Sustainability Teacher Fellowship 2026-27 Cohort Applications open in December
Each year, a cohort of K-12th-grade educators from Arenac, Bay, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, Saginaw, and surrounding counties is selected. Interdisciplinary teams (comprising two or more educators) are strongly encouraged to apply to collaborate on their proposed work. New and returning fellows are encouraged to participate. Depending on the size of the application pool, new fellows may be prioritized over returning fellows. To read more about eligibility, click here.
Participate in 30 hours of professional development and curriculum design on sustainability and place-based learning, including virtual, face-to-face, and asynchronous formats.
Connect with school and community partners (e.g., a business, non-profit, government agency, neighbors, etc.) around local sustainability investigations and solutions such as water quality, circular economy, land use, food waste/composting, climate change, environmental justice, energy use, etc.
Design a multi-week learning experience on a watershed-related sustainability problem using provided templates and support from content and pedagogy experts from the University of Michigan, Delta College, Dow, Chippewa Nature Center, Michigan SeaGrant, MSU Extension, and other project partners.
Implement watershed-related, sustainability education experiences that engage students in meaningful outdoor learning, action projects, and community-sharing events.
Participation in evaluation, networking, and professional development activities through in-person and virtual settings. Key dates and elements include:
June 11th, 2026: an in-person session, including a field-based exploration, a community partner resource fair, and a Sharing Celebration featuring the 2025-26 place-based sustainability education (PBSE) projects.
June to August 2026: online, asynchronous professional development courses (~15-20 hours)
August 4th & 5th: in-person field-based sessions, modeling PBSE tools, and exploring regional sustainability issues and solutions.
October 2026 to April 2027: optional virtual sessions for fellows and partners.
During the 2026-2027 school year: at least two virtual design consultation sessions with University of Michigan project staff to support project design and implementation.
Mid-June 2027: an in-person Sharing Celebration to showcase project results to the broader regional community.
Develop, implement, and share a project, place-based instructional experience, and action project around a local sustainability issue during the 2026-2027 school year.
This student experience can vary in length but should engage students for at least twenty hours, connect them with a local partner, engage them in spaces outside the classroom for at least 5 hours, and result in an action project to help address sustainability issues and a public student presentation.
Document the implementation of the place-based sustainability education project by collecting artifacts (video, photos, student work) with appropriate student consent and share with other project participants.
Professional development and design support from program staff to help develop instructional materials.
A $2,000 stipend. This stipend is paid in 3 installments during your Fellowship year and is linked to each fellow’s completion of the professional development sessions and final reporting requirements.
Up to $1,000 reimbursement for project-related expenses (transportation, classroom materials, etc.).
SCECHs for participation in professional development.
Connections to potential local partners.
Opportunities to showcase your students and school and connect to your community.
Opportunities to network with other regional educational professionals, community partners, and experts in climate change, sustainability, and place-based education.
Access to curated online resources for sustainability and place-based education.
Opportunity to join the newest cohort of sustainability teacher fellows to continue to deepen and expand your efforts.
Access to professional development opportunities.
Subscription to our monthly newsletter, Teaching Towards Sustainability, which highlights sustainability projects, grant opportunities, and resources.
Mentorship and networking opportunities with other fellows.
Eligibility for additional funding to continue place-based sustainability work in your classrooms.
Opportunities to pilot new programs and resources.
Access to a network of committed education professionals interested in place-based sustainability education.