Writing Across the Curriculum

Funding

WAC Funding Opportunities

Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), in collaboration with the Stearns Center for Teaching and Learning, sponsors Curriculum and Teaching Leadership (CTL) Funds: Extended Projects to faculty involved in a high-impact teaching and learning project. We solicit proposals from all departments, programs, colleges, and schools at George Mason University, including full-time and/or part-time faculty. Faculty may not apply for multiple funding opportunities in the same academic term.

These funds will take the form of stipends to faculty who design, develop, and lead a project that seeks to enhance the intentional and sustainable integration of writing and critical thinking across the curriculum. For this reason, successful grant proposals must demonstrate the sustainability and/or broad impact of the proposed project in relation to WAC’s mission of designing, teaching, or assessing meaningful writing-learning experiences across all disciplines.

Submit your proposal

Available Funding

Awards up to $4,000 per semester to unit teams ($1,000 stipend per person) are available to enhance the intentional and sustainable integration of writing and critical thinking across the curriculum. WAC particularly encourages academic units to propose innovative projects that sustain or enhance the integrity of critical thinking and learning to write in an environment of generative AI ubiquity; this includes projects that seek to integrate or minimize generative AI use. WAC also welcomes projects that seek to facilitate faculty learning and problem-solving; course-development or curriculum-planning; and/or the systematic inquiry, research, or assessment of student learning.

Projects can focus on writing-intensive courses or other courses that assign writing but wish to more effectively integrate assignments, instruction, and/or assessment of writing and critical thinking. This funding is not intended to support the development of a WI course application; funding will not be given for an individual faculty member’s effort to learn about WAC pedagogy or for bringing in external consultants or speakers.

Funding Periods: Fall 2026 (Aug 25 – Dec 24) | Spring 2027 (Jan 25 – May 24) | Summer 2027 (May 25 – Aug 24) 

Maximum CTL Fund Amount: $4,000 

Priority Proposal Due Date: June 18, 2026 

Eligibility and Restrictions

Eligibility

  • Open to faculty from all departments, programs, colleges, and schools at George Mason University; teams should include at least three members
  • Team members should be from the same academic unit; exceptions will be made for interdisciplinary programs

Restrictions

  • Team members are eligible for only one Stearns Center sponsored funding opportunity per cycle
  • Faculty may not apply for multiple Stearns Center Extended Projects in the same academic term.
  • Faculty Fellows currently working with the Stearns Center may not participate on a CTL fund team.
Timeline
  • Proposal Submission Deadline: June 18, 2026
  • Award Decisions Announced: July 17, 2026
  • Project Implementation Periods: Fall 2026, Spring 2027, or Summer 2027 (as proposed)
  • Final Project Report: due two-weeks after the cycle concludes
Key Financial and Project Touchpoints

If selected, you will receive a detailed timeline with financial and project check-ins in your award letter, based on your funding period (Fall, Spring, or Summer). Failure to participate in these check-ins may result in partial or full cancellation of funding.

Required check-ins include:

  • Initial Budget Meeting – with PI, Co-PI, and Financial Point of Contact (FPOC) to finalize the budget and discuss financial processes. This meeting must occur before any purchases are made.
  • Mid-Project Budget Check-in
  • Final Budget Check-in
  • Project Conclusion Meeting
  • Final Report Submission
Project Requirements & Deliverables

Engagement Requirements 

All funded PIs and project teams are expected to: 

  • Check communications regularly and respond promptly to budget-related inquiries. 
  • Complete an initial budget meeting prior to the start of the funding period. 
  • Attend at least two project consultations with WAC program staff.

Final Documentation 

All funded projects must submit: 

  • A final report documenting project outcomes and any upcoming implementation steps. 
  • Supporting artifacts demonstrating project completion

Dissemination Plan 

All funded projects must include a plan for sharing results with the George Mason University community, such as: 

  • Presenting at the next Innovations in Teaching and Learning Conference (as a Teaching Talk). 
  • Creating a broadly applicable resource available to the George Mason University community. 
Attributes of Strong Proposals

Broad impact – extends beyond the design of or inquiry into a single person’s course.

Lasting impact – extends beyond the initial semester of the project.

Strategic alignment – deliberate connection to George Mason University and/or academic unit initiatives or strategic goals.

Clear outcomes – specific, feasible, documentable, and sustainable outcomes that enhance student success.

Feasibility – clear timeline and project-aligned budget.

Submission

Please assemble all parts of the proposal as outlined by the submission guidelines into a single PDF, and submit it to WAC by 11:59 pm on or before the application deadline through our online form.

Please email WAC staff ([email protected]) with any questions.