2027 Cotton in the Curriculum Grant Program

Cotton Incorporated is a not-for-profit company whose mission is to increase the demand for and profitability of cotton through research and promotion. Cotton is one of the world’s most widely used fibers, and Cotton Incorporated sponsors the Cotton in the Curriculum (CIC) Grant Program to support faculty in the fields of fiber, textiles, apparel, fashion design, and merchandising. The program supports the development of coursework, class projects, and experiences that help students learn more about cotton and cotton products.

The core resource supporting these efforts is CottonWorks™ website, which provides comprehensive, industry-relevant information for educators, students, and industry professionals.

All 2027 proposals must align with one of the program themes:

• Choosing Cotton: Focus on how cotton is evaluated, compared, and selected relative to other materials. Projects should engage students in understanding tradeoffs and determining when and why cotton is the right choice.
• Expanding Cotton: Focus on how cotton can be applied in new, underutilized, or non-traditional use cases. Projects should explore opportunities for cotton beyond its most common applications

For the 2027 CIC Program, Cotton Incorporated is requesting proposals for two unique tracks:

Track 1: Cotton Education Innovation Grants

Funding Range: Up to $40,000

Goal: Advance students’ understanding of cotton and its role in the apparel and textile industry through expanded and integrated learning experiences.

Objective: Support comprehensive educational programming that integrates cotton into curriculum and student learning experiences.

Track 2: Cotton Materials Mini-Grant

Funding Range: Up to $8,000

Goal: Promote hands-on experience with cotton materials among apparel, fashion, and textile students.

Objective: Support cotton-dominant raw materials, project supplies, and student awards for focused, application-based student projects using cotton materials.

While both tracks may include hands-on student work and product creation, Track 1 supports broader, multi-dimensional projects with expanded impact, while Track 2 supports more focused projects centered on materials and implementation.

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Eligibility

U.S. university and college faculty in the fields of fiber, textiles, apparel, fashion design, or merchandising are invited to submit proposals. Preference will be given to programs that place a significant number of graduates in textiles, apparel and related merchandising positions with U.S. brand and retail companies.

Faculty project leads may only submit one proposal but may be listed as supporting faculty on multiple proposals. Faculty project leads and supporting faculty must be at the same college/university. Multi-university proposals will not be considered.

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How to Apply to Any Grant Track

Submit a proposal by completing the online application on the CottonWorks™ website. The application includes a questionnaire about the project and will require you to upload a proposal file (PDF files only). Each grant track has specific requirements. Review the track descriptions and requirements carefully before submitting.

Required: Before applying, please inform the contracts and grants office or the business office at your college or university. You will be asked to provide their name and contact information in the proposal.

• Proposal Due: 11:59 p.m. ET on Friday, July 24, 2026
• Project Leaders Notified of Funding Decision: On or before October 1, 2026
• Project Orientation Meetings with Project Leaders: November 2026–January 2027

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The CIC Grant Program is administered by Cotton Incorporated under the Importer Support Program of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program.

Applicants are encouraged to visit Cotton Incorporated’s websites for additional information about Cotton Incorporated, cotton production, processing, products, and innovations – cottoninc.com and cottonworks.com. Questions should be directed to cottoneducation@cottoninc.com.