Overview
Funded in 2021, the Leaders in Education Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Racial justice (LEADER) initiative aims to elevate community-driven efforts to increase and sustain diversity in Washington’s educator workforce. Between 2021-2030, the LEADER initiative will coordinate and connect regional coalitions to transform educational policies, practices, and institutional cultures through a series of planning and implementation grants. Planning grantees will develop a workforce strategic plan using LEADER goals and approaches.
LEADER is supported by College Spark.
Goals
- Increase racial, ethnic, linguistic, gender, and community representation across the educator workforce.
- Sustain a diverse racial, ethnic, linguistic, gender, and community represented educator workforce.
- Advance change in policies, practices, and institutional cultures to amplify equity, antiracism, and racial justice across the education system.
Approaches
- Champion community-driven change to ensure the work reflects and is guided by the voices and needs of communities in Washington.
- Focus on systems change with an understanding that educational systems that support students of color benefit all learners.
- Prioritize racial justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout the initiative.
- Collaborate with partners to bring people, resources, and ideas together across government, local communities, and the private and philanthropic sectors.
- Build on the talents and strengths of a diverse education workforce to improve relationships with and experiences of students, families, and educators, especially within communities of color.
Grant information
LEADER is funded by College Spark Washington with $13.8 million invested over eight years. The review process was administered by PESB. Each LEADER grantee will lead a regional coalition of Educational Service Districts (ESDs), school districts, educator preparation programs, community groups, and federally recognized or non-federally recognized tribes, to assess regional needs and assets in order to design and implement a plan to meet the grant goals.
Regional coalitions
Regional coalitions are made up of conveners (the primary grant applicant with financial responsibility), planning teams, and partner groups. Grant projects will center the needs and assets of the region. Conveners must be an Educational Service District (ESD), federally recognized or non-federally recognized tribe, community organization, educator preparation program, school district, or another group that meets the eligibility requirements.
Planning grants (2022-24)
The two-year planning grant will provide up to 10 regional coalitions with $150,000 ($75,000/year) to map community assets, analyze local needs and opportunities, and develop a workforce strategic plan. Even if not awarded an implementation grant, all planning grantees will remain part of the LEADER initiative through 2030 to spend their remaining funds and attend statewide learning community meetings.
Timeline
Dates subject to change. *Indicates required application action for conveners.
October 2021- February 28, 2022
Pre-application
Applicants can request application information via the inquiry form. Regional data guide available to applicants on PESB website.
February 28, 2022
Online application opens
March 17, 2022
Informational and data webinar
Learn about the LEADER initiative and application packet. Conveners must conduct a preliminary review of regional data by reviewing the regional data guide and attending the webinar or watching the video recording. You will address preliminary regional needs based on the data in your application.
By March 25, 2022, at 5 p.m.
Application part 1
*Applicants must submit a preliminary list of planning team members and 5-10 partner groups by March 25. PESB will use this list to administer a previous engagement survey.
FYI for conveners: Engagement surveys are due from team members and partners by April 15, 2022, at 5 p.m.
By April 29, 2022, at 5 p.m.
Application part 2
*Complete your online application (linked by February 28). Applicant review will take place in May. Applicants who advance through the screening process will be invited to prepare a presentation for the review panel.
May 16 – 27, 2022
Applicant presentations
*Prepare a 90 minute presentation. PESB will send a scheduling invitation to request a presentation time.
July 13, 2022
Awardees announced
Funds available to grantees
August 2022 – July 2024
Planning grant
Grantees work on grant deliverables, including their workforce strategic plan.
The two-year planning grant will provide up to 10 regional coalitions with $150,000 ($75,000/year) to map community assets, analyze local needs and opportunities, and develop a workforce strategic plan. Even if not awarded an implementation grant, all planning grantees will remain part of the LEADER initiative through 2030 to spend their remaining funds and attend statewide learning community meetings.
Timeline
Dates subject to change. *Indicates required application action for conveners.
| October 2021- February 28, 2022 |
Pre-application Applicants can request application information via the inquiry form. Regional data guide available to applicants on PESB website. |
| February 28, 2022 | Online application opens |
| March 17, 2022 |
Informational and data webinar Learn about the LEADER initiative and application packet. Conveners must conduct a preliminary review of regional data by reviewing the regional data guide and attending the webinar or watching the video recording. You will address preliminary regional needs based on the data in your application. |
| By March 25, 2022, at 5 p.m. |
Application part 1 *Applicants must submit a preliminary list of planning team members and 5-10 partner groups by March 25. PESB will use this list to administer a previous engagement survey. FYI for conveners: Engagement surveys are due from team members and partners by April 15, 2022, at 5 p.m. |
| By April 29, 2022, at 5 p.m. |
Application part 2 *Complete your online application (linked by February 28). Applicant review will take place in May. Applicants who advance through the screening process will be invited to prepare a presentation for the review panel. |
| May 16 – 27, 2022 |
Applicant presentations *Prepare a 90 minute presentation. PESB will send a scheduling invitation to request a presentation time. |
| July 13, 2022 |
Awardees announced Funds available to grantees |
| August 2022 – July 2024 |
Planning grant Grantees work on grant deliverables, including their workforce strategic plan. |
Implementation grants (2024-2030)
Following the planning grant, all regional coalitions will have the opportunity to apply for grant funding to implement their workforce strategic plans. Grantees will be expected to share the outcomes of their strategic plans with the larger LEADER community. Award decisions will vary by region based on their priorities, needs, and opportunities. The process and awards for implementation grants will be shared with grantees prior to the end of the planning grant.
Learn more
- Application is closed – Read the application information packet
- Read frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the information packet
- Review of regional data with the regional data guide
Following the planning grant, all regional coalitions will have the opportunity to apply for grant funding to implement their workforce strategic plans. Grantees will be expected to share the outcomes of their strategic plans with the larger LEADER community. Award decisions will vary by region based on their priorities, needs, and opportunities. The process and awards for implementation grants will be shared with grantees prior to the end of the planning grant.
