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Winter 2024 Call for Proposals —LEAF and LEAF+ Grants

From: Susan McCahan, Vice-Provost, Academic Programs, and Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education
Date: January 18, 2024
Re: Winter 2024 Call for Proposals — LEAF and LEAF+ Grants

The Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education (OVPIUE) is pleased to announce they are accepting applications to the LEAF Seed and LEAF+ programs

Learning & Education Advancement Fund (LEAF)

The focus of the LEAF program is to enrich the learning experience of undergraduate students in first-entry Divisions by supporting projects that anticipate, leverage and create positive change in both the mode and substance of undergraduate education. The program provides individual faculty and academic programs, units and divisions with a means to develop and enhance the application of impactful teaching practices within the range of learning environments at the University.

The LEAF application process includes two stages; the submission of an Expression of Interest (EoI) prior to the submission of a full application. This EoI model is intended to increase faculty engagement with the program prior to final submission and provide interested faculty with additional support as they consider potential projects.

For the winter cycle, LEAF is accepting EoIs for Seed grants ($5,000 – $10,000/year, maximum of 3 years). 

Timelines for LEAF:

LEAF+: Equitable & Inclusive Teaching

The Learning & Education Advancement Fund Plus (LEAF+) is a special funding opportunity to support innovative teaching and learning projects that align with a University of Toronto priority. LEAF+ projects are generally short term (one year or less), exploratory in nature and involve knowledge sharing across the cohort of project leads and the broader U of T teaching and learning community.

In conjunction with the current call for Expressions of Interest for LEAF, the OVPIUE welcomes proposals for projects addressing the theme of equitable and inclusive teaching. These seed grant proposals should advance equitable and inclusive teaching and learning in curricular contexts at U of T.

These Seed projects could address a range of approaches to advancing equity and inclusion in courses or programs, including:

  • Attending to Indigenous ways of knowing and being and anti-colonial approaches to course or program content.
  • Intentionally diversifying course or program content.
  • Engaging the expertise of people from structurally excluded groups.
  • Addressing systemic barriers for students.
  • Re-developing course assignments and processes to improve access and accessibility.
  • Creating opportunities for student learning related to equity and inclusion competencies.
  • Responding to discipline-specific challenges/opportunities.
  • Other related topics that advance equitable and inclusive teaching and learning.

Funding will be offered at the LEAF Seed level ($5,000 to $10,000) for one year with the possibility of extension, and projects are to be completed by the end of the Spring 2025 term.

Funding recipients in this category will form a cross-disciplinary network, meeting periodically to share insights on project learnings and outcomes. This exploration will serve as a conduit for shared learning and community building as instructors’ pilot new strategies and methods in their courses. The funding recipients will be invited to participate in dissemination activities, including a community showcase event and publication of reports on a LEAF+ project website.

Timelines for LEAF+ Equitable & Inclusive Teaching:

  • Expressions of Interest are due February 27, 2024, through the OVPIUE LEAF+ website.
  • Funding results will be shared in April 2024.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Proposals will be accepted from either individuals or project teams.
  • Proposals will be accepted from U of T faculty, staff and librarians with continuing appointments in all academic divisions.

Reminder on Research:

  • LEAF and LEAF+ are first and foremost grants for curricular innovation; they are not research grants. While a research component to a project may be appropriate, the funds are for creating something innovative that enhances students curricular learning experiences and teaching capabilities of the University.