DEADLINE TO SUBMIT COMPLETED MOU FOR CONSIDERATION IS JANUARY 30 , 2026.

Are you a faculty member at an Oklahoma public college or university, or part of the Online Consortium of Oklahoma? We have fantastic news for you! For the 2025-26 academic year, $215,000 is available in OER Faculty Teaching Grants to support the adoption and development of zero-cost open textbook projects. Here’s everything you need to know to take advantage of this incredible opportunity.

Understanding the Grant Levels and Options

The grant program offers four distinct levels of funding, each designed to support different stages and scopes of OER adoption and development:

• Level 0 ($500): Refresh or create ancillary materials for existing OER in use or collaborate on OER teaching.
• Level 1 ($1,000): Adopt a new, single Open Educational Resource (OER) textbook.
• Level 2 ($1,500): Adopt two or more OERs as remix/revision into a new single OER textbook.
• Level 3 ($3,000): Full authorship of a single new OER textbook with at least 75% original content.

In addition to these base grants, there are several add-on options to enhance your project:

• Option A ($500): Create ancillary materials such as homework, learning activities, and assessments for a course using OER with a Creative Commons license.
• Option B ($500 each, up to 3): Engage teaching collaborators who will support the OER grant project in the 2025-26 academic year.
• Option C ($250): Include a project collaborator to aid in the curation, organization, implementation, and alignment of your OER project.

Available Funding and Priorities

The $215,000 minimum award funding available for FY26 will be distributed with specific priorities in mind:

• Absolute Priority: Transferable, credit-bearing courses.
• Competitive Preference 1: Courses listed on the Course Equivalency Project matrix.
• Competitive Preference 2: High enrollment and general education courses.
• Competitive Preference 3: Part of a program supporting a critical occupation area.
• Competitive Preference 4: Addresses underrepresented or underserved populations.

How to Apply

The process to apply for these grants is straightforward and involves several key steps:

1. Express Interest and Apply:
   • Complete the FY25 OSRHE OER Grant Interest Form (one per course).
   • Watch recording that outlines the FY26 MOU.
   • Complete OER Grant Application Form to create the MOU (one per course).
   • MOU will be sent to you by email to collect final signatures.
   • Once completed, return MOU to Tracey Romano, tromano@osrhe.edu for consideration.
   • If awarded funding, receive executed MOU with official award email.
2. Submit Verification of Adoption:
   • Submit verification of OER adoption to request award disbursement.
   • Early disbursement is available by February 25, 2026, with final disbursements occurring after the deadline of April 30, 2026.
3. Teach Your Course:
   • Finalize your OER course materials, optionally using OPEN OCO Pressbooks.
   • Teach with your OER no later than summer 2026.
   • Survey the impact of OER on your course through performance metrics and learner feedback.
4. Submit Your Report:
   • Refer to the final OER impact report template within the OER grant MOU.
   • Submit a final project report via Smartsheet by September 1, 2026.

Get Started Today!

Don’t miss out on this chance to enhance your teaching resources while supporting cost-saving measures for students. For more information and to begin the application process, complete the FY26 OSRHE OER Grant Interest Form. You will be invited to attend a consultation meeting to discuss your individual goals.
Together, let’s make higher education more affordable and accessible for everyone in Oklahoma!