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Open Education Research Grants

UNE faculty interested in researching the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) on teaching, learning, and institutional policy are encouraged to submit a proposal to the UNE OER Steering Committee. Research Grants made available by the Davis Educational Foundation, provide faculty with funding to explore the effectiveness, challenges, and broader implications of OER adoption at UNE.  At least one research grant up to $5000 will be awarded to support a project starting Fall 2025.

The purpose of these funds is to:  

  • Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accessibility to enhance student learning outcomes and reduce barriers to education by exploring open pedagogy and open education.
  • Facilitate faculty scholarship related to OER by supporting research on the effectiveness and impact of open resources in teaching and learning, raising the visibility of UNE faculty contributions to the broader academic and professional community.  
  • Inform institutional open education strategy by generating data-driven recommendations.
  • Collect data to inform further external funding and the societal impact of OER initiatives. 

Application Process

All UNE faculty interested in studying the effectiveness of OER are eligible to apply. Funding will be determined based on the status of the designated primary author for multi-authored proposals.

Timeline

  • Call for proposals: March 20 -April 30, 2025.
  • Award decisions announced May 15.
  • Final Report Due Fall 2026
  • Payment upon submission of final report.

Application Format

Applicants must write a formal application using the following format, not to exceed 3 pages:

Background & Rationale
Summarize the scholarly or scientific foundation of the project, citing no more than 10 key references. Explain how prior research has shaped the project’s direction and its relevance to the field.
Goals & Significance
Clearly define the project’s primary objective, emphasizing its significance and innovative contributions. Describe its potential impact within the discipline.
Research Questions & Hypothesis
State the specific aims, research questions, or hypothesis the project will address.
Methodology & Approach
Detail the critical approach, framework, or methodology guiding the project.
Potential Challenges & Contingency Plans
Identify possible risks or obstacles and outline strategies for addressing them. Describe potential setbacks and the steps to mitigate their impact.
Timeline & Adjustments
Provide a detailed time frame for the project, including how delays will be managed.
Student Involvement
Describe the role of UNE students in the project, including potential scholarly outcomes such as theses, SURE Fellowships, conference presentations, or publications.
Collaboration & Future Work
If multiple authors or teams are involved, explain how leadership and responsibilities will be shared. Outline plans for continued collaboration, including future funding applications, publications, or presentations.
Evaluation & Success Metrics
Define how project success will be measured using discipline-specific benchmarks, such as:
  1. Submission or acceptance of publication
  2. External funding applications
  3. Presentation at professional conference presentations
  4. other relevant scholarly outputs
Budget & Justification
Provide a breakdown of anticipated costs, not exceeding $5,000, ensuring alignment with funding guidelines.
Provide a narrative explaining each major budget component, detailing calculations and how funds will be allocated.

Funding Guidelines

Grant funds may be used for:

Supplies & Software
Necessary research materials or software.
Personnel Costs
Wages for student assistants and UNE faculty.
Miscellaneous Expenses
Human subject enrollment, consulting services such as data analysis, and essential fees. 
Research Travel
Field site visits, special collections, or other necessary travel.
Publishing Fees
Open access publication costs.
Dissemination Travel
Conference presentations or other professional development.

How to Apply

Email all the above documentation to Sonya Durney as a one-page PDF by April 30. Copy your supervisor to indicate their support for your proposal.

 Proposal Review:

The UNE OER Steering Committee will use the evaluation criteria in this rubric to rate applications.

Final Report and Presentation

Grantees must submit a final written report to Sonya Durney by December 10, 2026. Report overviews and total budget amounts will be shared with the UNE community.

The final report must include: 

Overview
Briefly describe the project. 
Goals
Explain the project’s outcomes and how objectives were met. 
Dissemination
Describe how results will be shared. If publishing, aspire to publish open access. Dissemination must also include a faculty presentation such as a seminar, and/or deposit in DUNE (DigitalUNE).
Future Research
Outline plans to sustain the project, including potential funding sources. 
Acknowledgment
All presentations and publications must include “This work was supported by a grant from the Davis Educational Foundation.” 

Research Examples

The following studies can provide insight on the impact of OER at other institutions, and seeing what other schools have done can be helpful in developing your own assessment program.

| Posted By sdurney