Instructors are invited to apply for a $300 stipend to review open textbooks in an OER repository, such as the Open Textbook Library (OTL). Other substantial open educational resource materials such as course modules will be considered. The goal is to dispel misconceptions about the quality of open textbooks and encourage their adoption. Ten $300 stipends will be available.

Submit an application to apply. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Mini-grant stipends will be disbursed upon publication of review.

These mini-grants aim to encourage instructors to adopt, modify, and/or create Open Educational Resources (OER) for their courses. Totaling $10,500 per year, the goal is to promote textbook affordability, improve access to educational materials, and foster a culture of open sharing and collaboration within the academic community.

Grants are available for:

Adoption

$500 to $1000 awards for those who adopt existing OER in your course(s).

Modification

$600 to $1,200 awards to revise or remix existing OER for your course through adding new content of modification or existing OER.

Creation

$500 to $2,000 awards to create OER materials ranging from ancillaries, to materials to complement existing OER, to creating new OER.

The review committee considers several factors when determining the amount awarded, such as the modification team’s composition, the extent of the modification, project costs, the number of students affected, perceived gaps in existing materials, and other criteria specified in the grant application.

Note: The mini-grant amounts and categories are subject to review and adjustment based on the availability of funds and program effectiveness, and input from review committee. 

to Apply:

• Review the evaluation criteria in the Grant Rubric. 
• Complete and submit the application form. 

The UNE OER Steering Committee will review proposals on a rolling basis.  You may apply multiple times through the three-year grant cycle to build upon prior work.

A call for proposals will be issued for academic year 2025/26 to instructors interested in conducting research to evaluate the effectiveness of OER. This research will inform recommendations to the UNE Provost for the future direction of OER initiatives at the institution. This grant is budgeted for $5,000. Stay tuned for more details in Spring of 2025.