Supporting Educators

Supporting Educators Through Our Grants and Investments

Fulcrum supports leadership development, continuing education, and creating a transformative learning experiences for every student through grant programs, and strategic annual investments.

Supporting Schools Through Our Grants

The Fulcrum Foundation promotes excellence in school leadership through the Educational Leadership Scholarship Grant Program.

For more information contact:

Susan Ocoma
Senior Programs Director
206.748.7988
susan.ocoma@fulcrumfoundation.org

Educational Leadership Grant Program

The Fulcrum Foundation promotes excellence in leadership and teaching through the Educational Leadership Grant Program. Grants through this program support aspiring administrators and principals seeking principal certification or graduate-level degree programs at one of our partner universities.

Partner universities include:

• Boston College
• Creighton University
• Gonzaga University
• Seattle University
• Saint Martin’s University
• University of Chicago, Loyola
• University of Notre Dame
• University of Portland
• University of San Francisco

Application Posts Online: Mid-January 2027
Application Due Date: Early April 2027

APPLY

Strategic Investments

Fulcrum invests annually in the Office for Catholic Schools’ efforts to build leadership capacity in schools by identifying, forming, and retaining high-quality leaders at every level.

Fulcrum supports over 30 building leadership capacity cohorts annually in the areas of Mission and Catholic Identity, Academic Excellence, Governance and Leadership, and Operational Vitality. Below are two examples of leadership efforts Fulcrum supports.

• Leadership Academy
A yearlong leadership development program for aspiring administrators and new principals developed by the Office for Catholic Schools. Sessions are offered on managerial, academic, spiritual, and strategic leadership. Working in solidarity to ensure a system of excellent Catholic schools, the Leadership Academy provides the knowledge, skills, strategies, and best practices for current and future school leaders.

• GRACE Program (Growing Resilient Authentic Catholic Educators)
GRACE develops strong instructional leaders who are also outstanding teachers. Teacher-leaders may remain in their classroom roles or become a school administrator while leading professional leadership teams at their schools.

For more information contact:

Kelly Surapaneni
Coordinator of Leadership Development
kelly.surapaneni@seattlearch.org

St. John Baptist de la Salle Educator Excellence Award

The Fulcrum Foundation presents an annual St. John Baptist de la Salle Educator Excellence Award to distinguished educators in our archdiocese. St. John Baptist de la Salle, the patron saint of teachers, devoted his life to the education of young people.

Nominees are considered for their unwavering commitment to mission and Catholic identity, their leadership and inspiring presence in their school community, their dedication to academic excellence, and their efforts to go above and beyond to ensure the viability and sustainability of their school. The criteria for Fulcrum’s new award are based on the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Elementary and Secondary Schools, or more frequently referred to as the NSBECS.

Awardees are honored in multiple ways, including within their local school communities.

Accepting Nominations for the 2026/27 St. John Baptist de la Salle Award: March 1, 2026-April 15, 2026

NOMINATION FORM

• List of Past St. John Baptist de la Salle Awardees