Projects & Initiatives
K-12 Formative Education Grant Competition
The Transformative Education Lab (TLab) at Boston College invites K–12 educators and school professionals worldwide to apply for the inaugural Formative Education Grant Competition.This grant honors the many ways educators help students grow not only in knowledge, but as whole persons – in classrooms, after-school programs, and community settings. Selected projects will receive funding, recognition, and mentorship from Boston College faculty to advance the values of formative education.
Formative education is about more than academic achievement – it’s about shaping the whole person. Every lesson, activity, and relationship plays a role in helping students develop across multiple dimensions. As educators, you have unique opportunities to engage students not only in academic learning, but also in becoming thoughtful, compassionate, and purpose-driven individuals.
We understand formative education as a complex, multidimensional process, grounded in the following key principles:
Wholeness – supporting students’ intellectual, emotional, ethical, and even spiritual growth.
- How do you create learning experiences that engage both students’ minds and emotions?
- In what ways do you nurture curiosity, character, and self-awareness?
Purpose – helping students discover who they are and how they want to contribute to the world.
- How do you connect classroom learning to students’ personal interests, values, or life goals?
- How do you help students recognize their capacity to make a meaningful difference beyond school?
Community – creating a sense of belonging and shared responsibility.
- How do you encourage collaboration, empathy, and a sense of responsibility for others?
- How do your students learn to foster belonging and make a positive difference in their classroom, school, or broader community?
We welcome proposals that highlight how you nurture one or more of these dimensions and how they intersect in your practice.
We are seeking innovative projects that reflect your commitment to formative education in diverse K-12 settings. Whether at the classroom, school, or district level, your ideas can help shape a holistic approach to education and inspire others. This competition is your opportunity to showcase and expand the ways you support students’ growth as whole persons — and to join a community of educators committed to formative education.
Projects may take one of two forms:
- New Initiatives - ideas you will design and implement with grant support
- Existing Practices - strategies you are already doing that you wish to share, with the option to refine or expand
Successful projects will:
- Align with one or more dimensions of formative education, and show how these dimensions intersect in practice
- Demonstrate innovation and creativity in advancing whole-person education
- Set clear, student-centered goals that can be measured and reflected upon
- Use creative, engaging approaches that spark curiosity and growth
- Be feasible to implement and adaptable by others
- Aim for lasting impact, not just a one-time event
Projects may include but are not limited to: (a) classroom innovations, (b) after-school or enrichment programs, (c) school-wide or district initiatives, (d) community-based partnerships, (e) family engagement projects, (f) student-led initiatives.
- Open to all K–12 educators, counselors, and school professionals (individuals or teams).
- Projects must be designed for your own classroom, school, district, or community program.
- Applicants should secure support from their principal or administrator.
- A signed media release form is required for participation.
Proposals (1000-1500 words) should include the following, tailored to the track that best fits your project:
- Project Title & Summary - Concise overview of your project
- Rationale & Connection to Formative Education
- Project Design & Timeline - Description of planned activities, participants, and timeline for Spring 2026 implementation
- Expected Outcomes - Student-centered goals and how you will assess or reflect on progress (evidence of impact if available)
- Sustainability & Sharing - How your project could continue beyond the grant and how others might learn from it
- Project Title & Summary - Concise overview of your practice
- Rationale & Connection to Formative Education
- Practice Description - Description of what you are currently doing, and how it works.
- Evidence of Impact- Examples of outcomes, student reflections, or documentation of results so far
- Sustainability & Sharing - How this practice could be refined, expanded, or adapted by others
- 10 projects will each receive $3,000.
- 2 outstanding projects will each receive $5,000.
- Awardees will be paired with a faculty mentor in the Boston College Lynch School of Education and Human Development for guidance tailored to their project – whether designing a new initiative or expanding an existing practice.
- All projects will be presented at the Final Showcase in June 2026 and may also be highlighted at other TLab events as part of a growing professional learning community.
- Oct 1, 2025: Call for proposals open
- Dec 1, 2025: Submission deadline
- December 2025: Review by TLab committee
- January 2026: Notification of awardees
Spring 2026
Awardees will work with mentors to develop, implement, or document their projects, depending on the track:
- New Initiatives - Awardees will design and carry out projects with grant support for the duration of the semester.
- Existing Practices - Awardees will document, refine, or expand on current practices and prepare to share them more broadly.
Summer 2026
- Awardees submit a short final report on outcomes, lessons learned, and future plans
- Projects may be presented or highlighted during TLab and Boston College events, such as conferences and colloquia
- Awardees are invited to attend a Summer Institute at Boston College
Our review committee will evaluate proposals based on the following:
- Alignment with formative education principles (wholeness, purpose, community)
- Innovation and creativity in advancing whole-person education
- Clarity of goals and outcomes, with student-centered focus
- Feasibility of implementation and adaptability for other educators
- Potential for sustainability and long-term impact
Selected projects will represent diverse approaches to formative education and will highlight practices that can contribute to and inspire others in the field.
The following initiatives reflect the Transformative Education Lab's commitment to educational transformation grounded in dignity, purpose, and social responsibility. We believe that by focusing on the whole learner and the systems that support them, we can create a more just and flourishing world.
Advancing Formative Education Research
TLab participates in and curates research being done on whole-person learning and development. By synthesizing insights across disciplines—philosophy, anthropology, developmental psychology, education, history, counseling, media studies, and more—we bring together scholarship that informs policy and practice in schools, communities, and universities.
- Collect and curate formative education research across Boston College and beyond
- Conduct inquiry into practices that foster ethical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual growth
- Develop a research-to-practice pipeline that supports scalable innovation
Designing Transformative Learning Tools
In collaboration with educators, youth, and community partners, TLab is prototyping practices and frameworks that draw on the core principles of formative education. These tools support schools in nurturing the whole learner.
- Develop and pilot educational tools aligned with holistic development
- Create frameworks to support the development of formative teachers and leaders
- Incorporate user feedback to refine tools for broader dissemination
Advancing Professional Learning for Educators & Leaders
Recognizing the central role of educators in facilitating transformative development, TLab is designing a suite of professional learning experiences. These equip educators to engage with the moral, spiritual, emotional, and relational dimensions of teaching and leadership.
- Launch a professional development series rooted in whole-person learning
- Facilitate school-based learning cohorts and leadership retreats
- Build capacity for systems change through formative practices
Hosting Interdisciplinary Convenings & Conferences
TLab is creating space for conversation and shared learning through academic and practitioner-oriented conferences and convenings. Our inaugural conference will highlight formative education across contexts and disciplines.
- Host TLab’s first academic conference on formative education in Fall 2026
- Participate in GRACE 2026, focused on global Catholic education
- Bring together voices from diverse fields to inform holistic education
Building Strategic Partnerships
Collaboration is at the heart of TLab. We are cultivating partnerships with schools, universities, and organizations that are developing holistic educational approaches. Through these relationships, we aim to co-create and scale successful models of formative education.
- Develop cross-sector and community-based action research partnerships
- Engage schools in co-designing formative education practices
- Foster networks for mutual learning and sustained innovation
Establishing TLab as a National Hub
Through sustained collaboration, strategic communication, and values-based inquiry, TLab is positioning itself as a national leader in formative education. This includes the launch of our digital presence, a strong visual identity, and continued engagement with thought leaders.
- Launch official TLab website to share research, tools, and stories in Fall 2025
- Finalize TLab branding and logo through community-driven design
- Onboard postdoctoral fellow to deepen research and collaboration