CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation is the charitable arm of the CHU Sainte-Justine university hospital center in Montréal, dedicated to advancing pediatric and maternal–child health. Among its many philanthropic activities, the Foundation plays a central role in funding competitive scholarships administered through the Azrieli CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre and the Centre de réadaptation Marie Enfant.
Role of the Foundation in the funding ecosystem
The Foundation provides substantial financial support for internal graduate and postdoctoral scholarship programs. Excellence scholarships for MSc, PhD and postdoctoral fellows are explicitly co-funded on a 50–50 basis between the Foundation and supervisors’ research funds. These awards are designed both to offer high-calibre research training opportunities and to serve as leverage for obtaining external grants and fellowships.
In addition to excellence awards, the scholarship competition includes recruitment scholarships and supplements for clinically salaried trainees. The Foundation’s scholarship envelope also supports emergency bursaries (“bourses de dépannage”) that can be allocated case‑by‑case to students facing unforeseen financial hardship, with decisions based on academic progress, lab resources and individual circumstances.
Types of funding and target audiences
- Excellence scholarships for master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral candidates carrying out research at the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre or the Marie Enfant Rehabilitation Centre under an active investigator.
- Recruitment and salary‑top‑up awards to attract strong candidates and complement professional income when needed.
- Emergency bursaries financed from the Foundation scholarship budget to maintain continuity of training in exceptional situations.
- Joint precision health scholarships offered through the Pediatric Precision Health Partnership and managed within the same competition, funding innovative projects in individualized diagnostics and treatments.
General evaluation and governance
Applications are evaluated by committees composed of active researchers and, for some levels, postdoctoral fellows affiliated with the research centre. Evaluation criteria cover academic record, prior research experience, publications and presentations, the quality and feasibility of the research project, the choice of laboratory, and the expected career trajectory. Equity, diversity and inclusion principles are explicitly highlighted in competition documentation.
Operationally, the competitions are coordinated by the Academic Affairs office of the Azrieli Research Centre, with clear rules on scholarship duration, co‑funding, and accumulation with other awards. Through these structured programs, CHU Sainte-Justine Foundation acts as a key funder of next‑generation researchers in pediatric and maternal–child health in Québec.