Applications open for Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada scholarships

The scholarships honour Canadian co-operative pioneers, with applictions open till the end of the month

Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada (CMC), is accepting applications for three scholarships offered by the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation (CASC).

Administered by CMC, the scholarships are open to Canadian citizens and residents as well as students from Canadian universities. To be eligible, they must currently be pursuing their research or undertaking it within one calendar year. The winners will receive monetary awards, a free one-year membership in CASC and free registration at the CASC conference. 

Graduate students can apply for the Alexander Fraser Laidlaw Fellowship; and/or the Amy and Tim Dauphinee Scholarship and Lemaire Co-operative Studies Award, with the latter also open to undergraduate students.

Each of these scholarships is named after Canadian co-operative pioneers. The Alexander Fraser Laidlaw Fellowship honours the late father of the non-profit co-operative housing movement in Canada. Successful applicants, who will receive an awards of CA$1,000, will be awarded based on their academic record, as well as on the importance of the proposed research activities to the development of the co-op movement in Canada or abroad.

The Amy and Tim Dauphinee Scholarship was established by the Ontario Credit Union Foundation to recognise the outstanding contribution these two leaders to the development of the credit union movement and the Ontario Credit Union Foundation. Applicants will be selected based on academic record and research interest and will receive  CA$3,000.

The Lemaire Co-operative Studies Award (undergraduate or graduate students) pays tribute to the late Louis Lemaire, who organised co-ops in Saskatchewan and willed part of his estate to the Co-operative College of Canada (now Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada). To be eligible, candidates must have been involved with co-ops and possess knowledge and understanding of the co-operative identity. This scholarship is available to full-time or part-time students who are taking a minimum of one course about co-operatives. The winners will receive bursaries in multiples of $1,000 to a maximum of $3,000. CMC will be deciding the amount of the awards proportionally to the significance and contribution of the studies to the advancement of co-operatives.

Applications will remain open until 31 March. Further information about the scholarships is available on CMC’s website.