California State University: Learning Innovation for Future-Forward Teaching (LIFT)

Deadline: Monday, June 1, 2026

Amount Range: $10,000 to $30,000, depending on project scope and available funding.

NOTE: All applications will need to be routed through Sponsored Programs Foundation at least one week in advance of the deadline before they can be submitted.

ABOUT: Learning Innovation for Future-Forward Teaching (LIFT) supports faculty across disciplines who wish to experiment with new approaches to teaching and learning that help students develop and recognize durable skills. Interdisciplinary collaborations are encouraged. The goal is to generate innovations that can be adapted and shared across departments and the CSU system.

Projects should help students make clear connections between:

• What they are learning in their courses and programs

• How that learning is used in professional, civic or community contexts

• The durable skills they are developing to pursue opportunity and contribute meaningfully to work and other aspects of 21st century life

ELIGIBILITY: This call is open to CSU tenured, tenure-track and lecturer faculty from any discipline. Projects must focus on undergraduate courses and programs.

 Proposals can be submitted by:

• Individual faculty members proposing course-level innovations or targeted instructional enhancements;

• Teams led by faculty within a department, program or cross-disciplinary grouping proposing coordinated approaches to strengthening applied learning across courses or pathways. Teams may also include staff, administrators, doctoral students or external partners who contribute relevant expertise (e.g., teaching and learning centers, career services, experiential learning offices, institutional research or community partners).

APPLY: For a detailed program description, visit the CSU’s Innovative Teaching & Learning Programs page. 

NOTE: If you are interested in applying or have any questions, please contact our Pre-Award Specialists Pia Gabriel at pg12@humboldt.edu, Kaz Wegmuller at kaz.wegmuller@humboldt.edu, or Jocelyne Takatsuno at jt366@humboldt.edu by May 1, 2026.