Role of IODE Canada in the funding ecosystem
IODE Canada, formally known as the Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire, is a national women’s charitable organization based in Toronto with chapters across Canada. Since 1900, its members have raised and distributed charitable funds to improve the lives of children, youth and families through education, citizenship and community service. The organization acts as a philanthropic funder, operating national scholarships, bursaries, awards and grant programs, while local chapters support projects in their own communities.
Main grant and scholarship families
In education, IODE Canada manages an extensive portfolio of awards. The flagship War Memorial Scholarships provide competitive doctoral‑level scholarships currently valued at $15,000 each for Canadian citizens enrolled in the second year or later of a PhD at a Canadian or Commonwealth university. The program has a formal application process, clear eligibility criteria, fixed deadlines for a Letter of Intent and full application, and a structured selection process involving provincial and national committees.
The 100th Anniversary Grant Program, endowed as IODE Canada’s centennial “gift to Canada”, offers a recurring $25,000 grant to institutions with programs that prevent and alleviate child abuse and neglect. This national grant fund accepts applications during specified intake periods and highlights past award‑winning programs to demonstrate impact.
IODE also supports postsecondary access and professional training through targeted bursaries and scholarships. The Labrador Bursary Fund, created in 1982, grants bursaries to coastal Labrador high‑school graduates pursuing studies at colleges, universities and technical or vocational schools, with application forms available annually and deadlines clearly indicated. Additional awards include the Ursula E. Bangs Awards in Cardiology at the University of Toronto, the Silence to Sound bursaries at McGill University’s School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, bursaries for nurses at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, the Enid Evans Scholarship in Nursing at the University of Manitoba, scholarships for students at the National Theatre School of Canada, and annual support and scholarships for members of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.
Awards in literature and culture
IODE Canada is also an important cultural funder. The National Chapter of Canada IODE Violet Downey Book Award, created in 1984, offers an annual $5,000 prize for the best English‑language children’s book (with Canadian content preferred) written by a Canadian author and published in Canada. A jury of IODE members and children’s literature specialists selects the winner, and all submitted books are donated to school and public libraries, particularly in Labrador and other regions.
Beyond literature, the organization maintains arts‑related scholarships and awards including support for theatre students and young orchestral musicians. These programs are generally financed through designated education and arts funds that receive donations from members, chapters and external donors.
General funding approach and impact
Across its portfolio, IODE Canada combines endowed funds, special purpose capital funds and annual fundraising (such as calendar sales and campaigns like “Together for Tomorrow”) to sustain multiple recurring funding streams. Programs typically emphasize scholastic excellence, financial need or contribution to community, and they often give priority to youth, students from remote regions such as Labrador, and professionals whose training benefits children’s health and well‑being. The website documents decades of past recipients for key awards, underscoring the long‑term, national impact of IODE’s financial support.
Governance and community involvement
IODE Canada operates through a national chapter with a board of directors and numerous local and provincial chapters, each having autonomy to select and support community projects. While the national office administers major scholarships and grants, local chapters contribute to capital funds and raise money for specific initiatives, such as the Snack Pack Program in northern communities. This chapter‑based structure ensures that funding decisions remain community‑informed while aligning with IODE’s overarching mission to promote education, citizenship and community service across Canada.
