Plan with Purpose: Reflect, Brainstorm, and Build Your Fellowship

A strong fellowship begins with a meaningful purpose. Fund for Teachers encourages applicants to design learning experiences that respond directly to student needs and teaching challenges. Use the questions below to clarify your goals and transform your ideas into a focused fellowship plan.

Reflect on Your Students – Consider the students at the center of your work:

• -What are their needs, talents, and special interests?
• -What transformative learning experience do you want to offer them?
• -What barriers are limiting their engagement or achievement?

Reflect on Your Practice – Next, think about your own growth as a teacher:

• -What problem of practice do you want to address?
• -What part of your teaching needs deepening?
• -What new skills, knowledge, or experiences would help you better serve students?

Brainstorm Possibilities – Now connect your student goals and your learning needs:

• -What are creative ways to address your problem of practice?
• -Where might you go to learn, and why is that location meaningful?
• -What activities or experiences would give you new insight or expertise?
• -Why does this learning matter for your students?
• -Talk through your ideas with colleagues, administrators, students, and families. Their perspectives can help sharpen your purpose and uncover new directions.

✅ Next step: Download and print the Project Planning Timeline to stay on track for submitting your application in January.