GENERAL INFORMATION
  • With funding from The Lemelson Foundation, the ASEE Engineering for One Planet Mini-Grant Program (EOP-MGP) is an initiative that supports faculty in designing and piloting curricular changes to integrate sustainability across engineering programs using the EOP Framework and Other Resources.
  • Successful applicants will receive seed funding for their proposed curricular changes and will join a community of over 69 existing EOP-MGP awardees leading transformative sustainability work in higher education across the nation.
  • The program activities will span Spring - Summer 2026 for course modifications in Fall 2026 and a virtual final Public Symposium early 2027.
  • Please note: Although this form may appear lengthy, it should only take approximately 45 minutes to complete. The application consists of seven short-answer questions (up to 1,000 characters each) and typically fits on about one page of responses.
The application deadline is Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11:59 PM, ET.

PROGRAM COMPONENTS
  • Each selected institution will receive a total of $8,000 in mini-grant funding, contingent upon compliance with program requirements, to support faculty teams in designing and piloting curriculum modules. For the 2026 cohort, 24 institutions will be selected, with each institution required to form a team of at least two faculty members.
  • A key feature of the EOP-MGP is the mentorship component, which provides faculty teams with expert guidance in curriculum development, sustainability, and engineering education. Program mentors have proven invaluable in supporting past cohorts' success through personalized coaching.
  • A Community of Practice (CoP) provides opportunities for faculty participants to engage in peer networking, share their curriculum development progress, and learn from each other in a synchronous setting that provides a supportive and inclusive culture and fosters Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ).
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
  • This application should be completed by and submitted by the designated Team Lead, also known as the Principal Investigator (PI). If duplicate applications are submitted only the most recent application will be reviewed.
  • Team Leads must be affiliated with a U.S.-based institution, but may partner with international institutions by including a co-PI from outside the U.S. While this program only funds U.S. institutions, international partnerships and collaborations are encouraged.
  • Team Leads must be from institutions that have not received funding for EOP in the past - from a previous cohort of the ASEE EOP-MGP program or from the Lemelson Foundation directly. However, different campuses of the same institution are eligible to apply. Alternatively, aspiring Team Leads from institutions that have been awarded EOP funding in the past can consider serving as a co-PI with a Team Lead from an institution not previously funded. To verify if your institution has been previously funded for EOP, please reference this list of all former awardees.
  • Team Leads must commit to securing additional team members. Research indicates that working as part of a team results in greater curricular transformation than individual efforts alone. While this application does not require information for co-PIs, if selected as an awardee, ASEE will require the submission of this information.
  • Team Leads must acknowledge and comply with the program sponsor's policy of limiting institutions to a maximum of 15% indirect costs. Following selection of awardees, ASEE will provide the documentation to the Sponsored Research Office (SRO) of the awardee to support this policy. As such, please wait to address this with your SRO until confirmation of selection. Please note that ASEE will provide documentation to your Sponsored Research Office after award selection to support this 15% limit; no action is needed during application.
INFORMATIONAL WEBINARS

If you have questions, then please email the ASEE EOP-MGP Program Team at eop-mgp@asee.org or consider registering for one of the following free informational webinars:
EOP-MGP CIV ONLINE SYMPOSIUM

Interested in learning about our CIV Awardees? Join us for our EOP-MGP CIV Symposium:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Please review the program goals and requirements, as well as the EOP Framework & Other Resources, before submitting your application.

We encourage you to take 20 minutes to watch the "EOP Resources to Support the Integration of Sustainability Into Engineering Education" video created by Cindy Anderson, a dedicated program mentor and consultant for The Lemelson Foundation. The passcode for access is: jU.H$1WQ

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* 1. Where did you learn about this opportunity?

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* 2. Have you applied to ASEE's Engineering for One Planet Mini-Grant Program (EOP-MGP) before?

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* 3. What inspired you to apply for the EOP-MGP? How does the timing of this opportunity fit into your broader goals around sustainability-focused curriculum development?
Your response is limited to 1000 characters.

Part I. Policy Acknowledgements 

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* 4. Seed funding for this program is restricted to U.S. institutions. However, international partnerships and collaborations are encouraged. Team Leads must be affiliated with a U.S.-based institution but may partner with international institutions by including a co-PI from outside the U.S. if desired. Is the institution the Team Lead is affiliated with based in the United States?

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* 5. As part of our sponsor's commitment to broadening the impact of this funding, this program aims to provide seed funding to institutions that have not previously received EOP seed funding. Therefore, Team Leads must be from institutions that have not received EOP funding in the past - as an ASEE EOP-MGP awardee or as a Lemelson Foundation pilot grantee. However, different campuses of the same institution are eligible to apply. Before responding to this item, please review the list of former awardees. Has the Team Lead's institution received prior EOP funding?

