Applications Open for Spring 2026 DELTA Grants

At NC State, some of the most meaningful teaching innovations begin with a question.

What would help students better understand a difficult concept? How might a course become more engaging, flexible or accessible? What new approach could help instructors solve a persistent teaching challenge?

For more than two decades, DELTA Grants have helped instructors turn questions like these into real, research-informed solutions for student learning.

Applications for the spring 2026 DELTA Grants cycle open April 13 and close May 8, 2026. Through year-long partnerships with DELTA, selected faculty and instructors receive financial support, specialized expertise and a collaborative team focused on bringing instructional ideas to life.

Since 2000, DELTA Grants have supported more than 600 instructors across NC State, helping them enhance courses, explore emerging technologies, strengthen teaching effectiveness and create reusable resources with broad impact.

New this year is a Faculty Fellows: Canvas Ambassador Grant for 2026-2027, designed to support NC State’s transition to Canvas. DELTA is seeking representation from every college to ensure diverse voices and discipline-specific needs are included. 

Canvas Ambassadors will promote training and support resources, share updates within their departments and faculty networks, and communicate faculty perspectives and needs back to DELTA. Participants will also help coordinate or facilitate at least one Canvas-focused workshop or resource to support effective teaching with Canvas. Selected ambassadors will receive a $2,000 grant for approximately 30-40 hours of engagement over the academic year.

A partnership built around your instructional goals

DELTA Grants are designed to support instructors who want to improve student learning through thoughtful, research-informed innovation.

Rather than offering funding alone, the program connects recipients with a DELTA team that may include specialists in instructional design, media design and development, research on classroom effectiveness and more.

Together, these teams work to address instructional challenges and design novel solutions that can continue serving students long after the grant cycle ends.

From course redesigns to immersive visual media, DELTA Grants provide multiple pathways to support your teaching goals.

“As busy faculty, we often have great ideas but not always the expertise — or the time — to bring them fully to life. DELTA makes that possible. Their team brings incredible expertise and a true spirit of collaboration that helps turn ideas into something real. If you ever have the opportunity to work with DELTA, take it — it will almost certainly be one of the most productive and enjoyable collaborations you’ll have,” said Teaching Professor Melissa Ramirez in the Department of Biological Sciences.

What recent DELTA Grants partnerships have made possible

Recent projects across campus show how instructors are using DELTA Grants to explore new instructional approaches, strengthen course design and expand student learning opportunities.

Hybrid Learning Grants utilize AI to enhance course design and student learning

In a recent Hybrid Learning Grants cohort, instructors partnered with DELTA to redesign courses using flipped and hybrid learning strategies that shift lectures into flexible online environments and create more time for active learning during class.

As part of this work, DELTA instructional designers explored how generative AI tools could support course planning and student engagement. Faculty used structured prompt templates and custom GPT tools to:

• Refine learning objectives
• Organize course content
• Support reflective learning
• Provide guided feedback opportunities for students

These tools helped instructors streamline course redesign while introducing new ways to support students as independent thinkers and problem solvers.

➡️ Read: Hybrid Learning Grants Utilize AI to Enhance Course Design and Student Learning

Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) fitness expands experiential learning opportunities

Through an Exploratory Grant, Associate Teaching Professor Renee Harrington partnered with DELTA to introduce immersive learning experiences into HESF 106: Triathlon.

Students now explore realistic race-day transition environments using VR before practicing those skills in person, improving confidence and preparation, while opening the door to broader research into immersive wellness and biometric-supported learning experiences across campus.

The project continues to inform new collaborations across campus and contributes to DELTA’s growing work supporting extended reality (XR) experiences in classrooms at NC State.

➡️ Read: Inside NC State’s VR Fitness Revolution

Virtual environments bring landscape architecture concepts to life

In LAR 221: Introduction to Environment and Behavior for Designers, faculty partnered with DELTA to create a virtual environment and interactive Matterport tour of Kids Together Playground.

These tools allow students and broader audiences such as educators, planners and community members to explore park design asynchronously. They were also able to examine how design decisions affect accessibility, movement and experience from both adult and child perspectives.

The resulting platform expanded access to field-based learning while creating reusable instructional resources with impact far beyond a single course.

➡️ Read: DELTA Grants LAR 221 Project: An Invitation to Walk in the Park

High-structure course design strengthens student success in biotechnology

DELTA Grants have also supported projects focused on helping students better understand how course structure supports learning.

In BIT 410/510, instructors partnered with DELTA to create animations, peer-style “Pro Tips” videos and interactive learning resources explaining the value of high structure course design. High structure course design is an evidence-based pedagogical approach that uses frequent feedback and active learning to support long-term retention.

Student survey results following the redesign showed improvements across more than 20 measures related to engagement, collaboration and motivation.

➡️ Read: High Structure Course Design Improves Student Success

Taken together, these projects show that DELTA Grants can support a wide range of ideas, from large-scale redesigns and immersive technologies to targeted interventions that improve clarity, confidence and engagement in existing courses.

Which DELTA Grant is right for your idea?

DELTA offers several grant types designed to support different instructional goals:

Course Design Grants support the creation or substantial revision of an established course through research-based instructional design. Projects may include developing new learning materials, integrating instructional technologies or producing multimedia resources that strengthen course structure and student learning experiences.

Hybrid Learning Grants assist instructors in redesigning existing courses or developing new courses using blended and flipped learning strategies. These projects combine the strengths of asynchronous and in-person instruction to create more engaging learning environments.

Course Improvement Grants provide professional development and structured support for improving existing online or blended courses. Participants work alongside DELTA advisors and a faculty cohort to align their course with nationally recognized Quality Matters standards.

Exploratory Grants support the investigation of specific instructional challenges or emerging teaching methods within existing courses. These projects often involve testing new technologies, such as immersive learning technologies, adaptive learning tools or mobile applications.

Faculty Fellows: Canvas Ambassador Grants support experienced instructors serving as faculty leaders during NC State’s transition to the Canvas learning management system.

Program Design Grants support departmental efforts to develop or strengthen online academic programs. Program Design Grants are not part of the spring 2026 cycle.

Support begins before you submit a proposal

Interested in strengthening your proposal idea before you apply? DELTA Grants Group Consultation sessions offer a chance to connect with the DELTA team, learn more about the proposal process and get early feedback as you shape your project.

During these sessions, participants can:

• Explore which grant type best fits their idea
• Ask questions about the proposal process
• Talk through project goals with DELTA staff
• Learn how to develop a stronger, more competitive submission

These conversations are a core part of the DELTA Grants model and help ensure proposals align with both instructional goals and long-term impact.

Key dates for Spring 2026 DELTA Grants

Application period: April 13 – May 8

Review period: May 11 – 15

Recipient announcement: Early August 2026

Faculty and instructors can explore grant types, eligibility requirements and proposal guidance on the DELTA Grants website.

For instructors ready to redesign a course, experiment with immersive tools or tackle a long-standing instructional challenge, this DELTA Grants cycle offers a collaborative pathway to move ideas forward and build something with lasting impact for NC State students and for the future of learning.

Still have questions? 

Questions are always welcome. The DELTA Grants process is designed to be collaborative, and the team is happy to help instructors explore ideas, identify the best grant pathway and strengthen proposals before submission.

Visit the DELTA Grants page for more information about each grant type and important dates. The website remains available year-round as a central resource for instructors exploring proposal ideas.

View the DELTA Grants FAQ page for information about grant eligibility, the review process and general inquiries.