The Learning Forward Foundation scholarships and grants encourage educators to pursue their professional learning dreams. Put your ideas into action and apply your research and creativity to impact your most profound challenges through professional learning.

Applications for Learning Forward Foundation scholarships and grants are now live, so here are some tips for success as you navigate the application process:

Watch the Foundation webinar

The Foundation webinar supports applicants in ensuring their grant/scholarship application is aligned to the foundation expectations. Enter your name and email address, and on the next screen select “Click Here to Enter Presentation.”

Do some pre-reading

Before even beginning the application process, take a look at the some recommended readings from our Learning Forward Foundation Board. Explore these examples of professional learning practices that highlight learning in action, and use these ideas to inspire actions you might take in when crafting your application:

The State of Educators’ Professional Learning in Canada: Executive Summary
This executive summary showcases the research questions addressed in the study, summarizes findings and conditions for professional learning in Canada, and concludes with implications for next steps.

A new study, Beyond PD: Teacher Professional Learning in High-Performing Systems, provides evidence that continuous professional learning deeply embedded into the framework of schools is fundamental to student success. The study examines teacher professional learning practices and identifies common patterns across four high-performing school systems: Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and British Columbia. Learning Forward has created resources to help educators in a range of roles explore the findings in the study and consider implications for policy and practice.

Get together and plan your journey

Work with a leadership team or another individual to envision desired outcomes and identify success criteria.  Then develop a roadmap to achieve your goals!

Remember your roots

When writing your grant application, always keep in mind the Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning, or principles of effective professional learning, and ensure that you are addressing how the elements of professional learning will impact your goals.

Check for these other winning ingredients

  • Commitment of the awardee to engage as an active learner during the three years of the award;
  • Commitment to improve the learning culture in schools or districts to lead results-driven professional learning;
  • Engagement in collecting evidence and evaluating impact of the project;
  • Sustained support from your district or organization;
  • Willingness to share learning across the Learning Forward network;
  • Ongoing support of Foundation activities;
  • Clearly articulated professional learning goals;
  • Project outcomes aligned to the Learning Forward Standards and/or Principles of Professional Learning  that are appropriate to your state/province/organization;
  • Alignment of project goals and action plans;
  • Well-developed budget; and
  • Evaluation plan with defined methods of measuring success.

Download the application and apply before the deadline!

Apply today — the deadline for all opportunities is March 15, 2017.  See links for applications for each opportunity below:

Learning Forward Foundation Academy Scholarship: The foundation provides scholarships for school-based and district-based educators engaged in the Academy experience. The foundation also provides the Patsy Hochman Academy Scholarship for a Texas educator at the school or district level engaged in the Academy experience. Download application.

Learning Forward Affiliate Grant: The purpose of this grant is to provide a Learning Forward affiliate organization with the opportunity to further their work within their respective state/region/province. This grant provides funding to allow an affiliate to create or expand their outreach thus enhancing the focus on professional learning that improves student achievement. The grant, for up to $10,000, funds a multi-year project. Applicants must be officially recognized Learning Forward Affiliate organizations (see the affiliate web pagefor more information about affiliates). Download application.

The Principal as a Leader of Professional Learning Scholarship: The Principal as a Leader of Professional Learning Scholarship was created to honor the memory of Don Richardson and support the accelerating growth of a principal as he or she focuses on the Leadership standard in the Standards for Professional Learning. Through the support of the foundation, this scholarship supports the principal through Learning Forward Annual Conference participation and individualized executive coaching as he or she converts good performance in his or her school to a new level of superiority of academic learning of staff and students. Download application.

Learning Forward Team Grant: This grant supports teams (grade level, school, and district teams) in an effort to advance Learning Forward’s vision: Excellent teaching and learning every day. The grant amount is up to $10,000 to support achievement of a challenging goal aligned with the above vision and may include registration fees for the Learning Forward Annual conference for team members. Download application.

Follow these tips and a star on the Learning Forward Walk of Fame may just be in your future!

For more information about the Foundation or scholarships or grants, please visit the website or contact Victoria Duff, past chair of the Learning Forward Foundation and vice-chair of Scholarships and Grants, at 732-814-2192 or Victoria.duff@learningforward.org.