Curriculum Support Awards

Curriculum Support awards are awarded in a competitive basis. The maximum award amount is $3,000, which is typically reserved the development of a new course or a major course revision.

For the 2025 spring application round, UWM faculty can submit proposals for two separate Curriculum Support Award Categories:

1) Course Enhancement, Redesign, and Development

2) Foreign Language and Global Education Research and Assessment

Eligibility and Amount

Curriculum Support grants are awarded competitively, with the online application announced early in the Fall and Spring semesters. UWM faculty and instructional staff at all levels from all disciplines are encouraged to apply, but preference will be given to junior faculty and instructional staff in the critical languages. Faculty may submit only one application per year.

Curriculum support grants are awarded on a competitive basis. The amount per award typically varies between $500 – $3,000. The financial award is intended to be used to purchase materials, supplies, or research/conference travel directly tied to the proposed course innovation.

In some cases, the financial award can be paid out as a salary to academic staff. Salary requests are reserved only for the development of a new course or the creation of a new online course offering for an existing foreign language class.

For all salary requests, the applicant should detail the anticipated work and hours they will dedicate to the proposed innovation.

Please note: salary payments may be substantially less than the stated amounts due to required withholding for taxes and benefits.

Special Consideration for International Travel

Please note that all international travel using Center for Global Studies funding requires pre-approval from our U.S. Department of Education program officer. All travel approvals must be submitted at least 30 days in advance of travel.

Curriculum Support Award Descriptions

1) Course Enhancement, Redesign, and Development Awards

For the 2025 spring application round, priority will be given to junior scholars, proposing lower-division courses that provide a broad introduction to a global theme or field of study that can be housed in or cross-listed with the Department of Global Studies or a foreign language department of program.

Award Definitions:

“Development” is defined as the creation of a course that is a new addition to the Institution’s course catalog. Preference will be given to proposals that prioritize the following:

• Experiential or service-learning opportunities in critical languages that enhance students’ engagement with disciplines outside of the languages. 
• An emphasis on global civic action and career development in foreign/service careers.
• Courses that have broad appeal and prioritize concrete strategies and plans to address inclusion diversity, and accessibility in a course.

“Redesign” is defined as a change in the delivery mode and/or the addition of substantial new material, activities, and/or assignments that infuse foreign language or international content throughout the course described in the proposal. A redesign must be substantially greater than the creation of a new module. 

“Enhancement” is defined as the addition of a new course module, which incorporates new material, activities, and/or assignments that broaden critical language and/or global content of the course described in the proposal. Modules should include approximately two weeks of instructional material that can be either a discreet unit or infused throughout the course.

2) Foreign Language and Global Education Research and Assessment Award

For the Fall 2024 call, the program will also support research, surveys, studies and the implementation of performance tools to assess, improve, and strengthen instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, and other international fields. Types of projects funded under this program include: 

• Studies and surveys to determine needs for increased or improved instruction in modern foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields, including the demand for foreign language, area, and other international specialists in government, education, and the private sector. 
• Research on more effective methods of providing instruction and achieving competency in foreign languages, area studies, or other international fields. 
• The purchase and implementation of new performance tests or assessment tools for use in foreign language fields. 

Application Deadline

Sunday, January 19, 2025

How to Apply

The is provided using Google Forms to allow for the convenience of electronic submissions. Please complete all required sections. You can pause and return to the form at any time – your progress is automatically saved.

Applicants are responsible for working with their supervisor, department chair, and/or dean to ensure proposed activities have the necessary campus support and approvals for the activity/course to occur.

The CIE-NRC Advisory Board is responsible for reviewing the proposals and selecting awardees based on contribution to language learning and campus globalization at UWM, alignment with NRC grant goals and interests, and feasibility of implementation. Selection criteria specific to each award are included in the application.

Curriculum Support Awards

Application Content

1. The proposal details the need for the proposed project and the expected learning outcomes. 
2. The proposal provides a detailed project outline that ensures proper and efficient administration of the funded project.  
3. The proposal indicates how this teaching, testing, or research will advance language instruction and/or broaden international offerings and/or global perspectives. 
4. The proposal shows that the project has an adequate budget and is cost-effective, i.e., costs are reasonable to the project’s objectives. 

 Allowable Expenses

• Supplies and expenses (i.e. instructional material purchases, research and associated travel costs) 
• Honoraria for guest lecturers 
• Student hourly research assistance
• Conference and/or research travel directly tied to the proposed innovation
• Salary* Note: Typically reserved only for academic staff for whom service is not included in their job description, and is intended only for course development awards or the development of a new online course offering for an existing foreign language class. Exceptions can be made for faculty if they can demonstrate that the work will above and beyond the service requirement in their job description. All budget proposals requesting salary should detail the anticipated work and hours they will dedicate to the proposed innovation. Taxes will also be deducted from your salary, reducing the award amount received.

Funding Period

Funds awarded must be expended before August 1, 2024. Carryover of funds not expended by the date specified in the award letter is subject to the approval of CIE’s U.S. Department of Education (U.S./ED) program officer.

All expenditures must be approved by the NRC grant manager before purchase. Purchases made without prior approval will NOT be reimbursed.

Post-Activity Survey

If awarded, you will be required to complete a post-activity survey in Qualtrics. The survey will be included in your award letter and must be submitted no later than October 1, 2025. Failure to complete the survey by October 1, 2025, may affect consideration for future NRC funding.