Texas Education Foundation Network (TEFN), a program of the Texas Pioneer Foundation, annually presents Outstanding Achievement Awards to recognize excellence and exceptional performance in best practices of school foundations that are impactful, innovative, outcome driven and makes a difference for their respective schools. Selected achievements are intended to inspire new ideas that foundations can implement in their organization.
TEFN wants to recognize and honor Texas education foundations that rose to the challenges presented to our public schools by the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2021 Outstanding Achievement Awards ceremony will be held virtually and TEFN will be honoring those who helped to elevate educators, students and families during this unprecedented challenge.
Education foundations were community heroes that demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to providing resources and support to assist the learning process during the Covid-19 crisis. Education foundation staff members and volunteers delivered school supplies, meals, internet connectivity, learning devices and much more, going above and beyond the normal scope of education foundation operations.
The TEFN 2021 Outstanding Achievement Awards will have a different structure this year. It will be more open ended to capture the great things you did as an education foundation during the Covid-19 pandemic. TEFN invites nominations for the 2021 Outstanding Achievement Awards to showcase your success and innovative ways to solve problems the school district faced during the crisis. Ideas for submission may include how your education foundation:
The review team will be looking to see how your education foundation solved a problem and thoughts may include:
Our respect for the invaluable role of education foundations in Texas public schools is why TEFN cares so deeply about the work you are doing. We look forward to the opportunity to honor the heroes in the education foundation sector.
Applications. Submissions should be made via narrative response to the question below (1,000 word maximum). Supporting visual aids, such as marketing materials or photographs for video are encouraged. The file size should not exceed 5MB.
Deadline: Applications will be accepted March 23-April 23rd. Winners and grant funding awards will be announced during a virtual awards ceremony on May 13th. All TEFN members are encouraged to attend.
Finalists: Selected finalists will be asked to give a short presentation showcasing your awards submission during the live ceremony on May 13th and top winners will be awarded additional grant funding based on the merit of the project and strength of their presentation.
The Award Selection Committee is comprised of representatives selected by the Texas Pioneer Foundation. Members of the committee are nonprofit executive directors, former education foundation directors and consultants nationwide. Members of the Awards Selection Committee are not eligible, during their service to this Committee, to receive an award.
The Committee’s objective is to recognize excellence and innovation in the work of education foundations. Specifically, the Committee is responsible for reviewing nominations and determining the recipients for the TEFN Outstanding Achievement Awards. Specific objectives for this year are: