General Eligibility Requirements
The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen offers bursaries to both graduating and returning students, including adult students, in the South Okanagan Similkameen region.
Eligible applicants must:
- graduate from high school in the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) this year, or have graduated from high school in the RDOS within the last five years; OR
- currently reside within the boundaries of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (students living outside the region to attend a post secondary institution must have their primary residence within the RDOS).
Each of our award funds may also have specific eligibility requirements. Please read through each of our funds’ eligibility criteria under the Available Bursaries section below.
For additional enquiries about our bursary program, please contact Kevin Ronaghan at grants@cfso.net.
When to Apply
The following chart shows the timeline for our 2024 bursary cycle:
| April 2, 2024 | May 15, 2024 | May 16 to June 30, 2024 | Early July 2024 | July 2024 onwards |
| Bursary cycle opens | Bursary cycle closes. All applications must be received by 5pm. | Applications are reviewed and award decisions are made. | All applicants are notified and award forms are sent out. | Award funds are sent to institutions or paid to students. |
Application Process
PLEASE NOTE: We use a online application system. If you are unable to apply online, please contact our Grants Administrator at (236) 500-1243 or grants@cfso.net.
To begin your application, click the “Apply Here” button below. You will be redirected to the online application system where you will be asked to “Log On” or “Create New Account.”
If you have applied to our bursary program in a previous year, you will already have your e-mail address and password registered in our system. Please log on using those credentials. If you don’t remember your existing log on information, please click the “Forgot Your Password?” link.
Important Note: our application software is optimized for organizations, and that means there are some work-arounds for an individual bursary applicant in the Organization Information section of the “Create New Account” page:
- Fill in only the starred (*) fields
- Organization Name: please use your family (last) name
- CRA Registration Number: follow the instructions for not-for-profit organizations
- Address: please use your home address
- Telephone: please use the number where you can most easily be reached
Once you have created and or/signed into your account, you can start your application by clicking on the “Application – CFSOS Bursary” link. You can access your application at anytime prior to final submission by logging in with your username and password.
Available Bursaries
In 2023, the following funds offered bursary awards:
- Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts
- Belyea Brothers Bursary Fund (NEW!)
- Dr. John & Kathy Scarfo Bursary Fund
- Thea Haubrich Legacy Fund
- South Okanagan Indigenous Education Fund
- Culver Family Bursary Fund
- Lynn & Brian Jackson Endowment for Fine Arts
- Irene & Charles Armstrong Bursary Fund
- L&R Supplementary Bursary Fund
- Eva & Herbert Rosinger Scholarship Fund
- Alanna Matthew Fund
- Kaleden Bursary Fund (separate application process; please see instructions below)
Eligibility criteria for each of these funds are found by clicking on each fund name below. Please carefully review the criteria before starting your application. Applicants are welcome to apply for multiple bursaries, provided they meet the criteria of each bursary they apply for.
Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts
How to qualify:
- Pursue education in the Fine Arts, preferably performing arts
- Preference given to those with financial need
- Open to youth and adult students
Award amounts:
This fund will typically offer three awards of approximately $500 each.
Belyea Brothers Bursary Fund
How to qualify:
- meet the high school graduation requirements of the Foundation bursary program (see above) OR have been a resident of the RDOS for at the least the last five years
- attend a recognized college, university, technical or trade school in Canada
- demonstrate financial need
The character of the individual will be considered by the Grants Committee, as will the applicant’s academic record (if available).
Award amounts:
This fund offers (3) $500 awards.
Dr. John & Kathy Scarfo Bursary Fund
How to qualify:
- Pursue any form of education to improve their lives and better support their families
- Must demonstrate financial need
- Open to youth and adult students
- Must live an active & healthy lifestyle (no smoking/no drugs)
Award amounts:
This fund will typically offer ten awards of approximately $3,000 each.
