Overview

The OFD offers a number of funding opportunities to support the professional development of faculty members at UMass Amherst, including team-based and individual Mutual Mentoring Grants funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, as well as Summer Writing Fellowships. Please see below for more information and application instructions for each of these opportunities.

Flex Grants for Teaching/Faculty Development

Flex Grants are individual teaching/faculty development grants that are intended to support professional development related to teaching for all MSP bargaining unit faculty and librarians. They are funded by the campus through the MSP contract.   

Expenses that can be covered by these grants may include: travel to enhance teaching or area knowledge; membership in professional associations; classes or workshops to enhance teaching or area knowledge; books; software; equipment; catering a meeting or seminar; inviting a speaker to campus; hiring a graduate or undergraduate student; and other resources that enhance professional development related to teaching.

In order to respond to the emergent needs of faculty, one proposal per faculty/librarian will be accepted on a rolling basis until the fund is exhausted, but no later than June 1, 2010 (Note: materials and equipment purchases MUST be complete by March 31, 2010. Please see application for details). Funding decisions will be made within two weeks of application receipt.

Please see the application for specific expenditure and eligibility stipulations. Refer all questions to the OFD/CFT.

The Mellon Mutual Mentoring Team Grant Program

Mellon Mutual Mentoring Team Grants are group mentoring grants designed to support faculty-driven, context-sensitive mentoring projects for early-career or under-represented faculty based at the departmental, school/college, interdisciplinary, or inter-institutional levels. For the duration of the Mellon funding, the OFD awards up to ten Team Grants of up to $10,000 each per academic year.

The Mellon Mutual Mentoring Micro-Grant Program

Micro-Grants are individual mentoring grants that are intended to encourage pre-tenure faculty to identify desirable areas for professional growth and opportunity, and to develop the necessary mentoring relationships to make such change(s) possible. For the duration of the Mellon funding, the OFD awards up to fifteen Micro-Grants of up to $1,200 each per academic year.

Please see the Mentoring Grant Guidelines for more details.

Summer Online Writing Fellowships

The OFD's Summer Online Writing Fellowship Program is a special Internet-based writing group designed for UMass Amherst and Five College faculty and facilitated by a professional writing coach at Academic Ladder. For more information and application instructions, please see here. For information on Academic Ladder, please see here.