Here are some frequently-asked questions about the grant process. Have a question not listed here? Contact us.
Grants FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for a J-WEL Education Innovation grant?
Faculty members and Principal Investigators are eligible to apply for J-WEL grants. Others may apply on behalf of a team that includes a Faculty or PI (such applications require a statement from the collaborating Faculty or PI). This year, members of the Digital Learning Lab are eligible for special consideration as independent researchers.
Whether they are applicant or team member, the identified lead Faculty or PI should participate significantly throughout the project and oversee the work. Grant activities, including design, development, testing, and documentation may also involve students, postdocs, and others.
Employees of MIT Open Learning whose work falls entirely within Open Learning are not eligible for J-WEL grants. OL staff who are collaborating with researchers or faculty elsewhere at MIT are encouraged to apply through the collaboration anchored elsewhere at MIT.
All proposals require a letter of support from your department chair by the deadline.
When does the application portal open? When is the deadline to submit a proposal?
The application portal for AY2026 projects is now open. We review all proposals once submissions have closed in February 2025. The J-WEL Faculty Advisory Committee, chaired by Prof. John Brisson, along with other J-WEL affiliated reviewers, rigorously review grant applications before selecting proposals for funding in keeping with the criteria we have outlined and available funding.
We will announce this year’s grant recipients in April. Funds will be made available by the end of June.
Can I review the application questions prior to entering the application portal?
A PDF of all application questions can be viewed here.
Is there a maximum amount of funding a project can request?
Proposals may request up to $80,000.
Where can I access the budget template before entering the application portal?
The budget template can be viewed here.
What elements make for a strong proposal?
To evaluate proposals, we assess: 1) alignment with our priority topics; 2) cost-effectiveness; 3) MIT department support; 4) grounding in evidence; and 5) potential to deliver unique contributions to global educational transformation in keeping with J-WEL goals and approaches.
We expect every proposal to generate materials to share with global audiences. We prioritize work that is likely to be relevant to educators and learners in the Global South or transitional economies.
Does the J-WEL budget accept MIT standard’s F&A rate?
J-WEL Education Innovation grants do not require MIT F&A.
If a grant is coming from two departments, who should write the letter of support?
A letter from either department is acceptable.
Who will administer the grant account after the funds are transferred?
Funds will be transferred to the MIT PI participating in the collaboration who will disburse them according to the budget. The MIT PI's department will be responsible for any reimbursements or other financial processes.
Can the project budget be modified after the grant is awarded?
Minor modifications to the project budget are allowed. The PI or Project Lead should contact j-wel-grants@mit.edu to make any changes.
Can a previous grantee reapply for a second grant on a different topic?
Past J-WEL grantees are not eligible to apply with a project for which they have already received an Education Innovation grant. We will, however, consider new proposals that build on previously funded completed projects if you now propose to collaborate with one or more J-WEL member organizations. Please contact us to learn more about our members.
Are there other requirements of grantees?
Brief quarterly reports are required for all grantees.
We expect you to join scheduled meetings with our team and other grantees at two to four events over the year. In particular, we want to ensure that J-WEL members and project partners learn from your work and anticipate several opportunities for you to interact with our global collaborators.
We require grantees to release specific content, which we invite you to define, under a CreativeCommons Attribution 4.0 International License.
If you are seeking funding to extend or develop an ongoing or prior effort supported by MIT or through funding obtained by anyone at MIT, disclose existing funding sources and define the incremental effort and additional deliverables that a J-WEL grant would enable.
Should any revenue accrue from the work undertaken through the grant, it must be shared with J-WEL through an agreed-upon arrangement.
Our team is presenting on our J-WEL funded project; how should we acknowledge J-WEL’s contribution?
Grantees must acknowledge funding from the MIT Jameel World Education Lab in all presentations and publications and products/services related to this project. Should any revenue accrue from the work undertaken through the grant, it must be shared with J-WEL through an agreed-upon arrangement.
After the completion of a project, what are the next steps?
At the project’s end, grantees are required to submit a summary report that describes the work completed, surprises encountered, and the specific outcomes from the grant, including results with respect to defined project metrics and all work products, including reports, papers, tools, documents, and materials we can share, within two months of the project end date.
Additionally, we encourage past grantees to continue participating in on-campus and virtual J-WEL events.