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* 6. Research indicates that working as part of a team results in greater curricular transformation than individual efforts alone. Team Leads will be expected to secure additional team members to support you in your EOP change initiative. Please note that you will be assumed to be the Team Lead or PI by completing this application. Please indicate agreement with this expectation and status on team formation below.

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* 7. It is the intent of the program sponsor, The Lemelson Foundation, to fund curricular change initiatives that accelerate the infusion of environmental and social sustainability in college programs. To optimize impact, ASEE has adopted the funder's policy of limiting institutions to taking a maximum of 15% indirect from the mini-grant funding. If selected as an awardee, will you comply with the policy limiting indirect costs to 15%, understanding that you will contact your Sponsored Research Office (SRO) with documentation provided by ASEE following selection?

Part II. Professional, Demographic, and Institutional Information

We are requesting demographic and institutional information to track representation in this program and to prioritize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice among program participants.
Professional Information

Please complete this section of the application with information about the Team Lead only. If selected as an awardee, there will be a follow-up survey for additional team members to submit their demographic and institutional information.

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* 8. Contact Information

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* 9. Describe your research interests in a few words.
Your response is limited to 200 characters.

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* 10. Optional: Please upload a copy of your CV/resume in PDF format.

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* 11. Optional: Please upload a letter of support from your leadership team (e.g., Dean, Provost, Department Chair).

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* 12. Optional: If you would like to provide links to your professional website, LinkedIn profile, or a similar professional resource, please add them below.

Demographic Information

Please complete this section of the application with information about the Team Lead only. If selected as an awardee, there will be a follow-up survey for additional team members to submit their demographic and institutional information.

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* 13. Which of the following most accurately describes you?

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* 14. What is your race/ethnicity? Please select all that apply.

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* 15. Do you have any documented disability (e.g., hearing impairment, physical disability, or mental diagnoses)?

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* 16. Are you a Veteran of the United States Armed Forces?

Institutional Information

If, as Team Lead, you are unsure about the classifications for your Institution, then please refer to the following:

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* 17. Is your higher education institution private or public?

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* 18. What is the highest-level degree offered at your higher education institution?

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* 19. What size (number of students) is your higher education institution?

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* 20. What is the setting of your institution?

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* 21. Which of the following classifications for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) describe your institution? Please select all that apply. You may wish to reference the 2025 MSI Directory.

Part III. Curricular Change Initiative Proposal Information — Background

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* 22. DEIJ Efforts: What are you and/or your institution doing to engage in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) efforts? When possible, provide specific examples of programs that support DEIJ efforts in research, teaching, and/or service.
*Note: Some states restrict or prohibit discussion of DEIJ-related topics in grant or program materials. Team Leads in or affiliated with institutions in those states should omit this question. If you are unable to answer this question, please type "N/A" and this will not affect the review or evaluation of your application.
Your response is limited to 1,000 characters.

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* 23. Definition of Sustainability: What does the concept of “sustainability” mean to you? Please include one or more examples of the way you use it in your existing research, teaching, and/or service.
Your response is limited to 1,000 characters.

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* 24. Current Status: How are you and/or your institution integrating the concept of sustainability into engineering curricula currently? When possible, include information about specific programs of study (i.e. majors, minors) and/or regularly offered courses that emphasize sustainability.
Your response is limited to 1,000 characters.

Part IV. Curricular Change Initiative Proposal Information — Proposed Idea(s)

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* 25. Proposed Idea(s): What is/are your proposed idea/ideas for using the EOP Framework to magnify the focus on sustainability in engineering programming at your institution?  Please reference the EOP Framework in your response.
Your response is limited to 1,000 characters.

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* 26. Feasibility: Elaborate on the feasibility of implementing your proposed idea(s). (e.g., How could you engage leadership to garner support?)
Your response is limited to 1,000 characters.

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* 27. Student Impact: How do you envision that your proposed idea(s) for curricular change will impact students? Will others be impacted too? Please elaborate.
Your response is limited to 1,000 characters.

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* 28. Longevity: How might your approach lead to curricular changes that sustain beyond the award period? Please elaborate.
Your response is limited to 1,000 characters.

You have completed your application for the 2026 cohort of ASEE EOP-MGP. We can't wait to learn about your ideas! Before you click "Done", please select the option below and enter your email so that you receive confirmation of your submission and a copy of your responses.

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