Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Clarke Education Foundation (CEF)

Role of the Clarke Education Foundation in the Funding Ecosystem

The Clarke Education Foundation is a private Canadian foundation dedicated to advancing higher education for women in developing countries. Unlike government or large institutional funders, this family-established foundation focuses on a niche but impactful area: supporting exceptional young women who demonstrate academic promise but lack the financial resources to pursue university or graduate-level education.

Scholarship Programs Offered

The foundation administers two distinct scholarship programs:

• Shawna Christianson Clarke Scholarship: Supports Palestinian refugee women from the West Bank to pursue undergraduate degrees. The foundation aims to maintain a minimum of eight recipients enrolled at any time, with each receiving up to USD 2,000 annually for tuition and associated costs.
• Vilma Nathaniel Clarke Scholarship: Supports Pakistani women to pursue M.Phil degrees at Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore. The foundation targets four recipients enrolled at any time, with funding of up to USD 2,000 per year.

General Evaluation Criteria for Applications

All scholarship decisions are based on three core criteria: high academic achievement, demonstrated financial need, and leadership potential combined with seriousness of purpose. The selection process includes a written application followed by an in-person interview with a selection committee chaired by a director of the foundation.

Transparency, Governance, and Accountability

The foundation operates on a completely volunteer basis, with the Clarke family covering all administrative and operational costs. This ensures that every donation directly supports student education. The foundation maintains charitable status granted by Canada Revenue Agency (registration number 750174898RR0001) and publishes annual financial statements and annual reports dating back to 2017.

History and Evolution

The foundation was established in January 2015 by the Clarke family following the loss of two family members who were devoted to women's education. Since then, the foundation has awarded numerous scholarships and continues to expand its reach through endowment growth and ongoing fundraising efforts.

Institutional Partnerships

The foundation works in partnership with UNRWA (for Palestinian scholarship administration) and Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore, Pakistan. Both partners waive overhead costs, maximizing the impact of every dollar contributed.