FIDC Team Travel Grant

Team travel grants are intended to support groups and encourage partnerships between departments, colleges and the FIDC.

Because travel funds are limited, projects must be directly related to teaching (pedagogy) in higher education. There are two types of teaching related travel: 

• travel to conferences for pedagogical development that can be brought back to specific classes at UND (for example: participating in a teaching-related workshop, where the faculty member will learn new techniques or approaches; or learning about new and innovative ways of teaching one's subject). 
• travel to make Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) presentations dealing with research on college-level teaching (for example: making a professional presentation about a teaching method on which you have conducted research in your classroom at UND). 

Funding for travel is limited to $2,000 ($3,000 for intercontinental travel) per trip per individual. Funds can go towards transportation, lodging, meals and conference registration expenses. There is no limit on how many times faculty may seek FIDC funding. However, when funds are tight, preference will be given to faculty who have not had recent funding for similar requests. Proposals will be reviewed on their comprehensiveness using the linked scoring tool.  Recipients are expected to share their findings with other UND faculty according to Final Report Guidelines below. 

 

 Travel for the sole purpose of keeping up with one's subject or updating course content cannot be supported with FIDC funds. 

When to apply:

Proposal deadlines are at 11:59 pm on 15 September, 15 February and 15 April. If this date occurs on a weekend or holiday proposals are due the first following business day at noon. We encourage you to apply early as funds are limited. You must apply prior to travel. 

*If you are requesting SoTL travel funds, you may submit prior to acceptance as reimbursement will be contingent on that acceptance.

You may wish to discuss your proposal with a member of FIDC or the Director of Faculty Development, Liz Legerski, but please do so at least one week prior to the deadline.

2026-27 FIDC membership

• Yi-Ping Hsieh (CNPD)
• Open (LAW)
• Joanna Ryan (EHD)
• Alfred Wallace (LIB/At-Large)
• Jun Liu (CEM)
• Robert Warren (NCoBPA)
• Montana Etten-Bohm (JDOSAS)
• Anna Young (EHD/At-Large)
• Michele Iiams (A&S)
• Ryan Zerr (A&S)
• Sarah Sletten (SMHS)
• Randi Tanglen (Concurrent)

 

How to apply:

Proposals are submitted online through the linked form below. A single PDF will be uploaded that includes all of your proposal material. 

- Successful team proposals have clearly identified the type of pedagogy sought and how it will be incorporated into the classroom at UND. Team proposals must provide rational as to why a team is traveling together. 

- Team travel grants require matching funds from the team member's departments, colleges or other entities.

Proposals should be clear, complete and well organized with the following three sections (in this order):

1. A memo that provides a persuasive rationale for teaching-related travel funds. Travel for the sole purpose of keeping up with one's subject or updating course content cannot be supported with FIDC funds. 
   • If you are participating in pedagogical development (teaching-related conference /workshop or similar activity) include:
     • a copy of the conference/ workshop flier or an appropriate web address with your indication of pedagogy sessions you will attend, 
     • an explanation of the nature of the activity and what you expect to gain from participation, and
     • a clear articulation of how this learning experience will benefit your students and/or other faculty at UND (in terms of courses taught, number of students affected, and ways you will share with other faculty).
   • If you are making a SoTL research presentation (definition of SoTL research) include:
     • an abstract of your presentation,
     • a memo of acceptance, (if acceptance has not yet been received, that acceptance must be shared with the FIDC prior to reimbursement)
     • an explanation of how this work grows out of your teaching at UND, 
     • enough information to allow the committee to conceptualize your research: convey the research question your work seeks to answer, how you came to that question and how it relates to your teaching at UND, and how you gathered data for the project (including links to or copies of surveys or other research tools is helpful). 
2. An itemized travel budget:
   • an estimate of the team's total travel expenses including transportation, lodging, meals, and conference registration (Per Diem Rates - GSA.org)
   • the amount the team has or will receive from other sources (e.g., your department, dean, grant funds) and the amount you are requesting from the FIDC.
3. A supporting letter from the group lead's department chair or dean. A letter of support should address the following:
   1. Financial commitment by the letter writer as well as any additional funding provided (for example, if a team member is from a separate department or college how that entity is supporting the travel)
   2. Intended goal of travel addressing the expected benefits of this group traveling as a team
   3. How this goal fits into the department goals, college goals, and/or UND LEADS
4. Travel Pre-Approval
   1. Prior to making travel arrangements, travelers must obtain approval from their designated approving authority (usually the supervisor or business office contact). Pre-trip approval requirements vary by division/department. It is the traveler's responsibility to follow all internal travel approval procedures prior to making reservations. Reimbursement for travel without prior approval is not guaranteed.(i.e., an email or other attachment). This is not the same as the supporting letter. 
      •  This could be an email stating they approve of the travel (name of the conference, location and dates)

Apply Here!

Please bear in mind that faculty reviewing proposals are not necessarily familiar with your discipline, pedagogical approach, or SoTL research methods. Be careful to effectively articulate your work so that faculty from various disciplinary approaches can fully appreciate its value.

Once final report has been submitted and approved funds will be reimbursed.

This linked tool will be used by the FIDC to evaluate proposals.

FIDC Travel Grant Rubric

FIDC Grant teams are required to file a final report that addresses how the pedagogical activity has benefited the university. Final reports are due within six months of award travel and must be filed before any new grant proposal can be acted on.

FIDC Final Report Guidelines:

FIDC funding recipients are required to file a final report and is required before travel reimbursements. These reports are essential to the FIDC and our continued funding.

The final report will be uploaded through the link below as a single pdf. The report consists of a memo that:

1. Notes at the top:
   • your name, rank and department,
   • your proposal/project title. 
2. Describes in a direct and reader-friendly style what you learned as a result of this grant activity.
   • Refer back to your original proposal for the grant and candidly discuss whether or not your experiences matched your expectations. Were there disappointments or unexpected gains? Is what you learned applicable to your students' learning at UND?
3. Addresses the ways in which you will share the team's experience or the results of your project with others and what form you will present in. For team travel grants a campus session in collaboration with the FIDC session is required. Share with the FIDC any additional presentations including date, time and location or pertinent information about other formats. Examples of additional formats include:
   • Presentation in your department or college
   • Box Lunch Discussion, Session Interview or Article in a newsletter
   • Presentation at campus conference on teaching 
   • Presentation or report to a campus group or committee (tell us who)
   • An article in a SoTL Journal or further conference presentation 
4. Includes a synopsis paragraph (125 words or less) that describes what you learned. 

Submit Final Report Here