To apply for FIT, please complete the . Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis between May 1 a²Ô»å March 1, until the Funds for Innovation in Teaching have been depleted. Funds awarded to you must be spent by April 30 of the fiscal year.
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The Faculty of Health's Fund for Innovations in Teaching (FIT) provides seed funding to support innovative teaching and learning initiatives that enhance student success. Funding may support the research, development, implementation or enhancement of innovative teaching practices and assessment methods, including experiential education, e-learning, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and equity and decolonization in the curriculum. The Faculty also seeks to foster innovation and strengthen community partnerships that expand opportunities for experiential education and community-engaged learning.
Overview
Funding: Up to $5,000 per application, including applicable taxes.
Eligibility: Full-time and part-time faculty members.
Application period: May 1 to March 1, or until available funds have been depleted
Funding deadline: All awarded funds must be spent by April 30 of the fiscal year.
How to apply: Submit the online application form.
Objectives
FIT supports the Faculty of Health’s commitment to excellence and innovation in teaching and learning. The fund supports innovations in courses and coursework, and to fund specific teaching innovations that enhance student learning in courses or across programs.
Applicants must clearly demonstrate how their proposed activities support the research, development, implementation or enhancement of innovative teaching practices and assessment methods, including experiential education, e-learning, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and equity and decolonization in the curriculum.
Eligible Activities
FIT funding may support activities related to experiential education, e-learning and other innovative teaching and learning practices in courses, coursework or programs, including:
Please note that this fund may not be used to fund:
- °ä´Ç³Ü°ù²õ±ð-°ù±ð±ô±ð²¹²õ±ð for a course director
- ´¡³¦³Ù¾±±¹¾±³Ù¾±±ð²õ already budgeted for through other sources of funding or already budgeted through unit/department operations budget
- Computers and related mobile electronic devices
- Donations to companies or agencies that participate in teaching-learning activities
- Token honoraria for guest speakers or community partners. Note:  Please arrange for this at the School or Department level.
Recipient Responsibilities
- Discuss the application and proposed activities with the Chair/Director to obtain support prior to submission.
- Consult with the Faculty’s EE Coordinators to ensure input on, and support of the requested resources listed in the application, if it pertains to experiential education
- Consult with the Faculty's EE coordinators to ensure input on and support for the resources requested in the application.
- Submit the appropriate ethics documentation if the proposed project involves research on teaching practices or other activities that require research ethics approval.
- Demonstrate how the funds will be used to support proof of concept for the quality of programs and teaching and learning
- Create or revise courses accordingly as applies, and ensure process is aligned with School/Department and Faculty approval processes and deadlines around course design and development
- Share learning at peer and stakeholder events
- Ensure that funded activities comply with hiring and expense policies and guidelines
- Ensure that funds are spent by the end of the fiscal year (April 30)
- Complete a brief online by April 30; note that as of May 1, 2027, applicants who received funding in the previous year and who have not completed the summary form will not be eligible for future funding until the form is submitted.
Evaluation Criteria
- Clearly outlines how the proposed activities improve the quality of teaching practice and/or student success (including but not limited to engagement, retention, and first year experience)
- Clearly describes how the proposed activities align with and support the objectives of the Faculty of Health’s current strategic and/or academic plans
- Describes how these activities will be sustained in future years without this funding
Note: The adjudication process may include contacting and asking for feedback about your application from the Chair/Director of the corresponding school/department. Therefore, it is important to make sure they are aware of the proposed innovative activities and that the activities are aligned with the programs initiatives for enhancing the quality of teaching and learning
Timeline
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis between May 1 ²¹²Ô»å March 1 (fiscal year), until the Funds for Innovation in Teaching have been depleted. Applicants are encouraged to apply within this time frame.
Decisions are normally communicated within two weeks of application submission, depending on the complexity of the proposal. Eligible projects may receive funding of up to $5,000 per application, including applicable taxes, until all available funding has been allocated.
All awarded funds must be spent by April 30 of the fiscal year. Any unspent funds will be returned to the Fund for Innovations in Teaching (FIT).
Expense Guidelines
Applicants are responsible for understanding and complying with all expense, procurement and hiring requirements associated with their funded activities.
- All expenses funded through FIT must comply with the 91ÑÇÉ« Reimbursement of Expenses  a²Ô»å , and the .
- Hiring must comply with the ´Ç°ù â¶Ä¯. Visit for more information.
- Refer to the Honoraria Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions for information about honoraria and limitations.
Application
Before applying for the fund, please make sure that you discuss your proposed activities and application with the Chair/Director of your school/department. If the application is related to experiential education, consultation with the Faculty’s EE Coordinators is required to ensure feasibility of, input on and support of the requested resources listed in the application.
You will not be able to save the incomplete online form or return to it later to complete it, so you may wish to draft responses to questions on the Word document version of the application and then paste them in the online form when you are ready to submit it.
Step 1: Review the fund objectives, guidelines and eligibility.
Step 2: Discuss your proposed activities with the Chair/Director of your school/department. Consult the Faculty of Health’s Experiential Education (EE) Coordinators as needed.
Step 3: for FIT by completing the online application form between May 1 and March 1 (fiscal year).
If you encounter any difficulties with completing the online application form please contact the Associate Dean, Learning, Teaching & Academic Programs at hlthadtl@yorku.ca.