Professional Improvement Opportunity (PIO) Grants

Funds for summer projects to support professional development or academic endeavors (pedagogy)
Funding: Up to $1,500 (per proposal participant) for expenses.
Eligibility: Full-time faculty

PIO Grants Criteria

A major goal of the proposed project should be to help strengthen the connection between the faculty member involved in the project and his or her discipline. This could take many forms including (but not limited to):

Publishable research, papers, panels, essays, books, works of art, reviews, software, etc.
The project will usually result in some tangible outcome such as publication, exhibition, or some other form of public presentation.
It is the proposer's responsibility to convince the Faculty Development Committee that the project will strengthen disciplinary connections.
Proposals may involve a single faculty member or a team of faculty members and students.
For projects involving multiple faculty members, each faculty member requesting funding should apply separately.
Applicants are encouraged to seek external funding for long-term projects. Keep in mind, PIO funds can be used as matching money for external grants.

PIO Grants Application Instructions

Application must include the following:

Summary of project and outcomes:

Briefly summarize the project and clearly state, in specific terms, the goals of your project.
Demonstrate how the project will improve your professional development and describe the benefits you see for yourself, students, and/or the college community.
Discuss how the project goes beyond your regular faculty responsibilities and describe the specific outcomes you see resulting from your project.

Qualifications:

Summarize your qualifications and those of each project member.
Briefly describe previous work (e.g., publications, presentations, etc.), training, and experience in the project area.
The goal is to demonstrate that you have the expertise, ability, and commitment to accomplish the project objectives.

Action Plan:

Give a step-by-step description of what you plan to do and the rationale for doing it. Relate these actions to the objectives of the project. Please indicate other responsibilities that you will have during the project period.
PIO applicants should detail how they are going limit other duties so they may focus on their PIO projects.

Relevant Literature:

Provide a brief review of relevant literature on the topic of your project.

Funding History:

List all Faculty Development funding (LRP, PIG, and sabbaticals) you have received during the past three (3) years that relate to this PIO application.

Departmental Support:

Provide evidence of departmental support. This could be a brief letter from your department chair which indicates how your project fits department goals and how your PIO will impact the department. (If you are a department chair, attach a letter from the Provost or a senior department member.)

Expenses:

Present an itemized list of anticipated expenses. Valid expenses include supplies, student salaries, travel, or other items deemed important to the project.
Applicants are encouraged to investigate other sources of funding for the items listed above (e.g., mini-grants, outside grants, work-study, etc.).

PIO Grants Submission

Submit your application as an electronic file to the Faculty Development Committee chair at FacDev@marietta.edu.

See Application Deadlines of Faculty Development Committee Home page