Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Diabetes Hope Foundation (DHF)

Diabetes Hope Foundation (DHF) is a Canadian non-profit foundation dedicated to helping youth living with type 1 diabetes navigate the critical transition from high school to post-secondary education and adult health care. Founded in 1999, the organization works with alumni, health professionals and community partners to combine financial assistance with social, emotional and informational support.

The flagship Diabetes Hope Scholarship Program is a combined merit- and needs-based award for students in their final year of secondary school or CEGEP who live with type 1 diabetes. The program recognizes academic achievement, leadership, community involvement and strong diabetes self-management. DHF runs a structured national competition each year with clear eligibility criteria, online application forms, deadlines and a dedicated advisory committee that reviews applications and allocates awards. Since 1999, hundreds of students across Canada have received education grants to help cover the costs of college and university.

Beyond scholarships, DHF invests in a continuum of support programs. The HOPE Connects Peer Support Program matches first-year post-secondary students with trained alumni mentors for a full academic year, extending the impact of scholarship funding through practical guidance and psychosocial support. Additional initiatives, such as the PEP Talks caregiver workshop series and T1D Community Arts projects, are developed in partnership with donors to respond to emerging mental health and transition needs.

DHF focuses on Canadian youth with type 1 diabetes, their families and caregivers, and the broader campus communities they join. Its programs target young people who are aging out of pediatric diabetes clinics, moving away from home, and taking on new academic and financial responsibilities. The foundation publishes annual community impact reports that document numbers of scholarships awarded, mentees supported, youth reached through webinars and workshops, and geographic reach across provinces and territories.

The organization also curates a Transition Resource Hub and online guides that are freely accessible, complementing direct financial aid with practical tools for self-advocacy, navigating campus disability services, and managing daily life with T1D. Alumni contribute by volunteering as mentors, speakers and committee members, creating a peer-led network that amplifies the value of each scholarship dollar invested.

Diabetes Hope Foundation outlines its mission, history and philosophy, introduces its founder, CEO, staff, board and scholarship advisory committee, and acknowledges a broad base of corporate, community and family donors. Community Impact and annual reports are made available online, providing insight into funded activities and results. This combination of structured scholarship programming, peer-led supports and transparent reporting positions DHF as a specialized grant provider within Canada’s diabetes and youth-transition ecosystem.