Faculty Alliance

Faculty Initiative Fund

FY26 Faculty Initiative Fund

Request for Proposals is Open until October 6, 2025 at 5:00 pm

FIF Summary and Background
A financial commitment of at least $360,000 by the University of 桃花直播 (UA) for FY26 is identified as the Faculty Initiative Fund (FIF) aimed at fostering an institutionalized environment of cross-campus communication that inspires learning and disseminates knowledge while fostering the exchange and advancement of new, more efficient approaches to educating 桃花直播ns and engendering high academic standards. It is designed to promote collaboration. The fund may also serve as seed money toward the procurement of external grants and contracts and to promote collaborative networking and scholarship beyond 桃花直播.
Projects eligible for FIF funding include system-wide projects that develop, facilitate, and sustain effective and innovative efforts to fulfill the University鈥檚 academic mission and to achieve systemwide goals. The fund can support traditional professional development opportunities as well as engagement and collaboration among faculty at all three universities that are crucial to maintaining academic innovation, quality, and rigor. UA system-wide collaborative research efforts are highly encouraged. Submissions describing UA system level professional development activities that serve the goals of course alignment, course sharing, and/or the establishment or improvement of new or existing learning networks are likewise encouraged.
Initiative Categories. The purpose of this request for proposals (RFP) is to serve the UA mission and system goals by providing an equal opportunity for FIF distribution to eligible faculty to pursue one or more of the following initiative categories:  
  • Build the intellectual capital of UA through basic and applied research,
  • Promote obtainment of external grants and contracts or other cost-reducing measures,
  • Develop high-impact pedagogical practices,
  • Generate new professional development initiatives for faculty that will establish and maintain collaborations across the UA system,
  • Foster community partnerships and engaged learning opportunities,
  • Reduce the cost of degrees and/or contribute to student recruitment, retention, & success,
  • Promote student engagement, research, internship, or apprenticeship opportunities, or
  • Enhance UA鈥檚 service to the state.
UA Mission: The University of 桃花直播 inspires learning, and advances and disseminates knowledge through teaching, research, and public service, emphasizing the North and its diverse peoples.
Systemwide Goals: Deliver academic excellence & success at all levels; Modernize the student experience; Contribute to 桃花直播鈥檚 skilled workforce and engaged citizenship; Operate efficiently, effectively, and responsibly; Grow our world-class research; and Provide an open and welcoming university with equal opportunity and access for all students, faculty, and staff.

AWARD LEVELS

The 2025/6 FIF has two tiers based on the size and scope of the project and budget.

Tier I: ~18-month-long projects with a budget of no more than $30,000 (at least six (6) awards available)

Tier II: Smaller projects are either smaller mini-projects or seed funds for larger projects with budgets of no more than $10,000 (at least fifteen (15) awards available).

TIMELINE, EXPECTATIONS, AND EXCLUSIONS
All proposals in response to this RFP are due to the Office of Academics, 桃花直播 & Research by 5 pm Monday, October 6, 2025. The review period will then commence, and end by 5 pm Monday, November 3, 2025, with awards announced by November 10, 2025. All applications must be submitted via Google Forms or by emailing their proposal as a single PDF file to the Office of Academics, 桃花直播 & Research Office (sldayton2@alaska.edu). All submissions will receive an email confirmation of receipt within two business days. Disbursement of project funds may begin on January 8, 2026.