Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Mini-Grant Program

To encourage DEI work in areas of educational development, the DEI Committee will award amounts ranging from $600 to $1,800 to individuals or groups from a single institution. The mini-grants serve as a springboard for a diverse array of ideas and approaches and to provide seed money for books, materials, supplies, stipends, or fees that are needed to broaden education and spark innovation within the POD Network. While the mini-grant awards are for educational developers, they may be used to support related staff and student research that contributes to equity and inclusion efforts across the POD Network and the field of educational development.

Eligibility Criteria 

The POD DEI Committee welcomes applications for the Mini-Grants from all individuals from any higher education institution. For each application, all applicants must meet one or more criteria listed here: 

• persons from historically underrepresented groups including, but not limited to: individuals who identify as racial and/or ethnic minorities (as defined within the U.S. context); lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender individuals; and individuals with disabilities. 
• individuals working at traditionally underrepresented institutions including, but not limited to, the following: Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Native American Tribal Colleges, Hispanic-Serving Institutions or Hispanic Area Colleges and Institutions, Minority-Serving Institutions (or those aspiring to become MSI’s, and community colleges). 
• applicants who would join POD and contribute to its mission over the long term with particular interests related to social justice and diversity, equity, and inclusion (writ large) in educational development.  

Please note: Applicants are only allowed to submit one mini-grant application per funding cycle. Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a mini-grant in the prior years.

Applicants may be (1) an individual; or (2) a group from a single institution.

Mini-Grant awards range from $600 to $1,800 each. Awardees can use up to $500 for travel directly related to the project.

Recipients(s) will:

• Submit a final report at the end of funding cycle
• Participate in several surveys by the POD DEI Committee to help assess the impacts of this program 
• Recipients are encouraged to present their project results at the POD annual conference in the following year.

All grant applications are due August 8, 2025.

Notification of funding by late September 2025.

Note: because this application requires uploading a PDF file for the project budget, you will need to log into a google account to access and submit the application form. If this is an obstacle for you, please contact Fellowships and Grants Co-coordinators Viyon Dansu, Abigail Jaimes-Gomez, Zhihong Chen, and Asta Habtemichael at [email protected].

Mini-Grant Application Questions:

As articulated in the application questions, applicants must address all of the following: 

• Project title: Provide a brief sentence to describe the theme or focus of the project
• Project Objectives and Description
  • What are the DEI issues and topics you are trying to address and why?
  • Provide how this project will advance equity and inclusion, dismantle racism in its many forms, or 
  • reverse marginalization of historically underserved and underrepresented populations, especially as related to the teaching and learning environment
• Project Impacts 
  • Detail how the project will support educational developers from historically underrepresented groups or working at traditionally underrepresented institutions in the area of teaching and learning.
  • Anticipated contributions of the proposed project to DEI within the applicants’ institution/s, the POD network, and the broader field of educational development. (Grant recipients are encouraged to present their project at the 2026 POD Conference.)
  • How the objectives and impacts of the project would be assessed and evaluated.
• Project budget (Attach as a PDF file)
  • Explanation of how grant funds will be used to advance DEI work proposed in this project; 
  • Include a budget that lists the following categories as needed: stipends for applicants/ researcher/ student workers (estimate of work hours), travel, printing/presentation materials, technology expenses (software, video production, podcast, etc.), honorarium for guest speakers or panelists, project materials (workbooks, etc.). 
  • Potential support (financial or otherwise) applicants will receive relevant to the work outlined in this application.