Applying for OER GRants

the OER Grant Program supports the adaptation or creation of open educational resources (OER) in order to benefit students and disciplines that lack suitable OER for KPU courses.

The OER Grant is one of the grants available through the Open Education Grant Program, which provide support for faculty who want to engage in open educational practices, primarily focused on supporting the adoption, adaptation, or creation of open educational resources and engaging in open pedagogy.

Open education projects can take a lot of time and effort and these grants are a way of acknowledging the work that goes into OERs and providing incentives, compensation, and support for the process.

Support for OER publishing is provided by the Open Publishing Suite (OPUS).

Learn more about OPUS

Other grants are available for adopting OERs and for the UN SDG Open Pedagogy Fellowship.

Grant Streams

The OER Grant is split into two streams to give some flexibility for faculty on how they approach their project.

Stream A

Covers most projects that adapt or create an OER. You can apply for the amount of whatever the needs of your project are, but the maximum is $4,000.

Of the max $4,000 that you could receive, you can request to spend up to $2,000 of it for PD, with the rest as project funding.

We typically offer 3-4 per grant cycle.

Stream B

For bigger projects that require significant work and dedicated time to complete.

For this we offer a single course section release plus up to $2,000 in project funds only.

We typically offer 1-2 per grant cycle.

Application Cycles

There are two OER Grant Application Cycles: Spring and Fall. The Fall cycle is dependent on funding.

2025 cycle dates TBD.

Using Grant Funds

When applying for an OER Grant you will be submitting your proposed budget for the project. Any changes to this budget must be approved by OPUS and put in writing.

Stream A Funding

OER Grant Stream A applicants can budget for up to $4,000, up to $2,000 of which may be used for professional development. Funds are available until the end of the fiscal year and may be used for the following.

Project Funds

  • Hiring OER Grant Project Student Assistants
  • Costs associated with copyediting and proofreading
    • OPUS has an existing contract with a copyeditor. Using an alternative service will need to go through the procurement process
  • Honoraria for external collaborators or contributors
    • We cannot provide honoraria to KPU faculty, staff, or students
  • Artwork and graphic design
    • Cover images use a template that is branded by KPU Marketing
  • Supporting project-related events
    • e.g. Workshop facilitator honoraria, catering
  • Conference registration
    • For presentations you are giving about your project

Professional Development Funds

  • Conference fees
    • Covers travel, accommodation, and registration for conferences related to professional development
    • Contact the Open Education Strategist before you book anything.
  • Materials
    • e.g. Books
    • One-time purchases only, no subscription fees
  • Workshops or courses
  • Membership fees

Stream B Funding

The time release amount will be coordinated between the T&L Commons and the Dean of your Faculty. We cannot award a time release for an instructor’s non-teaching semester.

Up to $2,000 in project funds are available until the end of the fiscal year and may be used for the following purposes:

  • Costs associated with copyediting and proofreading
    • OPUS has an existing contract with a copyeditor. Using an alternative service will need to go through the procurement process
  • Honoraria for external collaborators or contributors
    • We cannot provide honoraria to KPU faculty, staff, or students
  • Artwork and graphic design
    • Cover images use a template that is branded by KPU Marketing
  • Supporting project-related events
    • e.g. Workshop facilitator honoraria, catering
  • Conference registration fees
    • Covering presentations you are giving about your project

Eligibility

Regular instructors and support staff with instructional responsibilities (e.g., lab instructors, etc.) are eligible to apply for an OER Grant as Project Leads for individual or project groups. Non-regular instructors, students, and external partners may be a part of a project group.

Expectations of Grant Recipients

When applying for an OER Grant, you must agree to:

  • Publication of the project deliverable
    • With an open (Creative Commons) license
      • All text, images, and other media used in the OER include clear references and attributions and be covered by an open license, be in the public domain, or have the expressed consent of the copyright holder
    • In an open, editable format
    • Stored in an open repository
    • Acknowledging support received from the Open Grant Program
      • Including OPUS and T&L Commons support if applicable
  • OERs created using Pressbooks must
  • Participation in OER workshops or seminars during the project 
  • Sharing of experiences with the KPU teaching and learning community 
  • Completion of a summary survey at the end of the project
Prepare

your application in advance
[DOCx]

Access

the application form
[CLOSED]

Request

a consultation on your application before submitting

Grant Adjudication

The OER Grant Adjudication Committee is responsible for reviewing OER Grant applications, recommending funding amounts for reviewed applications, and making recommendations to the KPU Open to improve the grant program.

Committee Composition

  • Teaching & Learning Commons
    • Open Education Strategist (Chair, does not adjudicate)
  • KPU Library
    • Scholarly Communications Librarian
  • Faculty representatives
    • 2-3 from different program areas

The adjudication committee uses a rubric to evaluate applications based on identified priorities and experience with OER publishing projects.

View the Adjudication Rubric [DOCX]

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