Grants are available to help you incorporate a work-based learning component in your class.

The 2025 funding cycle is CLOSED. We plan to reopen applications in late spring 2026.

Please discuss your proposal idea with your academic unit head (AUH) before applying. You will be asked to submit a brief proposal of your course idea.

• Up to $1,500 for low-lift enhancements to an existing course
• $1,500-$2,500 for a substantial redesign of a course or a new project with an external partner(s)
• $3,000 for a new WBLE course

Preference will be given to proposals that:

1. demonstrate an understanding of what work-based learning experiences (WBLE) are at JMU, based on the definition and checklist at Work-Based Learning Experiences
2. demonstrate the likelihood of building long-term capacity and sustainability for WBLEs at JMU (ie. A course that is offered regularly versus a one-time course, or a proposal that demonstrates potential for scaling to multiple sections).
3. include an external partner (may be a nonprofit, business, industry, organization, or individual expert in the field; may include partners within JMU, such as the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum, Furious Flower, Ethical Reasoning in Action, or other campus groups)
4. includes a plan for structured reflection on the experience
5. have learning outcomes for the course that address the WBLE
6. have an appropriate duration for the scope of the WBLE ($1500 mini-grant may be appropriate for shorter projects or units, whereas $3,000 is appropriate for a course-length project)

Congratulations to the nine faculty members selected to participate in the pilot WBLE Faculty Fellows program in Fall 2025.

 Each participant designed or redesigned a class to integrate the WBLE definition and criteria, participated in four professional development workshops, and gave and received feedback on others' ideas throughout the semester in small groups and/or pairs.

The Fall 2025 Program included four in-person professional development sessions with additional virtual activities to complete between sessions (about 40 hours total throughout the fall semester). Participants received a stipend of $3,000 for their time and participation. In exchange, they will share their learning at an event, workshop, and/or share materials for the online WBLE toolkit and course design repository on Microsoft Teams.

In-person session dates (Fridays 1–3pm):
9/19 – Session One: Introducing WBLE Examples & Best Practices
10/17 – Session Two: Recruiting and Relating to External Partners
11/14 – Session Three: Instructional Design Focus
12/5 – Session Four: Sharing Designs, Receiving Peer Feedback

APPLICATIONS CLOSED UNTIL SPRING 2026

The link below will take you to a form in Qualtrics. You will be asked to share your course proposal idea and upload a 1-3 page plan for the course you want to design or redesign to include work-based learning. If you have questions about the proposal and eligibility, please reach out to Anna Maria Johnson, Associate Director of Work-Based Learning Experiences.