Penn’s Online Learning Initiative (OLI) has announced the Spark Grant Program. This grant program is designed to support the creation of new or innovative projects and experiments in online learning. Spark Grants fund projects like the creation of a new online non-credit course or program, new educational technology tool discovery and pilot costs, and/or short-term freelance instructional design for an approved for-credit online course or program. The field of online education is growing at a rapid pace and OLI wants to help put innovators at Penn in the best position to bring their ideas to life in the online space.

Spark Grants are open to all Penn faculty members or online teams working in collaboration with a Penn faculty member, with amounts ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. In addition to financial support, OLI will provide support at each stage of the process, including planning and design tools, consultation services throughout the project, and connections to resources to help faculty members and teams create online learning experiences in the for-credit and non-credit spaces.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Email onlinelearning@upenn.edu for more information about the Spark Grant Program and access to the application.