CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation

The CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation supports and enhances research excellence and pedagogical innovation across the institution undertaken by members of equity-deserving groups and/or on topics that hold equity, diversity and inclusion considerations as a dominant focus.

General Information

Value: $5,000 to $15,000 each.

Duration: two years
No extension will be granted, except in cases of extenuating circumstances or delays that affect research and pedagogical productivity such as parental, medical, or bereavement leaves.

Launch: October 1, 2025

Deadline: October 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM

Results: Winter 2026 (To be published on Carleton’s website.)

Grant Start Date: May 1, 2026

NOTE: Ensure your application is written in plain language suitable for a multidisciplinary committee, and that any discipline specific terminology or acronyms are explained.

Competition Information:

• Guidelines: Read below or download the GUIDELINES: GUIDELINES CU-CUASA-Special-Fund-for-EDI-Research-and-Pedagogical-Innovation-Guidelines.pdf
• Application Form: Access the web APPLICATION FORM: CU-CUASA Special Fund for EDI Research and Pedagogical Innovation Awards. Note: Incognito window may need to be used
• View the Terms and Conditions
• Resource contacts:
  • Research Stream Applications:Christine Rivas, CORIS
  • Teaching Stream Applications: Dragana Polovina-Vukovic, TLS

Eligibility

• Applicant must hold a tenured, confirmed, or tenure-track / confirmation-track appointment at the rank of Faculty, including Faculty, Teaching Stream, or Librarian, at Carleton University at the time of application. Teaching Stream Faculty can refer to the equivalent webpage for this opportunity on the Teaching and Learning Services website. There is only one webform application for all eligible applicants
• Faculty and Librarians must either self-identify as a member of an equity-deserving group and/or have EDI considerations as the dominant focus of the project being proposed.
• Community-based research and non-traditional methodologies or frameworks are welcome and encouraged.
• Joint applications are eligible but applicants must be an active employee in the CUASA bargaining unit.
• Recipients can receive this award only once every five years.

Scope and Priority

• Applications pertaining to any subject matter / discipline submitted by applicants who identify as members of equity-deserving groups, including but not limited to women, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+, Indigenous peoples, Black and Racialized Persons will be given priority.
• Applications researching pedagogy, pedagogical innovation, scholarship of teaching & learning with EDI focus will be included.
• 80% of the awards will go to Faculty at the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor, and Librarian, and 20% of the funds awarded will go to Teaching Stream Faculty except in the event that not enough Teaching Stream Faculty to apply.
• Half of these awards will go to early-career researchers, either pre-tenure / preconfirmation, or within five years of having obtained tenure/confirmation, except in the event that not enough early-career researchers apply.

Application Elements

• Self-Identification Questionnaire: Applicants must complete a self-identification questionnaire developed in consultation with Department of Equity and Inclusive Communities (EIC) and administered by the Office of Institutional Research and Planning (OIRP).
• Proposal:
  • abstract (max 250 words);
  • Description of the research questions and objectives, the methodology, anticipated results, and a work plan for the tenure of the award (max 1,000 words).  Applicants in the Teaching Stream Faculty category should speak about how the proposed project will inform teaching methods and/or excellence in teaching, particularly if the project is not explicitly oriented around the scholarship of teaching & learning.
  • Budget for the use of funds (max 500 words).

NOTE: Ensure your application is written in plain language suitable for a multidisciplinary committee, and that any discipline specific terminology or acronyms are explained.

• CV restricted to the last 5 years, in PDF
• Letters of Community Support (OPTIONAL): If appropriate, written evidence of community support would be uploaded in PDF at the end of the application.

Criteria for Evaluation

• Merit of the proposal will be based on the following:
  • Clarity and coherence of research questions and objectives
  • The relationship to teaching students about EDI-focused topics and/or enhancing the success of students from equity-deserving groups, particularly for projects focused on the scholarship of teaching & learning
  • Significance of the potential contributions whether within academia or more broadly in the community
  • Appropriateness of the workplan/timelines/budget
  • Soundness of theory and methodology
  • Quality of student and/or highly qualified personnel training, and mentorship
  • Integration of considerations of equity, diversity and inclusion in the project design and opportunities to develop experiential learning

Adjudication

• The grants will be adjudicated using the following process:
  • Each line Faculty and the Library will be responsible for creating an Adjudication Committee reflecting diverse Faculty identities and disciplines. Faculty Committees will rank up to ten applications, and submit this list with the application packages to the University Adjudication Committee.
  • Faculties will strive to ensure representation from early career researchers and Teaching Stream Faculty.
  • The University Adjudication Committee will be co-chaired by the Vice-President (Research and International) and the Provost (or their delegate). Committee members will include:
    • One member from each of the line Faculties and Library
    • Two additional members from equity-deserving groups (in CUASA), one each nominated by the AVP of EIC and AVP of Indigenous Teaching, Learning & Research
    • One additional member who works in the area of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning nominated by the Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (Academic); if no Teaching Stream Faculty are already on the committee, then this should be a Teaching Stream Faculty.
    • One member appointed by CUASA
    • Nominating Deans and Administrators shall strive for diverse representation