Community Foundations of Canada

Published purpose

This project commemorates the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth and seeks to maximize the potential of young people to address the challenges of the 21st century by developing a graduate-level scholarship program for Canadian students and for students from Commonwealth developing countries. The project aims to help young people build and share skills, knowledge and experience, giving them the opportunity to shape their own futures, and that of their communities and the Commonwealth. The project helps young people build international linkages and networks and establish enduring economic, social, cultural and political ties to help them succeed in the knowledge-based global economy. The scholarship program supports: (1) students from developing Commonwealth countries to study at the master’s level or receive specialized training in Canada; (2) Canadian graduate-level students to do internships in developing Commonwealth countries; and (3) Canadian graduate-level students to undertake innovative graduate-level research in Canada. The project is funded through donations from the provinces, territories, and the private sector collected over a five-year period, as well as through a $10 million contribution from the Government of Canada. Universities also provide support in cash and in-kind contributions, including the administration of scholarships and resources to ensure the program’s sustainability.