A total of $40,000 in bursaries and educational awards are available with the expanded program offered by the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen.
“We now have nine different endowment funds that will be offering bursaries to local students. These endowment funds were created by local donors who believe in the value of education and its power to improve quality of life for an individual and their family. Each endowment fund has certain specifications about who they want their funds to be awarded to,” said Aaron McRann, executive director of the CFSOS.
Bursaries are distributed based on financial need and do not rely on academic achievement or repayment to be received. Each of the particular endowment funds the CFSOS oversees offers bursaries with their own set of standards.
The Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts was established after community leader Sharon Amos passed away. The fund awards bursaries to students pursuing an education in music and arts, preferably performing arts. Each year the fund typically awards three $500 awards.
The Dr. John and Kathy Scarfo Bursary Fund is for students who live an active and healthy lifestyle and are pursuing an education in an effort to improve life for themselves and their families. This fund typically awards 10 $3,000 bursaries to local students who are in financial need.
The South Okanagan Aboriginal Education Fund was established in 2013 by anonymous donors from the area. Shortly after the announcement of this new fund another anonymous donor came forward and donated an additional $10,000 to the bursary fund. The fund has awarded $2,190 over the past three years to local Aboriginal students pursuing an education.
The Thea Haubrich Legacy Fund was created after the death of Thea Haubrich in 2013. Haubrich was a leading practitioner and promoter of encaustic art, painting with hot wax. The endowment fund was established with the goal of providing ongoing financial support to artists, with a focus on encaustic art, wanting to further their education. The Thea Haubrich Legacy Fund has awarded one $700 bursary in the past two years.
The Okanagan Fest-of-Ale Bursary Fund provides bursaries to students pursuing their second year of post-secondary education in the brewing industry or intermediate level, accredited online courses in the brewing industry. This fund offers multiple awards with a minimum value of $500 each. Preference is given to those in financial need, students who demonstrate determination and willingness to work hard, and additional consideration will be given to family circumstances that add extra burdens to the student.
The Bench Market Bursary Fund provides bursaries to students pursuing a career in the food and beverage industry, preferably the culinary arts. The bursary is open to young and adult students who demonstrate financial need and will offer an award of $1,000 to one student.
The Okanagan Chito-Ryu Society Bursary Fund was created to provide students who are current or past members of the Okanagan Chito-Ryu Society or any students who participate in karate styles or martial arts programs. The fund offers a $500 bursary for a single student. It is the society’s hope that this award will help a graduating student stay involved in the activities they enjoy while removing some of the financial burden associated with their post-secondary education.
Culver Family Bursary Fund is open to a student entering at least the second year of an undergraduate degree program or entering a graduate program, with a focus on the Humanities which may include modern languages or linguistics, classical languages, native languages, philosophy, anthropology or sociology. This year the fund will offer one bursary valued at $1,200.
The Lynn and Brian Jackson Endowment for Fine Arts is open to students pursuing post-secondary education in a fine arts program at a university, college, or trade school which grants recognized degrees or certificates. This fund will offer one bursary valued at $500.
For more information, specific funding criteria, and application forms, please visit the Community Foundation’s website at www.cfso.net/grants/apply-for-a-bursary.
The deadline for applications to these bursaries is June 1, 2018.