Which Grant is Right for You?

As an instructor, the decision to use a new textbook or new edition usually results in time spent updating the course schedule, assignments, and lectures to follow the new text. This remains true when selecting an OER textbook and can lead to more time spent if you also plan on modifying the textbook. Here at WSU, we have tried to create grant opportunities for projects large and small and for all levels of OER experience.

Research Grant

The Research Grant is designed as a small, bite-sized introduction into the world of OER. This grant may be a good fit for you if you have never used OER at all, or if you have used OER but would like to investigate OER for a different course. It offers training on locating and evaluating OER without a commitment in using discovered resources. Of course, if you find something that you really like you may certainly begin using it or keep it in mind for a future grant opportunity!

More details can be found in 5.4 Research Grants.

Adopt Grant

The Adopt Grant is for those that will be adopting an OER as-is or with very little modification. This may be a good fit for you if you have already found an OER you are interested in using. It can also be a good place to start if the resource may not be a perfect fit, but you haven’t yet identified how it would need to be updated or expanded. Teaching with the resource first can provide insight on what aspects need improvement in the future and not be as overwhelming as a large-scale Adapt or Create project.

More details can be found in 5.1 Adopt Grants.

Adapt Grant

The Adapt Grant is the middle ground between the Adopt and Create Grants, and project scope can vary greatly. A smaller project could involve rearranging chapters in a single OER to better fit the course schedule or adding small sections to improve topic coverage. A larger project might involve merging or modifying two or more OERs, either to combine topics from more in-depth resources or to pick and choose the best quality sections from among multiple sources. Some new content may need to be authored to fill in gaps and improve the flow between merged sections, but it is not as involved as a Create project.

Adapt and Create Grants share a lot of similarities in their requirements and processes. More details for both can be found in 5.2 Adapt and Create Grants.

Create Grant

The Create Grant is often the most involved and time consuming. It can be used for individual projects or larger department-level projects involving multiple faculty and impacting multiple course sections. Create projects can range from department-wide adoption with stipends for multiple instructors, or the creation of a new resource largely from scratch. While we always encourage searching for existing resources first, we realize that not every topic will have OERs available and it may be that you wish to author your own OER rather than adapting existing ones.

Adapt and Create Grants share a lot of similarities in their requirements and processes. More details for both can be found in 5.2 Adapt and Create Grants.

Maintenance Grant

The Maintenance Grant is used to update and maintain an OER you have already been teaching with. Whether you are the author or you have adopted a resource, information is always changing and we acknowledge the need to keep teaching materials current and effective. This can involve adding new sections, improving old ones, or updating the accompanying images, examples, or assignments.

More details can be found in 5.3 Maintenance Grants.

Applying for an OER Grant

The OER Grant program is available to WSU faculty, adjuncts, and staff. It is possible to include external participants, such as an editor or partner faculty author, as long as the project lead is directly affiliated with WSU.

Applications open from October to November each year. Projects will be selected and notified in December and will have the following calendar year (January to December) to complete their project.

The different grant applications can be found on the Library OER Grant site as well as specific application deadlines, summaries of past grant projects, and an overview of the information needed to prepare for completing the application.

If you have questions about the grants, contact us at oer@weber.edu. A meeting with one of our staff can always be scheduled to answer questions or offer guidance on selecting the appropriate grant or in planning your project.

Specific requirements for each grant are included in their relevant sections found in 5.0 Types of Grants.