Each year, a number of well deserving candidates who have been accepted into Coady programs defer their participation due to insufficient financial resources. In order to help you secure needed funding, the following guidelines are provided to all candidates.

Coady Scholarships

Thanks to the generous financial support of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), as well as a number of individual and institutional donors, the Coady International Institute is able to offer partial scholarships to most candidates accepted into the Institute's training programs. Specific scholarships are available through the MasterCard Foundation's Scholar's Program for certificates in the Coady Institute's Community-Based Microfinance and Livelihoods and Markets, both on campus and online.

Coady scholarships are awarded primarily on the basis of the candidate's organization. Organizations that have partnership agreements with the Institute receive first priority. The Institute also offers supplementary scholarships to women candidates and candidates from disadvantaged groups, particularly tribal and disabled peoples. Because almost all Coady candidates are employed by under-funded organizations that work with the poor, financial need (i.e. limited financial resources) is not the primary criterion for scholarship allocation.

The Institute is not able to provide 100% scholarship nor can it cover international travel costs, personal allowances, or family living expenses. When a candidate applies for acceptance to the Coady program, s/he is asked to identify prospective sources of funds to cover all program-related costs. Once a candidate is accepted into a Coady program, s/he will be informed by the Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator of the Terms of Award. This is the level of scholarship support offered by the Institute and the cost of items that are the responsibility of the candidate.

Obtaining financial aid to study abroad can be quite difficult. Generally, more funding is available for graduate (Masters level) study than for diploma or certificate programs. To supplement your Coady scholarship, therefore, we suggest the following steps.

Supplementing a Scholarship

Step 1: Secure your employer's support
The second major source of funding for Coady candidates is their organization. At a minimum, most organizations provide salary continuance for employees on training leave, as well as a major contribution to program fees and travel.

Step 2: Access external funding
The candidate's organization can also contribute indirectly by soliciting funds on the candidate's behalf from other funding agencies, foundations and international organizations within its own country. External funding might be obtained from:

• Donors who already fund the organization's projects and programs
  In the solicitation letter, explain that the Coady training will enhance your ability to manage the project more effectively.
• International associations, foundations or networks with which the organization already has links
  For example, if your organization has links to an international association, you might contact the Canadian or American affiliate and solicit funding support from them. Such agencies often invite Coady students to meet with their local branches during their stay in Canada, in order to strengthen their international linkages and promote cross-cultural understanding.
• Private foundations or organizations in the candidate's region that provide educational grants and scholarships for study abroad
  Lists of foundations and funders may also be found in donor directories or on the Internet. Although the Government of Canada mission offices overseas (i.e. embassies, consulates and cooperation offices) are generally supportive of Coady programs and helpful to Coady candidates, they rarely have funds that can be applied to attending Coady programs. Most Mission Administered Development Funds must be spent on in-country activities and projects. Mission offices, however, may have more information about awards available to candidates in your region.
• International organizations or associations with local or regional offices, working in the same sector as the candidate's organization
  In some cases, these organizations may also be sources of training support. For example, if your project or program has a focus on reproductive health, you might contact the local office of the Centre for Development and Population Activities (CEDPA).

Over the years, candidates have found that church-based agencies are the most supportive of and knowledgeable about the Coady program.

Step 3: Identify sources of personal funding
More and more candidates are making their own contributions to the costs of their training at Coady. Candidates are sometimes obliged to take out personal loans for their education. In other cases, extended families are the source of funds.

Tips for Requesting Funds

• Letters of solicitation that come from the director of your organization carry much more weight with prospective donors than personal letters from individuals.
• In a request-for-funding letter, emphasize that most of the required funds (i.e. 75%) are already secured and you are simply looking for the balance (i.e. 25%, or $3,450).
• If you are soliciting funds from current project or program donors, explain how the Coady training will help you to manage the project more effectively.

Contribute to Coady Scholarships

The Coady International Institute seeks to build leadership that enables people, organizations and societies around the globe to achieve their goals. Our educational programs and partnerships equip people with the skills and tools they need to build strong, inclusive and self-reliant societies. Each year, approximately 100 community development leaders come to the Coady Institute to take part in our educational programs, learning how to create and support practical and effective solutions to reduce global poverty and injustice, one action, one community, at a time.

Many of these leaders are from Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East and the Caribbean and rely on scholarship support to attend the Institute. Each year, a number of well deserving candidates who have been accepted into Coady Institute programs defer their participation due to insufficient financial resources. In order to help them secure needed funding, the Coady International Institute works to raise funds to support scholarships for community leaders coming to the Coady campus to participate in our programs.

Your support is important, and we welcome your contribution to the Coady Scholarship Fund. If you would like further information or to make a donation, please contact Lori Ward, Fund Development Manager, at 902.867.5347; Toll Free: 1.866.820.7835; via Fax: 902.867.3907, or email: lward@stfx.ca.

On behalf of our students, staff and community partners, our sincere thanks to all sponsors, donors, friends and volunteers who are helping us bring leaders from around the globe to study at the Coady Institute. With your support, we will continue our commitment to building a better world for all people.