Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership

What Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership does

The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership is a 501(c)-equivalent non-profit professional development fellowship for K-12 teachers, established in 2000 and housed within the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science (KIETS) at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. The program operates a competitive fellowship that selects K-12 teachers from North Carolina and (as of 2026) Virginia to participate in a year-long experience combining 80 hours of professional development, a $5,000 stipend, three-week industry immersions with corporate and government partners, capstone classroom projects, and lifetime membership in a 680+ alumni network. Core products are the flagship Fellowship plus three complementary programs — STEMwork (project-based learning), Mountains to Sea (place-based professional development), and Not Your Average PD (free online PD) — supported by a curriculum resources library and an annual conference. The underlying technology stack is minimal: the organization has no proprietary platform and delivers services through its website (kenanfellows.org), social channels, email newsletter, and in-person events, with curriculum distributed as lesson resources authored by Fellows.

The business model is grant- and sponsorship-funded rather than tuition-based. Revenue is sourced from corporate foundations (Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Duke Energy Foundation, Meta, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies), state agencies (NC Department of Environmental Quality State Energy Office, NC Department of Public Instruction), federal partners (U.S. Department of the Navy / Fleet Readiness Center East), and regional workforce intermediaries (Hampton Roads Workforce Council). The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: teachers are recruited through school-district partnerships, industry partners, and alumni referrals, then selected via a competitive application process. Pricing to teachers is zero (stipends paid out, not fees collected). Operational scale is small: 17 core staff plus an annual faculty cohort of Kenan Fellows alumni who help design and deliver programming. Outcome metrics reported by the organization include 90% educator retention five years post-fellowship, 100% reporting improved industry-collaboration skills, and 94% reporting growth in leadership identity.

Name

Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership

Legal name

Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership

Website

https://kenanfellows.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership is a non-profit K-12 teacher fellowship housed at NC State University, providing stipends, industry immersions, and professional development to North Carolina and Virginia teachers through grant-funded programs and a 680+ alumni network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Teacher Professional Development and Leadership Services

NAICS

Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Educational Services (61), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Curriculum & Instruction / Instructional Design Programs (EDAHAFAE), Alternative Teacher Certification & Licensure Programs (EDAHAFAC), District-Run Virtual Academies & Online Programs (EDAJADAB)

Keywords

• Teacher professional development
• K-12 workforce pathways
• Industry immersion fellowships
• Project-based learning training
• Teacher leadership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Corporate Sponsorships: The program is funded through generous financial support from corporate, education, government, and foundation partners including Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Duke Energy Foundation, Meta, FUJIFILM Biotechnologies, and others who sponsor teacher fellowships and professional development programs.
2. Government Grants: Funded by state agencies including NC Department of Environmental Quality State Energy Office, NC Department of Public Instruction, and U.S. Department of the Navy to support workforce-connected professional development for teachers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership is a non-profit professional development program that places K-12 teachers in immersive industry experiences, supported by stipends, professional development hours, and a statewide alumni network. It operates four core programs (Fellowship, STEMwork, Mountains to Sea, Not Your Average PD) along with featured curriculum resources and an annual conference, all designed to connect classroom learning to workforce pathways.

Product overview

The Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership is a comprehensive professional development suite consisting of four core programs: Fellowship (industry immersion fellowships), STEMwork (project-based learning training), Mountains to Sea (place-based professional development), and Not Your Average PD (free online professional development). The program also offers Featured Lessons curriculum resources and an annual Conference. These offerings work together to provide teachers with immersive experiences, professional development hours, and leadership opportunities that connect classroom learning to real-world industry applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fellowship: Immersive fellowship program blending industry experiences, professional development, and a supportive network
• STEMwork
• Mountains to Sea
• Not Your Average PD

