Couchiching Scholarships and Endowments

In 2009, the Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs gave just under $10,000 worth of scholarships to young Canadians to attend our summer conference. Student and youth delegates came from across Canada as well as from India and the United States.

Expectations of scholarship recipients include active participation in conference sessions and discussions, acting as recorder in at least one plenary session, and ongoing involvement in public affairs activities post-conference.

The Kurt Swinton Fund provides financial assistance to attend the annual summer conference to Canadian youth delegates up to the age of 25 and enrolled in a recognized educational institution. To be considered, applicants must demonstrate an interest in the particular conference topic or in the realm of public affairs.

The Aczel Fund provides scholarships for Canadian non-students who have contributed to CIPA through its committees, or who have a special connection to the topic and can contribute to the conference.

The Fresh Minds Fund provides scholarships to attend the Summer Conference to Canadian community leaders and community artists who have shown outstanding leadership and made significant contributions to their communities. The scholarship is geared to community leaders and artists who do not have the funds to attend the conference but who demonstrate an interest and engagement in public affairs in Canada. It is expected that Fresh Mind Scholars/Fellows will continue to spread knowledge of the Couchiching Institute by reporting back to their communities and continuing their relationship with the institute with follow -up programming. It is expected that Fresh Mind Scholars will come from under-served communities from across Canada and will raise awareness of issues and concerns arising from their experience in these communities.

The concept of the Eric Koch Trust is an endowment to recognize Eric’s contribution to the Institute over the years. The first year’s goal of $25,000 was reached in 2006, thanks to a tremendous response from friends of Eric and of the Institute. We hope to keep building this trust, so that the interest may be used to offset the costs of bringing speakers to the lake. The destination of the Trust’s money is very specifically for speakers and the conference. The Eric Koch touch has had to do with programming rather than the fundraising side of the Institute – to the ineffable and very high quality of contributions that Eric has brought to programming over the years. The names of the inaugural contributors reflect people who have been involved with the Institute in different ways – participants, friends and conference attendees. Grateful thanks are extended to this most generous founding donor community.

The Probyn-Eastman Fund is designed to direct funds to assist the Institute in its general operating endeavours. Without support to assist in marketing, development of a dynamic website, posting of resource material and speaker presentations, coordination of youth scholarships, coordination of round table and outreach programs, support to the summer conference program committee and all the other regular endeavours that allow Couchiching to be accessible so broadly, we have no institution! Donations to this fund will be disbursed prudently at the discretion of the Board.

The deadline for applications in 2010 was June 15.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the Couchiching Institute, our youth programs, or our annual conference, please contact us at:

Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs
250 Consumers Road, Suite 301
Willowdale, Ontario, M2J 4V6
Tel: 416-642-6374, 866-647-6374
Fax: 416-495-8723
Email: couch@couch.ca