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New Program Development Grants

The New Program Development Grant supports the intellectual and pedagogical work of designing high-quality global learning experiences. This grant funds the creation of faculty-led programs, and cohort-based study abroad programs that challenge students to address contemporary global issues through deep, international engagement.

This grant supports faculty in the early stages of program design moving from a conceptual framework to a formal proposal. Grants are intended to facilitate:

  • Curriculum Design: Developing course syllabi with global learning integrated.
  • Site Assessment: Conducting initial site visits to vet potential vendors, housing options, and local academic resources.
  • Feasibility: Building a sustainable budget model to ensure long-term viability.

Timeline
Call for Proposals
  • Primary Cycle: March 1
    (for the following fiscal year)
  • Secondary Cycle: August 1
Application Deadline
  • Primary Cycle: April 15
  • Secondary Cycle: September 1
Award Notification
  • Primary Cycle: May 1
  • Secondary Cycle: September 15

Preparing to Apply

Award Amount:
Up to $3,000 per grant for program expenses (e.g., travel for site development, instructional materials, or partnership cultivation).

Matching Requirement:
A minimum $500 departmental/college match (cash transfer or documented expenditure) is required.

All full-time Virginia Tech teaching faculty (tenure track, collegiate, professors of practice, and long-term lecturers) interested in developing or expanding global education programs are eligible. Shared authorship is encouraged, but awards are capped at $3,000 per proposal.

Proposals will be evaluated based on four core pillars:

  • Innovation: Distinction of the program or partnership model.
  • Impact: The potential to result in high-quality student experiences with clearly defined academic goals and a high volume of recurring student mobility
  • Access: Supporting student success by reducing financial barriers and creating pathways for all students, regardless of financial and academic circumstances.
  • Sustainability: Articulation of a clear plan for the program or partnership to continue and grow in future years

Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate the following:

  • Thematic Demand: Programs filling in a geographic/thematic gap in the current Virginia Tech portfolio
  • Geographic and Disciplinary Diversity: Programs that expand the university's footprint into less traditional regions and strengthen global engagement in new academic fields
  • Strategic Alignment: Programs aligned with Virginia Tech’s strategic aspirations and/or the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and those demonstrating interdisciplinary collaboration 





Submit Your Application

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Application Sections

Applicant Details:

  • Name
  • College
  • Department
  • Contact information

Financial Transfer:
Departmental E&G fund number for the award transfer.

  • Project Summary: Describe the program and site visit objectives. Explain how the curriculum represents immersive, respectful, and reciprocal global engagement.

  • Intercultural Development: Detail how the proposed program increases opportunities for reflective experiential learning, meaningful community engagement, and intentional intercultural learning and skills development.

  • Implementation Plan: Provide a clear timeline for the fiscal year (logistics).

  • Impact: Define student learning outcomes, both academic and co-curricular (e.g., intercultural competencies, workforce skills) and the plan for program longevity.

  • Access: Outline specific steps to ensure the final program is designed to be affordable for all students, regardless of financial circumstances.

Letter of Support:
From the Department Head/Dean confirming matching funds and academic alignment.

Maximum Length:
Three (3) pages (excluding Letter of Support).

Submitting:
Submit as a single PDF to Marielle Wijnands with "Program Development Grant" in the subject line.




After-Action Report

Recipients are expected to submit a 2–4-page after-action report to GEO within 60 days of project completion with the following information:

Budget:
Recipients are required to submit a report on fund expenditure

Program Blueprint:
copy of the developed course or program schedule, highlighting specific high-impact activities. A description of how the program moves beyond observation to create a mutually beneficial relationship with the host community. A brief statement (if applicable) of which UN Sustainable Development Goals are integrated into the curriculum and how.

A summary of the local partners engaged during the development phase. If travel for site development occurred, a brief report on the safety, accessibility, and pedagogical suitability of the location.

Access:
Specific measures taken to minimize financial barriers. Documentation of how the program accommodates diverse students’ needs.

Sustainability:
A brief statement on how the department will sustain the program