The Pat Cooke Fund is proud to sponsor the  Pat Cooke Fellowship in Environmental Sustainability. The Fellowship’s purpose is to promote professional development opportunities for K - 12 faculty and staff to incorporate principles of sustainability and environmental activism into their practice, classrooms, and  school culture. Fellowships of  $4,000 will be awarded to successful applicants.

 

The Fellowship, named in honor of Boston resident and environmental activist Pat Cooke, was created to support educators and staff in their professional development as it relates to broadening their understanding and/or expertise in the field of environmental sustainability. Funds can be used to support travel, materials, research, tuition, and fees, and are available for use during school vacations, summer break, and outside of school time during the school year.

 

Eligibility

 

Any faculty or staff member with at least two (2) years of service at their current school by June 30 of the year they are applying, and committed to returning to their current school the following academic year may apply.

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For this round and for the foreseeable future, The Pat Cooke Fund will continue to support current partner schools (Boston Arts Academy, Boston Green Academy, Codman Academy, and Epiphany School) and will not be accepting applications from educators not involved with those schools.

 

Proposal Guidelines

 

Proposals should describe to the awards committee how the fellowship funding will be used. Please explain your idea in as much detail as possible (Ex: taking a summer course at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in the month of July to study xxx, or, travel to Iceland for one week in February to study hot spring effects on yyy;  or participating in a Climate Fiction writers workshop retreat in July in xxx.) Include the genesis of your interest in environmental sustainability, how your PD plan evolved, and describe the connection between the fellowship experience you have constructed and your own teaching practice.

 

The proposal should not exceed 2000 words and must include:

 

• A separate cover page with the applicant’s name, home address, phone number, email address, name of school, name and contact information for the school leader, the applicant's current position, length of time at the school, and length of time in education. (None of these data are used for assessment purposes). This page is not counted in the 2000 word limit. 

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• A project name or title along with a one sentence summary of the project.

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• A separate page including a short bio of the applicant. If the applicant is granted a Fellowship, the bio will appear on the Pat Cooke Fund website. (This page will not be counted in the 2000 word limit.)​ If you have received a Pat Cooke Fellowship in the past, you may use your previously submitted bio by entering "Previous Bio", or you may update your bio.

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The proposal can be submitted as a separate document or pdf and must include:

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• A description of your self-designed PD and how this opportunity will be used to promote environmental sustainability in your teaching or your work.

• A description of 2 or 3 measurable goals you have for this fellowship. (This will also be part of the report filed with the Pat Cooke Fund at the end of the fellowship).

• A summary of what you hope to bring back to your school based on your planned experience.

• A general timeline of your planned fellowship activity, including estimated start and end dates, and other aspects important to your experience, (for example, investigative research, data gathering and assessment).

• A budget. If your project will cost more than $4,000, please include all costs in your budget and indicate which will be covered by the fellowship.

 

Applications should be submitted in Word or PDF format, as three separate documents: Cover Page, Bio, and Proposal. You may include your budget as part of the proposal or as a fourth document. Full applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2024 to:  hello@patcookefund.com

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Selection Process and Criteria

 

Applicants will be selected by the trustees of the Pat Cooke Fund based on how well their proposal meets the following criteria:

 

• Purposeful link to environmental sustainability

• Deepening of  the applicant’s knowledge about environmental sustainability

• Plan to incorporate their PD into their teaching practice

 

Proposals are encouraged from all staff interested in incorporating sustainability into their work and their lives.

 

Reporting

 

• A written summary of the fellowship, (Report Guidelines here) and (Use of Funds Budget Template here) including expenses with receipts, must be provided by September 30th, 2024.

• Any unexpended funds cannot be rolled over into the ensuing year without the express agreement of the executors. Such an agreement would be based exclusively on the understanding that the project duration does not fall exactly within the range of the identified Project Year, (April 15, 2024 - June 30, 2025). 

• The applicant must describe their plan for presenting their findings to their school staff no more than 2 months following the end of their fellowship experience.

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Timeline

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The Fellowship Year is determined by the School Year Calendar. Applications are due in accordance with the timeline information below, and fellowships must be completed by June 30 of the year following the award.

 

• The deadline for electronic submission of the application is 11:59 p.m. on January 15, 2024.

• Award notices will be provided on February 10, 2024, with funds disbursed by April 15, 2024.

• A written report​  (see guidelines in Reporting section) of the fellowship experience will be due no more than 30 days after the fellowship project has ended.

• Share-out with the school community will occur by September 30th of the fellowship year. We would like to be invited.

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Dissemination

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Fellows must also commit to taking part in one event at The Boston Foundation within one year of the fellowship for the purpose of sharing their experience and findings with Pat Cooke Fellows from other schools as well as with invited guests. Details of the event will be made available at least one month prior to the date.