Grant and Funding Programs Offered by Verna J. Kirkness Education Foundation

The Verna J. Kirkness Education Foundation plays a unique role in supporting Indigenous student access to post-secondary education in Canada. Through its scholarship programs and university immersion experiences, the foundation addresses the under-representation of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit students in Canadian universities, particularly in STEM fields.

The foundation operates two main program streams: the VJKF Program (week-long university campus experiences for Indigenous high school students) and scholarship opportunities for post-secondary students. The VJKF Program partners with universities across Canada including University of British Columbia, University of Saskatchewan, University of Manitoba, University of Calgary, University of Victoria, University of Alberta, University of Ottawa, and First Nations University of Canada.

Program applicants must self-identify as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit, be currently in Grade 11 (with Grade 10 and 12 students on waitlist), and demonstrate interest in attending the VJKF Program. Scholarship applicants must be VJKF alumni pursuing post-secondary education.

As a registered Canadian charity (82284 3629 RR 0001), the foundation provides tax receipts for all donations. The organization reports an annual budget of approximately $500,000 with over 80% allocated directly to program delivery, with 45% of program funding contributed by university partners.

Founded in 2008 as the Family Food Research Foundation, the organization was renamed in 2010 after Dr. Verna J. Kirkness, a renowned Indigenous educator, agreed to lend her name to the foundation. The first program was delivered in 2009 at the University of Manitoba, expanding to multiple universities across Canada by 2019.

According to foundation data, 98% of surveyed program alumni graduate high school, 88% attend university or college, and 55% pursue STEM fields. Over 17,500 volunteer hours have been contributed by faculty, staff, and mentors.