Products and services

• Fellowship The flagship fellowship offering immersive industry experiences (three-week industry immersion), professional development (80 hours), a $5,000 stipend, and a lifelong 680+ alumni network for K-12 teachers in North Carolina and Virginia.
• STEMwork Program focusing on project-based learning design and developing skills to collaborate with local companies. Teachers — known as STEMwork Scholars — learn to implement authentic project-based learning experiences in their classrooms.
• Mountains to Sea Place-based professional development institute offering field experiences across North Carolina's diverse regions through collaborations with industries. Teachers engage in hands-on, location-based learning in coastal, mountain, and regional contexts.
• Not Your Average PD Free online professional development series covering timely topics in K-12 education. Provides virtual learning opportunities for teachers across multiple topics at no cost.
• Featured Lessons K-12 curriculum resource library created by Kenan Fellows and STEMwork Scholars. Includes lesson plans across Career Development, STEM, and Project-Based Learning categories.
• Annual Conference Annual professional development conference celebrating teacher leadership, bringing together Kenan Fellows alumni, current fellows, sponsors, and industry partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of educators remain in the classroom five years after completing the fellowship
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Hampton Roads Workforce CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026New partnership bringing first Kenan Fellowships to Virginia. Four teachers (two from NC, two from Virginia) immersed in steel and shipbuilding industries with Nucor Steel and Colonna's Shipyard. Partnership extends program across state lines into Mid-Atlantic region.
• NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) State Energy OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded nine North Carolina teachers with Kenan Fellowships to help students discover career opportunities in the energy sector. Teachers complete three-week industry immersion in energy sector organizations with mentor partners including community colleges, research centers, and industry leaders. Fourth year of multi-year initiative supporting 32 teachers total.
• Duke University Marine LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports Kenan Fellowship for Kerri Hampton to continue expanding Ready, Set, Resilience program, a research-backed program using nature-based storytelling to help students build resilience. Partnership reflects commitment to building environmental literacy among NC students.
• NC State Environmental Education LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Duke Marine Lab on Ready, Set, Resilience program, led by Dr. Kathryn Stevenson. Supports evaluation and research for resilience programs expanded to communities affected by Hurricane Helene.
• NC State Department of Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst-time partnership supporting Lauren McCall's Kenan Fellowship. Teacher works in labs of Gregory McKenna, Ph.D., researching guayule as domestic alternative to natural rubber, with implications for American supply chain security.
• Ohio State University's TARDISS ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransformation of American Rubber through Domestic Innovation for Supply Security (TARDISS) engineering research center supports Kenan Fellowship. McKenna's lab focuses on characterizing rubber from different sources including Russian dandelion and guayule plant.
• U.S. Department of the Navy / Fleet Readiness Center EastcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFive eastern NC teachers embedded at FRC East, the Navy's primary aviation rework facility for helicopters, vertical lift and tiltrotor aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. Collaboration since 2012, with teachers learning from engineers, aviation mechanics, and logistics professionals.
• NC BioNetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors Erin Harden's fellowship at FUJIFILM Biotechnologies' Holly Springs campus. Teacher learns about biomanufacturing careers and workforce development programs in NC's growing life sciences sector.
• FUJIFILM BiotechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOpens commercial-scale biologics manufacturing campus in Holly Springs to Kenan Fellow, connecting teachers to real biomanufacturing careers and strengthening local talent pipeline for NC's life sciences ecosystem.
• Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science (KIETS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram is based at KIETS at NC State University. KIETS Board of Trustees supports teacher fellowships including DiNoto's aerospace technology project and Morris's STEM pipeline initiative.
• The Science House at NC StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Breanna Morris's 'Strengthening the STEM Pipeline' fellowship project focused on professional development and curricula around relevant current issues and local topics.
• N.C. State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the Kenan Fellows Program. Program is based at the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology & Science on Centennial Campus.
• NC Department of Public InstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting teacher fellowships including Computer Science/Computational Thinking initiatives with corporate partners like Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort and Hitachi Astemo.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development): Large national association delivering professional development, conferences, and resources for K-12 educators; comparable surface overlap with the Kenan Fellows Conference and Not Your Average PD program lines.
• Battelle for Kids: Nonprofit partnering with school systems on educator leadership, STEM pathways, and student success; comparable in working with state education agencies and corporate partners on teacher leadership and workforce development.
• National Science Teaching Association (NSTA): National membership organization providing STEM teacher PD, resources, and conferences; comparable in serving K-12 STEM teachers with professional learning and curriculum resources, though at much larger scale and through membership, not fellowships.
• UTeach Institute: University-based network that produces STEM teacher preparation programs and PD for in-service teachers across many states; comparable to Kenan Fellows in teacher PD and STEM pathways mission, though anchored on university STEM departments.
• TNTP (formerly The New Teacher Project): National nonprofit focused on teacher recruitment, development, and retention; comparable to Kenan Fellows in mission of growing teacher quality and retention, though TNTP operates far more broadly across districts and teacher preparation, not a niche fellowship model.

Direct peers

• Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship: Federally sponsored fellowship placing K-12 STEM teachers into government agencies and congressional offices for a year of immersion; directly parallels the Kenan Fellows industry-immersion model in mechanics and teacher-audience.
• Hope Street Group Teacher Fellowship: State-level teacher fellowship that develops teacher leadership and policy engagement; close peer model to the Kenan Fellows experience with state-specific cohorts and an alumni leadership network.
• Knowles Teacher Initiative: Fellowship program that supports high school STEM teachers through stipends, professional development, and an ongoing community of practice; very close peer in structure (cohort fellowship, stipend, alumni network, subject focus).
• Public Education & Business Coalition (PEBC): Colorado-based nonprofit that embeds teachers in industry-linked professional development and STEM pathways work with classroom application; matches Kenan Fellows' combination of teacher PD plus business/industry partnership.
• America Achieves: Fellows program for K-12 educators that includes industry/policy immersion and leadership development; the closest direct peer to the Kenan Fellows model because it pairs practicing teachers with workplace experiences and an alumni leadership network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/KenanFellows
• Facebookfacebook.com/KenanFellows
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kenan-fellows-program-for-teacher-leadership
• Instagraminstagram.com/kenanfellows

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership