Alumni Professional Development Scholarships
The future starts now.
The TFA Nashville-Chattanooga Alumni Team is excited to offer Professional Development Scholarships to alumni living in Nashville and Chattanooga.
The purpose of these Professional Development Scholarships is to expand access to leadership development for TFA alumni living in in our region and to create pathways toward key roles impacting education.
Scholarships are available to support participation in specific programs with mission-aligned organizations and programs.
Teacher Development
Educators Cooperative - EdCo Membership
The Educators’ Cooperative is a network of teachers across Nashville that supports, collaborates, and develops best practices in teaching and learning. The Cooperative creates the time and space for teachers from a diverse range of schools across all sectors to work together to find solutions to real instructional dilemmas, experience the joy and learning found in the design thinking practice, share their insights and experiences planning together, participate in discussions with local mindfulness-in-education leaders, and create working groups across all school types, disciplines, grades and years of experience.
The Educators’ Cooperative is innovating the way teachers collaborate with one another on behalf of all students in Nashville, creating stronger schools and a new avenue for teacher leadership in the process. Applications for the next cohort of Educators Cooperative will open in early 2024, but you can check out EdCo's ongoing resources and opportunities at the link to the right!
Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance - TEC Fellowship
Educators of color need a shared, elevated voice and a stronger presence to help craft strong accountability systems that lead to improved outcomes for students of diverse backgrounds. To that end, the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance aims to strengthen the skillset of current educators of color, and provide high-quality programming for teachers of color.
The TN Educators of Color Fellowship is a year long experience designed to inform and empower local professionals. The Fellowship provides new skills, networking opportunities, growth experiences, and community with other teachers of color.
Applications for the next cohort of TECA Fellowship will open in early 2024, but you can becoming a TECA member and learn more at the link to the right!
Nonprofit and Community Leadership
Nashville Emerging Leaders
Application for 2024 now closed.
Nashville Emerging Leaders (NEL) is an 11-week leadership training program designed for young professionals in Nashville. Each year, approximately 30 individuals are chosen through a rigorous selection process.
The weekly sessions feature interactive exercises, issue exploration, self-assessments, community participation, group projects and in-depth discussions with Middle Tennessee’s top community and business leaders. The issues discussed have included personal values, Nashville politics, diversity, education and non-profits.
The sessions are designed to accomplish the following:
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Educate NEL participants on their personal styles, values and strengths so they can grow as leaders, motivate others, and impact change in their organizations and communities.
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Engage NEL participants in issues important to the broader Nashville community and engage them in shaping the future of our city.
Interested?: Application open from August 10 - September 14! Details below.
Step 1: Apply for Nashville Emerging Leaders
Step 2: After you submit the above, submit the TFA scholarship application
Young Leaders Council
Spring 2024 Cohort Applications: Open from October 5, 2023 - January 19, 2024
The Young Leaders Council mission is to train diverse, committed individuals to effectively participate on the boards of nonprofit organizations and make a difference in the community by replenishing the volunteer leadership base.
YLC’s programming consists of a series of eleven interactive training sessions, which address fundamental board skills. Each session is facilitated by an industry expert and reflects on success indicators such as collaboration, diversity and the role of catalyst deemed crucial for today’s nonprofit leadership roles. The training is followed by the completion of a one-year internship with a nonprofit community organization. During the internship, the YLC participant will serve as a non-voting member of the organization’s working board.
Interested?: Application opens October 5, 2023! Details below.
Applications for the Young Leaders Council Spring 2024 cohort are open.
The 2023 TFA Scholarship for 2023 YLC is now closed.
Leadership Public Education by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Applications open late 2023 for Spring 2024 Cohort
A 6-month public education leadership development program that empowers individuals with the knowledge and skills to serve in community leadership roles at all levels of Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS).
Participants, known as fellows, learn and discuss the structures and challenges that impact Metro Nashville Public Schools from experts in the fields of public education and organizational development. Each monthly session will be focused on engaging discussions with evidence-based, non-partisan research. Topics include:
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Public School Funding
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MNPS Budget Process
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Education Policy, Law, and Equity
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Roles and Responsibilities of Board of Education and Director of Schools
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Teacher and Principal Talent Attraction and Retention
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Conflict Resolution and Effective Communication
Every Fellow commits to an elected, appointed, and/or volunteer community leadership role impacting MNPS, such as parent-teacher organization, school or district-based advisory council, nonprofit board of directors, Academies of Nashville Partnership Council, Education Report Committee at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, MNPS Board of Education, Tennessee State Board of Education, and Metro-Nashville Davidson County boards and commissions.
Classes are held the second Friday of January – June from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Interested?: Application coming late 2023! See below for future next steps.
Step 1: Apply for the Leadership Public Education Spring 2024 Cohort
Step 2: After you submit the above, submit your TFA scholarship application
Advocacy
LibertTEA Collective by The Equity Alliance
Applications Open in 2024 for Spring 2024 Cohort
The LiberTEA Collective, powered by The Equity Alliance, is an 8-week intensive leadership program to cultivate a talent pipeline of Black Tennesseans who are ready to transform our communities as rising civic leaders and democracy defenders. In their mission to unapologetically build Black political power, the Collective welcomes the novice and the knowledgeable, to join a force of Black leaders who are fully committed to leading change that results in liberation and freedom in every area of our lives. They center the people most impacted by community problems and give them the tools to identify equitable solutions.
Liberators will complete the Collective with a solid, life-enriching understanding of what’s at stake and valuable strategies to take action towards relentless power building, liberation, and freedom. Collective cohorts will be guided by expert facilitators who provide weekly experiential learning sessions, using a popular education model that is free from judgment and intimidation.
Interested?: Application coming Spring 2024! See below for future next steps.
Step 1: Apply for the LiberTEA Collective Spring 2024 Cohort
Step 2: After you submit the above, submit your TFA scholarship application
Eligibility Requirements
TFA alumni who are interested in attending one of the following programs can apply to receive a scholarship. Scholarships are issued directly to the nonprofit organization on behalf of the alum.
Eligibility
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Scholarships are only available for the programs listed above. One scholarship is available for each program.
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Applicants can be a Teach For America alum who completed their corps commitment in any region, but must currently live within the Nashville-Chattanooga region.
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Alumni must submit a scholarship application with TFA by the deadline stated above.
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Funding is conditional on successful acceptance into the program.
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By submitting a scholarship application, applicants must commit to completing a post-program evaluation and review
Timeline
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Scholarship applications are accepted until the TFA Scholarship Application deadline.
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Applications will be reviewed by the third business day following the application deadline.
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Applicants will be notified of the decision within 5 business days of submitting the application.
Selection Criteria
Application must be fully completed, including answers to the following questions:
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How do you aspire to leverage your leadership to impact educational equity in Nashville? (minimum 100 words)
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How will this program impact how you aspire to leverage your leadership toward educational equity? (minimum 100 words)
“TAX INFORMATION: Please note that this scholarship funding may be taxable and accordingly, your program may issue you a Form 1099 (or other applicable form required by law). You are responsible for paying any and all local, state and federal taxes associated with any payment. You are advised to consult a tax professional with any questions as Teach For America does not provide tax advice.”