-shannon_idf-proposal_fall-2021.pdf (13.46 KB)