Investing in Union-Led Solutions

 

The AFT Innovation Fund invests in great ideas for improving schools from those who know them best—educators and their unions. Since 2009, the Innovation Fund has run a competitive grant program to solicit, encourage, and refine exciting approaches to hot topics such as teacher evaluation, Common Core State Standards, expanded learning time, charter and autonomous schooling, and more. Read about our funding priorities here.

To date, the fund has made 25 grants to support groundbreaking work across the nation. The thread running through all of the projects is collaboration. “This is bottom-up reform at its best,” says AFT president Randi Weingarten.

 

Leading Change

Learn more about the Innovation Fund.

• AFT Innovation Fund: Investing in Union-Led Solutions
• Chicago: Union-Backed Charter Develops Model Contract
• Los Angeles area: Bringing Labor-Management Collaboration to the School Level
• New York State: Breaking New Ground on Teacher Evaluation
• Philadelphia: Working Together to Strengthen Community Schools
• Rhode Island: Focusing on Teacher Growth and Improvement
• San Antonio: Fighting Back Against Enrollment Decline
• St. Paul: Union Creates Licensing Program for Laid-Off Teachers

News & Highlights

AFT President Weingarten Lauds Teacher-Led, Collaborative Education Model (2/8/13)

AFT-backed charter school wins unanimous approval (12/20/12)

AFT Innovation Fund Invests in Expanded Learning Time (7/28/12)

AFT Innovation Fund is solution-driven unionism (7/28/12)

To Innovate, Look to Those Who Educate (4/15/12)

Minnesota Approves Nation's First Union-Backed Organization
To Authorize Charter Schools (12/5/11)

AFT Announces New Innovation Fund Grant Recipients (7/12/11)

San Antonio's Lively Bilingual Event a Big Success (6/7/11)

N.Y. Local Showcases Labor-Management Collaboration (3/7/11)

Graduation Coaches Go To Bat for Kids—and Each Other (2/9/11)

AFT Educational Foundation Wins Federal Innovation Grant (8/5/10)

AFT Innovation Fund Announces New Investments (7/10/10)

Weingarten Highlights Unionized Charter School in Chicago (5/11/10)

Fight for America's Future Tour 2010: Chicago Talent Development High School