NSF Professional Development Fund Application

Unit 18 Faculty Professional Development Fund

2026 Application
Description of the Program

In accordance with the current UC-AFT/UC Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), a Professional Development Fund provides Unit 18 faculty with financial support for professional development activities. As the relevant section of Article 9, Paragraph C4. of the MOU states, “Individual Unit 18 faculty will be eligible to submit requests for funding to support proposals for professional development including but not limited to professional meetings, training seminars, software and paid leave, all of which should be in support of pedagogical endeavors. Only those Unit 18 faculty with continuing appointments will be eligible to submit requests for paid leave.” The phrase “pedagogical endeavors” is interpreted broadly to refer to all activities and projects that contribute to the Unit 18 faculty member’s professional development and effectiveness as a teacher at UC San Diego.

Eligibility

Any Unit 18 faculty member who has or had an appointment during the grant period during which the professional development activity takes place is eligible. Part-time and full-time Unit 18 employees are encouraged to apply. Lecturers covered by the Unit 18 contract with teaching appointments in Fall 2025, Winter 2026, or Spring 2026 are eligible during this cycle. The application deadline is Friday, April 3, 2026.

Awards will cover professional development activities that take place between July 1, 2025 and December 31, 2026. Applicants do not necessarily have to have a contract during the quarter in which the professional development activity takes place as long as they have a contract that will extend or resume beyond the period of the grant (either a continuing appointment, a multi-year contract that extends beyond the grant period, or an offer letter of appointment for the following quarter or year). Pre-six lecturers requesting money for professional development activities that will take place after the appointment covered by their current contract should include written confirmation from a department chair or program director of a Unit 18 appointment for the period during which the activity will take place. Retroactive grant requests are acceptable provided they are submitted by the application deadline.

Criteria

Any activity or project is potentially fundable if its relationship to specific teaching responsibilities can be established and if it contributes to the professional development of the lecturer. Examples include academic training (coursework related to teaching responsibilities at UC San Diego); attendance fees for conferences, seminars or workshops; research expenses; travel expenses related to teaching or other scholarly endeavors; and software, equipment, books or films for use in the preparation of pedagogical research. Course releases or paid leave for up to one quarter can be requested only by lecturers with continuing appointments.

The professional development fund is not intended to support the following: instructional improvement or course development that should be funded by departments, programs, or other administrative units (for example, materials used directly by students in the lab or classroom); projects aimed primarily at supporting student work; projects that cannot demonstrate an ultimate beneficial impact on pedagogy or the educational mission of UC San Diego; projects that seek funding for the production or promotion of publications; projects that mainly benefit or involve institutions or entities other than UC San Diego; compensation to students; and technical support that should be funded by other university resources.

The most common grants cover conference costs (travel, hotel, fees) for participants of record (organizers, panelists, presenters); however, funds have also been granted for equipment, material, and travel related to academic research. Conference presenters are far more likely to be funded than those only attending.

Guidelines

UC travel policies and budgetary stipulations must be followed when requesting funds for travel reimbursement. Please review the policies for domestic and foreign travel, ground transportation, per diem, lodging, meals and incidental expenses (M&IE) when creating a budget (to calculate foreign amounts). Because there is a limited amount of funding, the committee appreciates attempts to travel inexpensively.

In the interest of assuring an equitable distribution of available funds, preference will be given to applicants who have not received a grant in the previous two years. While applicants who have received $5,000 in funds in the last two years usually must wait at least two years after their most recent grant to apply again, exceptions may be made if there are enough funds available. The suggested range for requests is $500 to $3,000. Funds approved may be less than or more than amounts requested, depending on the availability of money and the applicant’s supporting information. Therefore, the application should include the most detailed and comprehensive budget possible. Late and/or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Procedure

