Investing in Vermont’s Teachers
Pre-registration is now open for the 14th Annual Rowland Conference, October 30, 2025 at UVM
The mission of the Rowland Foundation is to invest in Vermont teachers in order to positively change the culture and climate of schools. While culture and climate are closely related, they are not the same thing. Culture consists of the shared values, expectations, and ways of being in a school community. Climate is the way members of the school community perceive and experience these norms.
Become a Rowland Fellow!
The Rowland Foundation hosts informations sessions for Vermont teachers interested in applying for a Rowland Fellowship to improve the culture and climate of their school. Join us virtually from 4-6pm on one of the following dates: April 17, May 14, June 18, August 21, September 18, or October 16.
Positively Impacting Vermont Schools
Over 100 Fellows & Counting
The Rowland Foundation has funded fellowships for over 100 Vermont teachers to positively change the culture and climate of schools. Through shared leadership Rowland Fellows have helped over 45 Vermont schools innovate in areas such as equity, accessibility, technology, place-based learning, and student voice. See the Rowland Fellowship grants awarded and schools funded to date.
Hosting Vermont’s Largest Education Conference
The Rowland Foundation hosts the largest educational conference in Vermont with over 400 educators, students, administrators, policymakers, and community members participating each year. The Annual Rowland Conference features internationally known keynote speakers and workshops from Vermont educators.
Supporting Regional Innovation
During their cohort experience, Rowland Fellows focus on school-specific fellowship work with support from peers working at other schools. In the spirit of collective impact, the Rowland Foundation now supports veteran Rowland Fellows who team up across school districts to share ideas and do work at the regional or statewide level. Recent teams have focused on Digital Wellness and Deeper Learning.
Diversifying the Educator Workforce
Even as a growing body of educational research demonstrates the positive impacts of teachers of color for all students, Vermont’s educator workforce does not reflect the increasing diversity of the overall population. In recognition of this disparity, The Rowland Foundation is pleased to offer a new grant program to support aspiring educators of color as they pursue licensure in Vermont. See our Rowland DEW Scholars here.
Supporting Women’s Leadership
Women face unique challenges in educational leadership. The Annual Rowland Women Leadership Retreat is an immersive, experiential gathering of Rowland Fellows who identify as women, intended to provide a space where they can unplug from the demands of work and family and share experiences and strategies to address the unique challenges that women leaders face in the workplace.
News from the Field
Join the
Rowland Fellowship
Application Window:
November 1- December 31, 2025
Each year the Rowland Foundation awards up to six Rowland Fellowships to Vermont middle grades and secondary school teachers. Since some teachers apply with a partner to share a fellowship, the number of Rowland Fellows selected from qualified applicants for each cohort varies from year to year.
The Rowland Foundation’s mission is to invest in Vermont teachers to positively change the culture & climate of schools. We welcome applications from all Vermont teachers who work directly with students in the middle or secondary grades. Administrators, instructional coaches, coordinators, and program directors are not eligible to apply.
