September 11, 2018
In partnership with the NoVo Foundation and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, we are proud to announce the 2018 teacher and district awardees of the Social and Emotional Learning Innovation Fund.
This year, we received over 1,000 applications from more than 45 states. Through a competitive process, 12% of applicants were selected, 90 teachers and 34 districts.
Read more about the teacher award-winning projects here.
Read more about the district award-winning projects here.
The Social Emotional Learning Innovation Fund offered up to $5,000 grant awards for teacher-led projects and $25,000 grant awards for district- or public charter school-led projects that span multiple schools in the 2018-19 school year. All recipients will have the opportunity to present their work to and connect with a group of national SEL practitioners, experts and advocates at a convening later this year.
The Innovation Fund sought proposals from individual educators, teams of educators and district leaders seeking to improve systems that foster social and emotional skills in fresh, inventive or innovative ways. Examples include novel interventions or instructional practices focused on improving competencies such as resilience, learning mindsets, compassion, self-management and sense of belonging.
The Innovation Fund looked for proposals to create places, environments and practices that value belonging, well-being, tolerance, compassion, listening, non-violence, inclusiveness, working productively together and looking out for one another. Though all proposals were welcome, it also sought proposals that specifically support one or more of the following student populations:
- Students from indigenous communities
- New arrivals (such as refugees) or immigrants
- English learners
- LGBTQI students
The Innovation Fund launched in 2016. Over the past three years, it has given $2.3 million to teachers and districts.
