Learning & Education Advancement Fund Plus (LEAF+)

The Learning & Education Advancement Fund Plus (LEAF+) is a special funding opportunity to support innovative teaching and learning projects that align with an emerging University of Toronto priority. LEAF+ projects are generally short term (one year or less), exploratory in nature and involve knowledge sharing across the cohort of project leads and the broader U of T teaching and learning community.

2024 LEAF+ Project Theme: Equitable and Inclusive Teaching

In conjunction with the call for Expressions of Interest for the Learning & Education Advancement Fund (LEAF) in winter 2024, the Office of the Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education (OVPIUE) welcomed proposals for projects addressing the theme of equitable and inclusive teaching as part of a special stream of funding, LEAF+. These seed grant proposals should advance equitable and inclusive teaching and learning in curricular contexts at the University of Toronto.

These Seed projects address a range of approaches to advancing equity and inclusion in courses or programs, including:

  • Attending to Indigenous ways of knowing and being and anti-colonial approaches to course or program content.
  • Intentionally diversifying course or program content.
  • Engaging the expertise of people from structurally excluded groups.
  • Addressing systemic barriers for students.
  • Re-developing course assignments and processes to improve access and accessibility.
  • Creating opportunities for student learning related to equity and inclusion competencies.
  • Responding to discipline-specific challenges/opportunities.
  • Other related topics that advance equitable and inclusive teaching and learning.

Funding recipients in this category will form a cross-disciplinary network, meeting periodically to share insights on project learnings and outcomes. This exploration will serve as a conduit for shared learning and community building as instructors’ pilot new strategies and methods in their courses. The funding recipients will be invited to participate in dissemination activities, including a community showcase event and publication of reports on a LEAF+ project website.

  • Expressions of Interest due February 28, 2024, through the OVPIUE LEAF website.
  • Funding results shared in April 2024.
  • Projects to be completed by end of Spring term 2025.
  • Short report submitted in June 2025.
  • Participation in dissemination activities and publication of reports on a LEAF+ project website.
  • Proposals will be accepted from either individuals or project teams. 
  • Proposals will be accepted from U of T faculty, staff and librarians with continuing appointments in all academic divisions. 
  • Attend a kick-off meeting for all project leads.
  • Participate in a 1-on-1 meeting with project team if and when appropriate.
  • Participate in special topics meetings, based on needs of the group and the types of projects that are funded. This could include webinar sessions or round table discussions.
  • Complete a check-in survey in the fall to determine preliminary learnings from your project.
  • Attend a final project lead meetings after the conclusion of the Spring 2025 term.

Previous LEAF+ Projects

2023: Generative AI in Teaching and Learning

2023 LEAF+ projects are now complete. Visit the Open UToronto webpage, LEAF+ Generative AI in Teaching and Learning, to learn about the 11 participating projects and insights garnered by LEAF+ project leads.

Visit the Generative AI in the Classroom Frequently Asked Questions page for more information about Generative AI in the classroom.

2022: Future of Digital Learning

The LEAF+ Insights: Future of Digital Learning project brought together four divisions of the University of Toronto for a collaborative exploration of post-COVID opportunities for digital learning. Read the integrated report summarizing the project outcomes and highlighting potential strategic actions to support digital learning: