Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program 2026

Lilly Endowment Inc. has announced the 39th round of its Teacher Creativity Fellowship Program (TCFP), which aims to support K-12 education professionals throughout Indiana. The program offers educators an opportunity to engage in intellectually enriching and personally renewing experiences designed to re-energize their passion for teaching. These fellowships emphasize the importance of meaningful renewal through activities that go beyond typical vacations and instead focus on deep personal and professional rejuvenation. The fellowship provides up to $15,000 per recipient and is open to approximately 125 educators for the 2026 program year. The grant period spans 18 months, and proposals must include activities that would be otherwise unattainable without the support of this funding. Activities must demonstrate thoughtful planning and illustrate how the experience will foster professional growth and personal development. Applications are due by 6 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, September 8, 2025. Eligible applicants include full-time K-12 education professionals employed in Indiana’s public, charter, or private schools. This includes classroom teachers, principals, assistant principals, librarians, media specialists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, speech-language pathologists, and instructional coaches. All applicants must intend to remain employed in an Indiana school during the 2027-28 academic year. To help applicants prepare, Lilly Endowment will host three virtual information sessions on April 24, August 7, and August 19, 2025. Participation is encouraged to understand the proposal process and requirements. Proposals must be submitted as a single PDF document through the online Proposal Cover Form. The form requires detailed personal and professional background, a 50-word project summary, and submission of a five-page proposal, proof of educator credentials, and two signed letters of recommendation. School administrators must include a letter of approval from a district superintendent or organizational leader. Evaluation criteria focus on clarity, project organization, intellectual engagement, and realistic planning. Applicants are encouraged to review the 2026 Request for Proposals and sample budget and timeline documents available on the Lilly Endowment website. Questions may be directed to teachercreativity@lei.org, and further resources are accessible through their online publicity toolkit.