The Unit 18 Professional Development Committee, made up of five Unit 18 faculty volunteers approved by the UC-AFT, must follow university procedures for making faculty awards. Applicants must notify their department chair/program director and obtain their signature. Recommendations by the committee will be submitted to the Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for review and subsequent action. Award notifications will be sent electronically to the email address provided on the application. Approved funds will be disbursed through the applicant’s department, program or academic unit. To receive funds, original receipts and other proof of expenditures will be required by your department, program or academic unit. Submit copies or price quotations of all budgeted expenditures with this application.
Your application must include all relevant documentation:
- A 1-2 page explanation of the proposed project, including a description of contributions to your professional development and the academic value to the pedagogical endeavors of UC San Diego;
- Supporting materials such as conference announcements, price quotations and/or copies of receipts, currency conversion, if applicable, and letters of acceptance or endorsement;
- A budget and timetable for the conference or project, including a list of any other available sources for which the applicant has applied or will apply (in the budget, provide a breakdown of exactly how all the funds being requested will be spent/ have been spent; see sample below);
- A current curriculum vitae with current contact information (address, phone number, email);
- Written confirmation of a Unit 18 appointment (i.e. contract/appt letter);
- Complete Jotform application, including name of department chair or program director and email for endorsement. Please be cautious of providing the correct email for your department chair as their endorsement is necesssary for the Jotform application to move forward in the review workflow. Chairs/Directors will be notififed every 4 days until there is a response. Applicants will recieve an email notifying them of their department endorsement.
  - Please bulld into your schedule for the application to be vetted for any follow-up questions or unforeseen delays as no late submissions will be accepted.
Please click here for a Sample Dual-Conference Budget Breakdown with currency conversion

Unit 18 Faculty Professional Development Fund Application
Full Applicant Name (must be same as account name from Expenses )*

First NameLast Name
Unit 18 Academic Department*
Candidate Email*
example@example.com
Phone Number*
Unit 18 appointment dates (start and end dates of current contract)*
Brief description of purpose for funds*
Date(s) for which funding is requested*
Budget Request Amount*
Have you received an NSF Professional Development Award before?*

YesNo
If "yes" above, indicate years and amounts of awards
Current Curriculum Vitae (CV)*

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Written confirmation of a Unit 18 appointment*

Cancelof
Project description:*

A 1-2 page explanation of the proposed project, including a description of contributions to your professional development and the academic value to the pedagogical endeavors of UC San Diego
Cancelof
Expenses List

Expenses List *

	Description/Name	$ Amount	Notes (Describe location/ride share details/currency converter rate)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

Total Table Expenses Listed
This field is pre-populated from values above
Supporting documents (conference description, acceptance letter, endorsement letter, etc.)*

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Expense #1*
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded. If an amount is entered in this field without a corresponding invoice being uploaded, an error will occur not allowing you to submit the application.
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 1 - If applicable, provide original currency, with currency conversion rate for U.S. Dollar to match the amount listed above (see currency conversion example) *

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Expense #2
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded.
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 2

Cancelof
Expense #3
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 3

Cancelof
Expense #4
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 4

Cancelof
Expense #5
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 5

Cancelof
Expense #6
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 6

Cancelof
Expense #7
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 7

Cancelof
Expense #8
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 8

Cancelof
Expense #9
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 9

Cancelof
Expense #10
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 10

Cancelof
Expense #11
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 11

Cancelof
Expense #12
This amount should match the field entered from the table above and have the corresponding receipt uploaded below
Upload photo receipt or estimated invoice (if travel has not yet occurred) for item 12

Cancelof
Total Expenses from Receipts Uploaded
This field is pre-populated from the individual values above and should be equivalent to the amount auto-populated from the table above.
Department Chair/Director*

First NameLast Name
Department Chair Email*
It is extremely important the correct email is submitted as the application will not move forward in the review process without dept endorsement.
I certify*

I certify that all information entered above is valid and true.I certify that I read the Travel Policy and Procedures.
Should be Empty:

Unit 18 Faculty Professional Development Fund

Description of the Program

Eligibility

Criteria

Guidelines

Application Procedure

Your application must include all relevant documentation:

Unit 18 Faculty Professional Development Fund Application

Expenses List