OER Grant

PROPOSAL DUE DATE

Spring proposals due: February 14, 2025

All proposals will be reviewed by an established review board. Spring proposals will receive notification of acceptance by the end of March 2025. 

CALL FOR OER GRANT APPLICATIONS

In an effort to increase Open Educational Resources (OER) awareness, adoption, and creation, National University is offering a stipend of up to $3000 to all faculty and staff interested in adapting or creating an OER which will be used in a National University course. This grant, available to all faculty and staff, can be used to Adapt an existing OER to match learning outcomes or to Create new learning material to match learning outcomes that will be licensed openly. Please note that the OER must be used within a National University course either as a new, supplemental, or replacement resource.

ADAPT

Adapt one or more existing OER, customized to your instructional needs.

Funded at $1500.

CREATE

Create or author new learning materials customized to your instructional needs that will be licensed openly. Funded at $3000.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Submit OER Grant Application
2. Await acceptance or rejection
3. Email with an OERCS Librarian
4. Correspond with OERCS librarian once monthly
5. Submit completed project to OERCS librarian
6. Your OER will be published to the OER National University Library digital repository and OER Guide and/or other international OER platforms

To apply for an OER Grant, please be prepared to provide the following information in the application: 

• Your department/school affiliation, role (instructor, staff, other) and contact information 
• Names, roles, and a brief description of any collaborators 
• Project title and type (Adapt or Create) 

• Course code, title, and delivery method of course in which you will use OER
• Total course enrollment
• Number of course sections taught each year
• Which semesters you plan to use the OER
• Title, ISBN and cost of course material to be replaced by OER

• Project summary that includes: 

• A) Rationale for applying for the OER Grant, including amount of funding needed and how that funding will be used 
• B) Anticipated timeline of grant project, including milestones towards completion and expected implementation semester 
• C) A description of how the use of open resources will improve your course
• D) A description of how your project will contribute to the open education community 

• A letter of support for your project, signed by your Dean and Department Head 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How will my proposal be evaluated?

All proposals will be evaluated through a blind review process by a nominated NU review board for their potential to reduce student expense, by their feasibility/sustainability, by their appropriateness, relevance and application to National University curriculum, and by how they will contribute to the open education community, particularly in regard to cultural relevance and inclusivity. The scoring rubric that will be used to evaluate each proposal can be found here.

When will stipends be disbursed?

Stipends will be disbursed upon project completion or by July 2025.

What are the requirements for grant recipients?

• Submit OER Grant Proposal
• Participate in a minimum of one check-in email communication once per month as well as a final email communication at the project’s conclusion
• Ensure all content, including text, images, and other media used in the OER is covered by an open-copyright license (Creative Commons), in the public domain, or used with the expressed consent of the copyright holder and includes clear references and attributions
• Ensure that your OER has been proofread or copyedited
• Share your work with an appropriate open license so that others can easily adopt, remix, or reuse
• Provide necessary metadata so that your OER can be shared through external repositories
• Prepare the most appropriate version of your OER to be published into National University Library digital repository and OER Guide
• Assist NU Library in publicizing your work and promoting the use of OER. This could mean participating in webinars, workshops, and professional meetings, or giving a presentation to your department/college

What is the timeline?

Each project will have its own benchmarks that will be determined on a case-by-case basis and which should be outlined in the proposal. However, projects must be completed within six months unless otherwise determined during the project approval process.

What support will I receive?

Grant recipients will receive individualized consulting with the OERCS librarians, who can also discuss strategies for openly distributing and publishing your resource.

Are there any disqualifications for applying to the OER grant? What if I am a past recipient?

Recipients are only eligible to receive one OER grant per fiscal year. There are no disqualifications or restrictions with applying for subsequent fiscal years. However, please note that preference may be given to applicants who have not yet received an OER grant award. Additionally, if you are a member of the OER grant review board you are not eligible to apply for an OER grant during your time serving on the board.

Can I submit more than one application at the same time?

Yes, you may submit more than one application at any given time. However, only one award may be granted to a single applicant within a fiscal year. 

Still have questions?

To ask questions or to schedule a preliminary consultation, contact the OERCS team at oer@nu.edu.