Since the majority of graduate students attend GMU on a part-time basis, providing funding for recruitment of full-time students becomes a necessity. Students are provided with coverage of the majority of their coursework through grant and sponsor organization funding. In return, the sponsor receives a developed prototype and design document that reflects current theoretical and prescriptive constructs in the field of instructional design.This creates a win-win situation in allowing students authentic interaction with corporate clients, the design process and implementation issues as well as provides the organization innovative design solutions grounded in learning theory.

Although the goal is to progress through the design process from analysis to evaluation, the group is not typically held accountable for a fully developed, commercial level product. The emphasis remains on the teaching and learning that occurs through experience in designing and developing the project. Sponsor organizations have been very supportive of this emphasis and endorse this perspective through attending presentations and formative review sessions set up by the students.