2026-27 Experiential Learning (EL) Funding

ALES Experiential Learning Excellence Fund (ELEF)

Have an idea to make learning more relevant and transformative for ALES students? We encourage you to apply for funding through the Experiential Learning Excellence Fund. This is limited, non-endowment funding. Priority will be given to projects that can sustain experiential learning in the long term. When applicable, please describe the financial sustainability of your initiative. As these funds are finite, proposals with lasting impact will be given preference. Questions can be sent to ales.el@ualberta.ca.

Funds must focus on ALES students and may be directed to one or more of the following aims:

  1. Access to direct experiences: ensuring all students have the opportunity to access EL opportunities;
  2. Broaden disciplinary scope: expanding EL opportunities to all students and encouraging a greater diversity of student involvement;
  3. Promotion and recruitment: enhancing EL programs and initiatives visibility;
  4. Strengthen partner engagement: sustaining and building networks and relationships with industry, government and community placement partners, thus increasing responsiveness to employer needs, work force trends and improving the host experience;
  5. Experience readiness: delivering EL opportunities that better prepare students in articulating their goals;
  6. Safety: ensuring students and placement sites are informed of required safety measures, equipment and training; and
  7. Reflective practice: providing reflexive learning opportunities that follow best practices to help students make connections back to their degrees and future career goals.

Applicants may request up to $10,000. For requests over $500, be prepared to use this budget template. Requests under $500 will use a simplified application form.

Eligibility

  • ALES continuing academic staff (faculty member, APO, FSO, ATS)
  • ALES students (to contact ales.el@ualberta.ca directly)

NOTE: The fund will be open to student groups in fall 2026.

  • Materials, supplies and other direct project costs: covers items necessary for the project’s completion
  • Indigenous honoraria
  • Community engagement and partnership-development costs
  • Costs that directly support student experience through pilot programming (e.g., transportation fees, admission fees, appropriate subsistence expenses)

  • Salaries and human resources
  • Computers and hardware expenses
  • Faculty per diem (e.g., lodging, meals, incidentals)
  • Travel not directly associated with student experience
  • Conference registrations
  • Publication fees

ALES students

Contact ales.el@ualberta.ca directly with proposals based on the templates below.

Faculty and staff
$500 to $10,000

Use this Google Form application that asks for:

  • Your name and coordinates;
  • Your ties to ALES;
  • A description of your proposal and how it addresses one or more of the aims described above or brings forth a rational for other aims not previously stated; and
  • A preliminary budget with a time frame for when the money is needed and when the project will be completed. Please keep in mind that funds must be spent within one year.
Under $500

Use this Google Form application that asks for:

  • Your name and coordinates;
  • Your ties to ALES;
  • 250 words that describes your proposal; and
  • A list of eligible expenses. Please keep in mind that funds must be spent within one year.

Proposals will be reviewed around the first of each month and an answer will be provided by the middle of the month. Assessments will take into account such issues as how a proposal addresses the aims of the fund, how the money may support one-time funding that may lead to on-going EL opportunities, how economically viable the proposal is, how many ALES students it will impact, equity among ALES departments and how funds may impact underserved populations. Adjudication will be done by the directors of experiential learning.

Academic Staff

U of A Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund (TLEF)

Designed to enhance the educational landscape by supporting innovative projects that aim to improve teaching and learning. Proposals may be awarded up to $15,000 each and will normally be completed within 1 year.

Eligibility

Applications are invited from continuing academic staff (Categories A1 [Academic Faculty Member, APO, FSO, Librarian]; A2.1 [ATS (Career, Term 12, Term Recurring)] as outlined in Appendix A of the Recruitment Policy [UAPPOL]) and must be eligible to apply for and hold research funding (see “Eligibility to Apply for and Hold Research Funding Policy.”) If an applicant is ineligible to hold research funding the applicant will need a co-applicant who is eligible to hold the funds.

Application

A link to the application process and template can be found here.

Students

Green and Gold Student Leadership and Professional Development Grant

To help current full-time students (undergraduate and graduate) become leaders in their profession following graduation. The grant funds up to 80 per cent of the total cost of an activity (e.g. conferences, seminars, skill-building workshops, experiential learning activities, etc.) to a maximum of $1,500.

Professional Development and Experiential Learning Fund (PDEL)

For current full-time and part-time undergraduate and graduate students. Covers 100 per cent of the total activity cost (in-person or remotely) ranging between $7 and $325. Eligible activities include, but are not restricted to, leadership conferences and seminars, skill-building workshops and courses, meetings and events hosted by professional associations and experiential learning activities.

Pathy Foundation Fellowship

Students at a bachelor’s and master’s level are eligible to apply to the Fellowship when they are in their final year of studies. They begin the Fellowship in June, immediately following the completion of their degree. This opportunity is a 12 month experiential learning program in youth leadership and community engagement that provides state-of-the-art training, extensive support and $50,000 in funding to launch a community-strengthening initiative in any field, sector and community across the world.