Micro Grants

Applicants must:

• Be full-time Texas State University faculty members. 
• Propose a credit-bearing micro-credential focused on artificial intelligence. 
• Embed the micro-credential within an existing academic degree program. 
• Align the proposed micro-credential, where appropriate, with Texas State’s AI Designators initiative. 
• Coordinate with their department chair/school director and college dean, as appropriate. 
• Commit to developing and submitting the completed micro-credential proposal through the Spring curriculum cycle by February 1, 2027.

Collaborative proposals are encouraged; however, each proposal must identify one faculty member as the primary applicant/initiator and lead. If a micro-grant is awarded, this person will receive the stipend.

Proposals may address AI in ways appropriate to the discipline, including but not limited to:

• AI literacy, foundations, and responsible use
• AI applications within a professional or disciplinary field
• Generative AI, automation, data analytics, or machine learning
• AI ethics, policy, governance, privacy, bias, and social impact
• Human-centered AI design and innovation
• AI-supported research, creative practice, communication, or decision-making
• Workforce preparation for AI-enabled careers

The program will provide 10 awards of $1,000 each as faculty stipends. The stipend recognizes the substantial faculty work required to design an AI-focused, program-embedded, credit-bearing micro-credential; identify appropriate courses and learning outcomes; coordinate with academic leadership and relevant institutional partners; and prepare the proposal for institutional curriculum review.

Awardees must submit a completed credit-bearing micro-credential proposal through the February 1, 2027 curriculum cycle via PIM to receive the stipend.

Stipends will be processed in accordance with applicable university policies and procedures. Receipt of a stipend does not guarantee approval of the proposed micro-credential. All proposals must meet applicable academic, curricular, catalog, assessment, credentialing, and institutional approval requirements.

Preference will be given to proposals that demonstrate:

• A clear and substantive focus on artificial intelligence.
• Alignment with an existing degree program and degree plan.
• Connection to Texas State’s AI Designators initiative, where applicable.
• Clearly defined AI-related skills, competencies, and learning outcomes.
• Relevance to workforce, industry, professional, disciplinary, or community needs.
• A feasible credit-bearing curricular structure.
• Stackability within a degree program, certificate, additional micro-credential, or career pathway.
• A sustainable plan for credential award, verification, and digital badging.

Submit a two-page max, single-spaced, proposal application to acadinnovation@txstate.edu with the following:

1. Applicant Information: Name, title, department/school, college, email address.
2. Proposed Micro-credential Title and Summary: A proposed title and brief description of the AI-focused micro-credential, including its purpose, intended student population, and value to students.
3. AI Focus and Alignment: A brief description of the AI knowledge, skills, applications, or ethical considerations addressed by the micro-credential. Applicants should explain alignment with relevant Texas State AI Designators, where applicable.
4. Degree Program Alignment Identification: of the existing degree program(s) in which the micro-credential will be embedded, including the degree plan and the point at which students can complete or earn the credential.
5. Curricular Structure: A list of the credit-bearing courses that will comprise the micro-credential, including course numbers, titles, credit hours, and whether each course is existing, revised, or proposed as new.
6. AI Skills and Learning Outcomes: A brief description of the observable and assessable AI-related skills, competencies, and learning outcomes students will gain. This should identify how students will demonstrate achievement of those outcomes.
7. Evaluation and Assessment Plan: A brief description of how student achievement of the micro-credential’s AI-related skills and learning outcomes will be evaluated and assessed. Applicants should identify the direct evidence of learning—such as assignments, projects, portfolios, demonstrations, performances, or examinations—that will be used to verify competency and inform continuous improvement.
8. Stackability and Student Pathway: A brief description of how the micro-credential stacks into an academic degree, certificate, additional credential, or career pathway, and how it supports student progress and degree completion.
9. Workforce and Stakeholder Relevance: A brief description of how the micro-credential responds to AI-related workforce, industry, professional, or disciplinary needs. Applicants are encouraged to reference labor-market information, employer feedback, advisory input, professional standards, or emerging trends (e.g., US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas Workforce Commission Labor Market, Gray DI, Lightcast, etc.).
10. Credentialing and Badging Plan: A brief description of how students will be verified as having completed the micro-credential and how it will be awarded, including the anticipated use of digital badging.
11. Implementation and Approval Plan: A concise timeline for development, consultation, and submission of the micro-credential proposal through the Spring curriculum cycle by February 1, 2027.
12. Stipend Acknowledgment Confirmation: that the applicant understands the $1,000 award will be provided as a faculty stipend after submission of the completed AI-focused micro-credential proposal through the institutional curriculum process by February 1, 2027.
13. Academic Leadership Acknowledgment: Confirmation that the applicant has discussed the proposal with the appropriate department/school and college leadership. The office of the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation will verify this information.

Proposals must be submitted by September 30, 2026, to be considered for this Academic Innovation micro-grant call.

Proposals will be evaluated on the quality and clarity of the AI focus; alignment with an existing degree program; strength of the proposed skills and learning outcomes; workforce and disciplinary relevance; feasibility for submission by February 1, 2027; stackability; and potential for sustainable implementation.

Awardees agree to:

• Develop a complete AI-focused, program-embedded, credit-bearing micro-credential proposal.
• Engage with the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation and its Office of Curriculum and Academic Programs, and relevant university partners, during development.
• Submit the proposal through PIM by February 1, 2027, for consideration during the Spring curriculum cycle and to receive the stipend.
• Comply with all applicable institutional approval, curriculum, catalog, assessment, and credentialing processes.
• Share outcomes, materials, and lessons learned with the university community as requested.

This initiative advances Texas State University’s commitment to becoming an AI-Forward institution by helping faculty create focused, rigorous, and career-relevant learning pathways that prepare students to thrive in an AI-enabled world.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Innovation at acadinnovation@txstate.edu