(HOT) Teaching Mini-Grants

The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor announces the availability of mini-grants to support Hybrid, Online and Technology-enhanced (HOT) teaching.

The HOT mini-grants are intended to provide support for teaching innovations and course updates in online, hybrid and technology-enhanced (face-to-face) undergraduate courses. Proposals may include requests to incorporate new educational technologies, blend digital and in-person learning experiences. Proposals are reviewed by the Office of Teaching and Learning and the Educational Technology Advisory Committee (ETAC).

Who May Apply

All ranks of instructors or teams of instructor(s) and graduate student(s), may apply. You may only apply once during the academic year.

What Support is Available

Funding is available for requests up to $5000.

  • up to $1,000 for incremental revisions
  • up to $2,000 for small-scale projects
  • up to $5,000 for medium-scale projects or pilot projects intended as a basis for larger-scale innovations

HOT grants are not intended to provide long-term support. Instead, they support initiatives, pilot projects, or course enhancements. Proposals must focus on a specific course or set of courses. Funding priority will be given to proposals affecting larger numbers of students.

Some examples of items on which the funding can be spent include:

  • Graduate student support for course material development/revision, for example:
    • Piloting of new educational technologies to increase equity in a course or major
    • Creating videos to promote learner engagement
    • Updating lab manuals to leverage online resources
    • Generating digital case studies, role play activities or innovative digital assignments that are a core part of the course
  • Headsets, recording devices or other equipment required for the production/delivery of a course module
  • Equipment for students to use as part of a course assignment (e.g. energy meters)
  • Requests may include professional development funding that is integrally aligned with the funding request, e.g., registration for a conference or the purchase of books (unavailable from the UC Library System) that will directly contribute to the project.

Funding cannot be spent on the following items:

  • Instructor compensation for course redesign or course updates (e.g. updating online materials or quizzes, adapting assignments for AI)
  • Refreshments
  • Permanent Equipment (e.g. laptops or printers)
  • Ongoing software licenses
  • Software licenses for technologies that are not yet approved by (see approved tools here)
  • Conference travel
  • Administrative support

How To Apply

Fill out the online application form.
Form submissions will close when funds available for this program have been exhausted for the fiscal year.

Applications will be reviewed by the Office of Teaching and Learning and ETAC. Funds will be distributed by the Executive Vice Chancellor’s office. Funds must be expended within the fiscal year in which they are requested.

In evaluating proposals, the review committee will consider the following:

  • Pedagogical benefit: How and why is what is being proposed useful, necessary, or important for learners?
  • For educational technology requests: Are there alternatives on campus?
  • Impact: How many students per year will be affected?
  • Scope: What aspects of the course are expected to change?
  • Alignment: How aligned are the innovations with the call for proposals?
  • Evaluation: How will the instructor evaluate the success of the innovation?

Grant Requirements

  • Funds must be used within one year of disbursement. All unspent funds must be returned.
  • Grant recipients must submit the following report:
    • A 250-500 word description of the project which can be posted to the Office of Teaching and Learning website to promote the program and to be shared with future grant applicants.
    • A brief evaluation of the project that addresses what went well, what you would change for next year, and ideas you have for continued improvement.
    • A post-project report on expenditures.
  • If the applicant has previously received a HOT Teaching Mini-Grant, their final report on that project must be on file with the Office of Teaching and Learning prior to submitting a new proposal.
  • Consistent with current practice of many funding agencies, proposals which are funded (including supporting materials) become public documents.