Mini Grants
The University Assessment Council funds small-scale assessment projects on an annual basis. UNC’s strategic vision, Rowing, Not Drifting 2030, emphasizes a student-first approach focused on student success. The Assessment Council supports the university’s goals and priorities by funding projects and initiatives designed to improve or enhance student learning as an important measure of student success.
Information about previously funded projects is available here: Past Assessment Mini-Grant Projects
The application process for FY25 is open. Call for Proposals
Eligibility
- Faculty and staff on contract during FY 2025 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025).
- Any department or program that has student learning or development as part of its mission.
- Individuals or teams may apply. Students may participate as team members; however, a faculty or staff member must actively serve as the PI for the project.
- Individuals may submit only one application on which the individual will serve as the PI. There are no restrictions on the number of applications on which an individual may be listed as a team member. The PI must be an active participant in the assessment project.
General Funding Priorities
While all assessment-related proposals will be considered, funding priority will be given to projects that address one or more of the following topics:
Program-Level Assessment
Examples of possible projects include but are not limited to:
- Investigating equity gaps in student outcomes and implementing strategies for reducing those gaps
- Assessing the impact of program improvement strategies on student learning outcomes, retention, and/or graduation rates
- Revising a program’s curriculum or structure based on previous assessments or to align with new/revised learning outcomes
Course or Activity Level Assessment
Examples of possible projects include but are not limited to:
- Assessing learning outcomes in different modalities (face-to-face, online only, mixed)
- Assessing the impact of changes focused on improving DFW rates in a single course
- Developing or revising assessment methods used across multiple courses or activities (course-embedded assignments, exams, portfolios, etc.)
- Piloting and evaluating the impact of inclusive assessment methods in a course or activity
Assessment Methods
Examples of possible projects include but are not limited to:
- Developing/refining and testing rubrics for assessing learning at the course, activity, or program level
- Evaluating reliability and validity of multiple-choice tests
- Implementing and evaluating a new data collection strategy (e.g., using Canvas)
