Fund for Teachers

Program Overview:
Fund for Teachers provides grants to PreK-12 teachers for self-designed professional development opportunities in locations around the world. Teachers can request up to $5,000 for individual fellowships or up to $10,000 for teams of two or more educators.

Geographic Scope:

• Oklahoma statewide
• Professional development can occur globally (teachers travel to various countries and locations worldwide)

Eligibility:

• PreK-12 grade teachers in Oklahoma public schools
• Individual teachers or teams of two or more
• Tribal members from Oklahoma tribes are eligible

Focus Areas:

• Self-designed professional development
• Experiential learning opportunities
• Academic passion exploration
• Subject matter deepening
• Craft enhancement
• Teacher professional growth

Award Details:

• Individual fellowships: Up to $5,000
• Team fellowships (2+ educators): Up to $10,000
• Grants support summer professional development experiences

Application Process:

• Rigorous selection process using Fund for Teachers scoring rubric
• Applications reviewed without reference to teacher name, school district, or demographics to eliminate bias
• Teachers submit proposals explaining need for professional development to fill teacher and student learning gaps

Program Impact:

• Since 2002, more than 1,000 Oklahoma teachers have received Fund for Teachers grants
• Total funding distributed: Over $3.6 million
• Since 2006, Oklahoma has been the first state in the nation to offer grants to educators statewide

Partnerships:

• National nonprofit Fund for Teachers
• Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence
• Tulsa Community Foundation
• Oklahoma Tribal Alliance (Chickasaw Nation, Osage Nation, Cherokee Nation, Citizen-Potawatomi Nation, Choctaw Nation, Sac and Fox Nation, Seminole Nation, Ponca Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma)
• Stuart and Temple Foundations of Tulsa

Contact Information:

• Sara Wilson: swilson@ofe.org
• Website: fundforteachers.org

Additional Program: Donna Gradel Fund for Teachers Fellowship - A special recognition award that honors a teacher whose innovative, self-designed professional development will help students become problem solvers and world changers. Named after Donna Gradel, a two-time Fund for Teachers Fellow and award-winning educator.

Application Process

1. Proposal Submission
   • Submit proposal explaining the need for professional development opportunities
   • Proposals should identify how professional development will fill both teacher and student learning gaps in classrooms
2. Selection Criteria
   • Applications reviewed using Fund for Teachers scoring rubric
   • Blind review process (no identifying information visible during review)
   • All applications read without reference to teacher name, school district, or demographics
3. Award Determination
   • Individual fellowship requests: Up to $5,000
   • Team fellowship requests (2+ teachers): Up to $10,000
4. For more information:
   • Contact: fundforteachers.org
   • Local contact: Sara Wilson at swilson@ofe.org