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Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching FAQs


The Award
 

What is the Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching?

Now in its second year, the Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching is an annual prize to celebrate outstanding NYC teachers who have shown remarkable dedication to their students and have had a significant impact on students' lives and learning. It is also intended to honor those who have demonstrated exemplary leadership within their school communities. Each year, up to ten teachers will receive a $20,000 unrestricted cash award celebrating their contributions to their students and the profession.

Teachers are vital to the success of New York City and to the future promise of its young people. Now, more than ever, our teachers need our support and recognition. This award is designed as one small way to elevate the incredible work teachers are doing every day for the children of our city.

Who was Julian Robertson?

Julian Robertson was a renowned investor, philanthropist, and mentor. He was known for his commitment to education, results, leadership, and ethical values. Julian died in 2022, and this Award is designed to recognize excellent teachers, honor his deep belief in the power of great people to do remarkable things, and continue his legacy of commitments to education in New York City.

What does this Award seek to accomplish?

The Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching has three primary objectives:

  • To honor and celebrate great teaching, innovative approaches, and school communities that inspire and positively impact students.    
  • To meet the moment by celebrating and uplifting the inspiring ways teachers and schools use their talents and abilities to respond to new challenges and opportunities.
  • To honor Julian Robertson, by creating an Award and, ultimately, a community of prize winners and recognized schools, that reflects his deep belief in the power of great teaching and that honors his commitments to education in New York City.

How are you defining “excellence” in teaching?

Excellence comes in many forms, and one of the goals of the Award is to uncover and highlight a wide range of examples of how teachers are having an outsized impact on young people’s lives. For the Award, we are prioritizing celebrating teachers whose practice aligns to the Award values:

  • High-quality classroom instruction
  • Impactful leadership in their school community
  • Innovation and continuous learning
  • Use of evidence and data in teaching
  • Fostering engagement, joy, and a love of learning


Eligibility
 

Am I/is this teacher eligible to participate?

Any current, full-time classroom teacher of any subject or age/grade level, working in a New York City public school (district, charter, or NYCPS-contracted early childhood center), is eligible to participate. Full-time classroom teachers are those who spend the majority of their time teaching students, as opposed to performing administrative or other functions.

If you were an Award finalist in a past year, you’re welcome to resubmit.

Previous winners, retired or former teachers, private school teachers, coaches, and school administrators are not eligible.  

Teachers do not need to be NYC residents.

How can I submit or nominate a teacher?

The first step of the process is a nomination. Any member of a school community – a current or former student, family member of a student, school leader, teacher, other school employee, volunteer, local nonprofit leader, etc. – may nominate a teacher for consideration by submitting a nomination online.

Teachers are welcome to nominate themselves. Each person is welcome to submit up to five nominations. Please submit only one nomination per teacher, as multiple nominations per teacher will not increase their likelihood of advancing.

Once a nomination is submitted, the Award team will send the nominated teacher an email link with instructions on how to submit materials.

 


The Process
 

What is the process?

Nominate an excellent teacher (September 16 – October 23): Beginning with the start of the 2025 - 2026 school year, we invite any member of an NYC school community – current or former students, family members of a student, school leaders, teachers, other school employees, volunteers, local nonprofit leaders, and others – to nominate an excellent teacher in their lives. Teachers are also welcome to nominate themselves. Nominators may submit up to five nominations. Multiple nominations per teacher will not increase the teacher's likelihood of advancing. To submit a nomination, click here.

Teacher submissions (September 16 – October 30): Nominated teachers will be invited to submit materials describing the practices they employ to build relationships with students, their impact on students, and examples of their leadership outside the classroom. A subset of candidates will then be invited to provide more information, including letters of recommendation and a brief video.     

Class visits (March 2026): A subset of advancing teachers will participate in interviews and/or classroom visits.

Celebration (2026): Following class visits, the Award team will notify finalists and winners, and will invite them to a celebration of excellent teaching.

How will you select winners?

A team of NYC education experts, comprised of current and former teachers and school leaders, as well as network and nonprofit leaders, will review submissions. With input from NYCPS, they will identify the submissions that best align with the Award’s goals and values, including a focus on engaging students, enabling student progress, and leading within the broader school community. 


The Prize

 

What is the prize?

Winning teachers will each receive an unrestricted cash gift of $20,000, as well as the title of “Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching Winner”, to recognize their past contributions to their students and the teaching profession.

All winning and finalist teachers and their guests will also be invited to attend a celebration of excellent teaching.

What can the cash prize be used for? Do I have to submit a project?

The cash prize is an unrestricted cash gift for past achievement, and Award recipients can use it for any purpose, personal or professional. No projects or reporting are required.

What are the tax implications of winning the prize?

The IRS considers cash prizes as taxable income. For further details, please contact a tax professional.

 


Our Team
 

Who is behind the prize?

The Julian Robertson Award for Excellence in Teaching was established by Tiger Foundation and Coleman Family Ventures.

Tiger Foundation partners with community-based nonprofits that help individuals and families thrive and provides them with financial resources that allow them to build and maintain healthy and strong organizations. Through investments in its three core funding portfolios (Education; Family Support; and Youth, Workforce, and Justice), the foundation strives to meet the needs of New Yorkers experiencing poverty, with a particular focus on families, children, and young adults, and to enable the organizations that provide services to them to sustain and continually improve on their work. To learn more, visit https://tigerfoundation.org/.

An impact-focused organization founded by Chase and Stephanie Coleman, Coleman Family Ventures invests in leaders and innovators across education, poverty alleviation, healthcare, and ocean-based climate solutions. To learn more, visit https://cfv.org/. 

 

Other
 

How can I learn more?