The Center for Teaching Innovation invites the Cornell teaching community to propose projects that explore innovative teaching approaches, new tools, and emerging technologies to facilitate vibrant, challenging, and reflective learning experiences at Cornell.

The CTI has funded a wide range of faculty projects through the Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants. View our Gallery by clicking on the link below.

Innovation Gallery

Project Objectives

Proposals will be selected based on the ability to meet one or more of the following:

• Explore novel ways for students to engage in the process of discovery, creation, or to address complex problems.
• Develop and implement innovative pedagogical strategies that create opportunities for students to apply and practice what they are learning.
• Test out the feasibility of a teaching method or activity to support a proof of concept for further expansion and long-term impact.
• Employ learning practices that invite students to examine diverse perspectives or integrate knowledge across disciplines.
• Build upon research on effective learning and teaching principles.

These grants do not cover community engagement initiatives. For these initiatives, please refer to the Einhorn Center community engagement grants & awards.

Application Details

Eligibility & Requirements

All faculty and full-time instructors who are actively teaching at Cornell (tenure-track, tenured, and non-tenure-track) are invited to submit proposals. Both individual or collaborative proposals are welcome. Innovations could target either undergraduate or graduate-level learning. Project requirements include:

• The project should be implemented in a course(s) or department within the academic year of the grant.
• The principal faculty member(s) will be expected to participate throughout the project and regularly meet with an instructional designer/project manager from CTI, although development and teaching may also involve students, postdoctoral fellows, and others.
• The principal faculty member(s) and other members of the team will work with CTI to share their experiences with the innovative strategy in the form of a video or case study on our website.
• The principal faculty member(s) will be invited to participate in a CTI event at the conclusion of the academic year to share their reflections on the project and its impacts on student learning.
• A letter of support from the department head (or unit) must accompany the final proposal.

Funding & Support

Grants will range from $5,000-$20,000. Funding levels will vary depending on the project type and the resources required for implementation. A CTI project manager/instructional designer will be available to work with faculty members on their project.

Award Schedule

• Deadline for pre-application: April 28, 2025
• Faculty/CTI consultation meetings: April – May 2025
• Submit a full application online: May 23, 2025
• Award notifications: By June 28, 2025
• Funding available, letters of acceptance drafted: July 2025

Application Process

Step 1: Pre-Application

Interested faculty must submit a pre-application Form, to initiate the application process and to inform the development of a full proposal. 

The pre-application form should include the following information:

• Instructor(s) name, department(s), and college(s)
• Course(s) or department(s) in which the innovation will be implemented
• Project title
• An overview of the innovation project idea
• Learning outcomes you hope to achieve and description of how the project will be assessed

Step 2: Consultation with Center Staff 

Faculty will be invited to submit a full application. To assist in this process, a series of online consultation sessions will be available for instructors who would like to collaboratively think through their project ideas with CTI staff. 

Step 3: Final Application

The following items will be required for the final submission. Use the full application template to plan your online application submission. Applications will be reviewed based on the criteria in this rubric.  

Complete the Final Application Form.  

This will require the following information:

• A budget and brief budget justification
• A list of team members and their role(s) in the project (if applicable)
• Goals of the project
• Impact on student learning and residential education at Cornell
• Letter of support of department chair, director, or college dean

Questions?

Questions about the application process should be sent to cti-awards@cornell.edu.