Houston Community College Innovation Grants

2025 Program Guidelines

Purpose 

The Houston Community College Innovation Grants program has been established through a partnership between the HCC Foundation and the Chancellor's Office to recognize and promote the ultimate student experience at Houston Community College. The program honors outstanding HCC faculty and student support professionals by providing resources needed to advance instruction and student support services.

Eligibility 

All full-time teaching faculty and student support professionals are eligible to apply. Eligible faculty and student support professionals are primarily engaged in direct student teaching or support activities. 

(Note: Adjunct Faculty are not eligible to apply for Innovation Grants nor are employees whose primary responsibility is administrative.) 

Selection Criteria

The following criteria will be considered awarding Innovation Grants: 

• Excellence in Teaching and Student Support: The applicant’s record of significant contributions made to student learning and success and to the applicant’s department, campus, and/or the college in recent years. 
• Proposed Learning Experience: The applicant’s proposal should address: 
• A direct connection to one of HCC’s Strategic Priorities (specifically, the connection must be made to the working definitions of the Strategic Priorities) 
• Intended learning outcomes for the project 
• Associated contribution to student learning 
• How funding will support project goal(s) regarding student learning and the College’s mission, vision, values 
• Plan for assessing the project's outcomes 

Selection Process

The selection process is coordinated through the Faculty Senate with administrative support from the Office for Strategy, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness. 

Application

The Office for Strategy, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness will be accepting online applications only. Each person may be listed as an applicant on a maximum of one (1) application a year. 

Selection Committee

The Selection Committee is coordinated by the Faculty Senate with support from the Office of Strategy, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness, and Talent Engagement. The Faculty Senate appoints a chair for the committee from among the ten members who are selected as follows: 

• 3 Full-Time Academic Faculty selected by Faculty Senate; 
• 3 Full-Time Workforce & Continuing Education selected by Faculty Senate; 
• 3 Student Support Professionals; and 
• 1 member (non-voting), HCC Foundation Board of Directors, selected by the Foundation President 

The committee conducts a blind review of application packages and recommends award recipients. The Chancellor shall have sign-off approval of the recipient of each award.

Support

If you would like assistance and support developing your project, the following staff are available to meet with you: 

• Jordan Carswell – Available to assist with all aspects of project development
• Elizabeth Scherer – Available to assist with budget development
• Melissa Miller-Waters – Available to assist with navigating the submission process
• Christopher Burnett – Available to assist with developing appropriate assessments for your project 

Award Details

Each year up to five awards (up to $5,000 each) are granted, enabling outstanding HCC faculty and student support professionals to implement individually designed plans which advance instruction and student support services at HCC.  Recipients of the Innovation Grants will be designated as Distinguished Educators, and the time period for the grant is January 2025 through December 2025, the calendar year. 

Length of Term

The term for an Innovation Grant is one calendar year. At the end of the calendar year, each recipient will be eligible for re-application. A previous award will not be a consideration for their candidacy in a subsequent term. 

Use of Funds

It is assumed that Innovation Grant awardees intend to complete the agreed-upon project in the calendar year. Individuals will be asked to use their best professional judgment in making changes to the details of the project; however, the scope and intent of the project are not negotiable. If the project cannot be completed as approved, the funds are to be returned to the HCC Foundation. 

The Innovation Grant amount (to be $5,000 in 2025) in its entirety is designated to fund the proposed learning experience. The experience must enhance teaching and learning-centered activities and/or foster professional development. Please note that an award is not a way to address a budget shortfall.

Proposed Learning Experience

Funds used toward the proposed learning experiences must be used for educational activities within the area specified in the application, adhere to procurement requirements of HCC, and follow any guidelines specified by the HCC Foundation. Such purposes include: 

• Student instructional projects and field trips 
• Acquisition of additional resource materials, literature, and audio-visual materials for the classroom, studio, or laboratory 
• Travel and study stipends for professional renewal 
• Sponsored residencies for outstanding academicians and practitioners in the field to interact with our students and faculty 
• Salary supplements to help in the recruitment and retention of outstanding scholars and career specialists 

Accountability

Innovation Grants awardees will be responsible for filing an annual report to both the Office of Strategy, Planning & Institutional Effectiveness and the West Houston Institute by December 15th of each calendar year. The report will include: 

• A listing/narrative of activities and an accounting of program funds; 
• Outcomes/results of the proposed activities as listed in the approved application; and 
• Lessons learned (successes and failures) from the implementation of the proposed learning experience. 

An annual report form will be provided. Reports are compiled and forwarded to the Chancellor’s Office and the Houston Community College Foundation.