Guided by the university's Next-Gen K-State strategic plan, recurring Applied Learning Experiences, or ALE, incentive grants are now available to support, expand, deepen, and scale applied learning experiences at K-State. For questions about ALE incentive grants, contact Dr. Ash Mitchell, Assistant Director for Applied Learning at ashm@ksu.edu.
In this round of recurring grants, a pool of $150,000 is available. Two grant categories are available to support the integration of Applied Learning Experiences into courses. Submission Deadline: Oct. 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m.
Eligibility: Faculty member(s) with program chair and department head support. Funding Range: Up to $20,000.00 Funding Period: A one-time grant will be awarded by January 2027. Funds are to be utilized for the implementation of the experience by the 2028-29 academic year. Matching Funds Required: No matching funds are required, but applicants should demonstrate reasonable support for continuation two years beyond the grant period. Creativity in the utilization of funds is encouraged and could include: All applications will be accepted through the relevant Microsoft Forms linked below. A Microsoft Word list of questions is available for download below for applicants' convenience. Submission deadline: Wednesday, October 1, 11:59 p.m. Award announcements in early December Funds awarded in January 2027 A panel of reviewers will be selected from across the University and approved by the University Steering Committee for Applied Learning Experiences. All applications will be evaluated for alignment with the ALE Framework. Criteria are clearly outlined below. Applications that are transdisciplinary in nature will also be evaluated for commitment to movement beyond discipline-specific pedagogy. It is recommended to use this budget template and this timeline template with the application. Items in this section are required. Failure to meet these criteria will result in disqualification. Need and Learner Impact Criteria Exemplary (3) Present (2) Developing (1) Not Present (0) Engagement: The experience is equivalent in time and intensity to a one-credit-hour course, or 45 hours. Clear and specific examples demonstrate how learner engagement fosters deeper learning. The application clearly outlines learner engagement expectations. The application attempts to outline engagement expectations. Engagement expectations are not clearly outlined. Guidance: The activity and mentorship are designed to target skill development with agency given to the learner to self-direct learning. Specific skill development is clearly accounted for in experience design and the inclusion of mentorship. Specific skills are targeted in experience design. Learners have agency. Either specific skills are targeted in experience design or learners have agency. Specific skills are not targeted and learner agency is not considered. Purposeful Experience: The experience is connected to a community, which extends relevance to authentic scenarios. Learners engage with communities in specific ways, leading to clear application beyond the experience. The experience is authentic and connects to the community. The experience is authentic or connects to the community. The experience is not authentic and does not connect to the community. Active Engagement: The experience aids in a learner's sense of belonging and being within relevant communities or within their desired career path. Examples of learners exercising independent judgement within the experience, leading to ownership and a sense of being, are clearly stated. Learners develop a sense of belonging and being within their communities and career paths. Learners develop a sense of belonging or being. Belonging and being is not developed. Critical Reflection: The experience requires learners to self-reflect in an ongoing and meaningful way. Group reflection is used when needed. Multiple modes of reflection are present throughout the experience. New understandings are shared formally. Reflection is meaningful and ongoing. Reflection is somewhat meaningful and ongoing. Learners do not engage in reflection. Transdisciplinary Commitment: Transdisciplinary experiences designed and implemented by faculty from different disciplines working jointly to create new applied learning opportunities that integrate and move beyond discipline-specific pedagogies. Present (Up to 5) The experience is deeply transdisciplinary. Only relevant for transdisciplinary applications. Developing (2) The experience is somewhat transdisciplinary. Only relevant for transdisciplinary applications. Not Present (0) The experience does not align with the definition of transdisciplinary. Only relevant for transdisciplinary applications. Framework Score: _____of 15 Total Score: ______of 25 or 30 Reviewer Recommendation: Acceptable Acceptable with Reservations Not Acceptable
The experience has required support and potential to be sustainable beyond the grant period, as evidenced by letter(s) of support from the department head or other administrator.
An abbreviated CV was submitted for each applicant.
The applicant shared if they had or had not applied for or received other funding.
Document Score (Scores less than 5 result in disqualification of application): __ of 6
Criteria
High (2)
Moderate (1)
Low (1)
Need within department or unit.
No Applied Learning Experiences currently exist within the proposing unit
Few Applied Learning Experiences currently exist within the proposing unit
Many Applied Learning Experiences currently exist within the proposing unit
Number of learners impacted.
41+ learners to be served per semester
11-40 learners to be served per semester
1-10 learners to be served per semester
Impact Score: ___ of 4
Framework + Transdisciplinary Score:______ of 20
Fall 2026
Seed funds for the purpose of supporting a unit to explore curriculum changes for a program that enhances applied learning. These grants help a unit to explore adding or enhancing applied learning in new or existing degree, certificate or micro-credential programs.
Funds to catalyze transdisciplinary applied learning across at least two units at K-State to launch pilot programming. This opportunity is an excellent way to bring teams from across the university community to generate answers to our world's most difficult challenges, while providing excellent learning to our students.
Applied Learning Experiences
appliedlearning@k-state.edu
103 Leadership Studies Building
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6087