How It Works

Choosing Candidates

Our model of philanthropy focuses on the first two years after a professor has been chosen for tenure. We do not participate in choosing candidates. Instead, we partner with an institution, and work with them to roll out the program. We recommend that each year's newly-tenured professors become a "cohort," which means they all receive the same grant over two years, the same check-in interviews, and a chance to be a community.

For example, in the pilot project, we are working with Colby College’s newly-tenured professors. Each year’s new professors have formed a cohort of The Haynesville Project Fellows for that year, and they are brought together at various intervals to reflect on their journey and share ideas with each other.

Capturing Results

If a professor chooses to become a Fellow, they will be listed in Haynesville Project materials and will have an annual discussion with The Project’s Board Chair about the impacts of the investment. Over time, we aim to capture whether THP grants change the amount of time it takes a newly-tenured professor to be promoted to full professor. We will also evaluate more subjective markers, such as development of new classes, expanded pedagogical styles, and publications.