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Open Educational Resources (OERs)

Steely Library's guide to OERs at NKU, where you can find information on locating OER resources, grant opportunities, and more.

2025-2026 OER Instructor Grant

The 2025-2026 OER Instructor Grant offers financial assistance and professional support to NKU educators who adopt or adapt open educational resources (OER) for an NKU course. This grant is meant to support NKU instructors achieve pedagogical innovation while increasing student access to course materials.

Co-sponsored by Steely Library and the Office of the Provost, the program is in its fourth cycle and has supported the conversion of 46 courses to OER and saved students nearly $100,000 in course material costs.

 

Eligibility

All Northern Kentucky University employees with teaching responsibilities are eligible and encouraged to apply. Applications must be focused on adopting or adapting existing OER for a credit bearing NKU course to be taught in fall 2025, spring 2026, or summer 2026.

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Awards

Adopt Award

Award amount: $500

Locate, evaluate, and adopt an OER for an NKU course.

  • Locate and evaluate potential OER and choose at least one to replace a significant amount of your traditional course materials.
  • OER must be published under a Creative Commons license (derivatives authorized).

Adapt Award

Award amount: $1,000

Locate, evaluate, and adapt (through localization, revision, or remixing) OER for an NKU course. 

  • Locate and evaluate potential OER and choose at least one to revise or several to remix together. The resulting resource must replace a significant amount of your traditional course material.
  • Original OERs must be published under an open license that allows for adaptation.
  • Your adapted OER must be published under a Creative Commons license (derivatives authorized).
  • Adapted resource must be made available in the NKU Digital Repository.

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Application

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the online form and application questions can be reviewed prior to submission (a link to download the question is available at the top of the page).

Online Application Form

Review Process

Grant applications are reviewed by an OER Grant Review group consisting of NKU employees. The application rubric is available to review.

Selection of awardees is based on projects that:

  • Replace expensive course materials for students,
  • are feasible to complete during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, and
  • clearly articulate a purpose for adopting or adapting OER.

In line with Steely Library’s student-first mission, additional consideration will be given to proposals that support or include a variety of perspectives, increase the accessibility of openly licensed digital content, or incorporate open pedagogies.

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Funding Details

Grant funding is distributed after all requirements are met and before the conclusion of fiscal year 2025-2026. No funding for this cycle will be distributed before 7/1/2025 or after 6/30/2026. Once requirements are met as agreed upon in the OER Instructor Grant Agreement Form, the full funding amount will be distributed as supplemental pay via your department, directly to your paycheck. Funding can only be distributed to current employees of NKU.

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Expectations

For Awardees

  • Seek and receive approval to do OER work from your department chair or dean.
  • Sign and submit the OER Instructor Grant Agreement.
  • Attend at least two meetings with a Steely Library Librarian; first to discuss your project, open licensing requirements, and to finalize your award timeline, and second to review the chosen or adapted OER.
  • Choose or adapt an OER with a Creative Commons license (derivatives authorized).
  • Submit any adapted OER to NKU's Digital Repository.
  • All instructor authored content (adaptations only) will be ADA complaint, and include transcripts, captions, and alt-text.
  • Use only self-authored, Creative Commons licensed (derivatives authorized), or Public Domain works in your OER.
  • Complete a final report, including: a summary and reflection of the work, a link to the final resource(s), the syllabus of the course in which the resource is used, and a sustainability plan.
  • Remain an NKU employee through grant completion date.

For Steely Library

  • Will be proactive in offering one-on-one consultative support.
  • Will offer support in creating and maintaining a project timeline.
  • Will curate a list of promising OER for adoption or adaptation if requested.
  • Will offer recommendations for open pedagogical practices if requested.
  • Will send milestone email communication and check-ins, based on a shared project timeline.
  • Will offer guidance on Creative Commons licensing.
  • Will offer guidance on deciding on the best open publishing platform.
  • Will offer guidance on resource accessibility, including an accessibility checklist for adaptations.

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Timeline

The call for applications is open starting 7/15/2025 on a running basis. Award notifications will be sent as applications are submitted. Initial consultations between successful applicants and the OER Librarian to finalize a project timeline should be set up by the awardee soon after acceptance.  Awardees must complete all grant requirements before 6/30/2026 and the course within which the OER is used must be taught in fall 2025, spring 2026, or summer 2026.   

Sample Timelines for Project Completion

Adoption Timeline Example
  1. Sign OER Instructor Grant Agreement
  2. By August 15: Meet with Librarian to finalize timeline and discuss project
  3. Throughout August: Explore OER available in your subject area
  4. Late August: Review and choose OER for adoption
  5. September 25: Meet with Librarian to receive copyright approval on OER choice
  6. Remainder of semester: Design or redesign course using new OER as text
  7. January 8: Begin course
  8. May: Complete and submit final report
  9. June: Funding is distributed

Adaptation Timeline Example

  1. Sign OER Instructor Grant Agreement
  2. By August 1: Meet with OER Librarian to finalize timeline and discuss project
  3. Throughout August Discover available OER
  4. August 20: Review and choose OER to adapt
  5. August 28: Meet with OER Librarian to receive copyright approval on OER choice
  6. Between August and November: Revise found resource(s) for local need
  7. November: Import adapted resource into Pressbooks
  8. November: Meet with OER Librarian for final copyright check
  9. Late November-Early January: Design or redesign course using new course material
  10. January: Begin course
  11. May: Complete and submit final report
  12. June: Funding is distributed

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