Thea Haubrich Legacy Fund
How to qualify:
- Pursuing education in art and artistic training
- Preference given to those with financial need
- Open to youth and adult students
Award amounts:
This fund will typically offer one or two awards from $250 to $500 each.
South Okanagan Indigenous Education Fund
How to qualify:
- Student self-identifies as Indigenous
- Pursuing post-secondary education to improve their lives and better support their families
- Preference given to those with financial need
- Open to youth and adult students
Award amounts:
This fund will typically offer two or three awards of approximately $700 each.
Culver Family Bursary Fund
How to qualify:
- Preference given to students entering at least the second year of an undergraduate degree program, or entering a graduate program in modern languages or linguistics, classic languages and native languages
- Second preference given to students entering at least the second year of an undergraduate degree program, or entering a graduate program in Humanities, which may include philosophy, anthropology or sociology
Award amount:
This fund will offer one award of approximately $1,400.
Lynn & Brian Jackson Endowment for Fine Arts
How to qualify:
- Must be pursuing post-secondary education in a fine arts program at a university, college or trade school with recognized degrees or certificates
Award amount:
This fund will typically offer one award of approximately $500.
Irene & Charles Armstrong Bursary Fund
How to qualify:
- Pursuing any form of education to improve their lives and better support their families
- Must demonstrate financial need
- Open to youth and adult students
- Open to students who have a mental health impairment which impacts the pursuit of their educational goals
Award amount:
This fund will typically offer one award of approximately $1,000.
L&R Supplementary Bursary Fund
How to qualify:
- Pursuing any form of education to upgrade employment qualifications (i.e. trades programs)
- Must demonstrate financial need
- Preference given to single parents
Award amount:
This fund will typically offer one award of approximately $800.
Eva & Herbert Rosinger Scholarship Fund
How to qualify:
- Must be entering into or continuing studies in engineering or physical sciences (such as chemistry, physics, astronomy, biology, etc.)
- Demonstrated financial need
- The character of the individual will be considered, as determined by the Grants Committee
- Demonstrate commitment to complete schooling
Award amounts:
This fund will offer one or two awards totaling approximately $3,500.
Alana Matthew Fund
How to qualify:
- A person wishing to advance their education in the arts (including writing, dance, performing arts and visual arts)
- Demonstrated financial need
Award amount:
This fund will offer one award of approximately $240.
Kaleden Bursary Fund (separate application process)
How to qualify:
- Must live or have lived in the Kaleden area (including Twin Lakes/White Lake Road and St. Andrews by the Lake) and have attended Kaleden Elementary School. Mailing address must be in the Kaleden area (V0H 1K0)
- NOTE: You must apply for this bursary directly to the Kaleden Bursary Committee. Please click here to download the application instructions.
Apply Here (opens April 2nd):
2023 Bursary Recipients:
Our 2023 bursary recipients are listed below. In total, more than $49,000 was shared between the 24 award recipients:
Dr. John and Kathy Scarfo Bursary Fund (11 awards): Erin Campbell; Javier Carlos; Anika Freidt; Gradon Freidt; Lindsey Jones; Alexandria Johnstone; Alyse Kohler-Mergel; Spencer Kingzett; Kalezafar Lawrence; Jessica ter Wolbeek; Megan Tiessen
L&R Supplementary Bursary Fund: Jessie Fleet
Eva and Herbert Rosinger Scholarship Fund: Jamison Foster, Josie Nickle
Culver Family Bursary Fund: Amy Lucich
Irene and Charles Armstrong Bursary Fund: Kaitlyn Nightingale
South Okanagan Indigenous Education Fund (2 awards): Cassidy Burns, Kayla Burns
Sharon Amos Legacy Fund for the Arts (4 awards): Maya Halverson; Samuel Kliever; Emily Nguyen; Ellia Schutz
Alana Matthew Fund: Miles Murphy
Lynn and Brian Jackson Endowment for Fine Arts: Hannah Ruttan
Thea Haubrich Legacy Fund: Miles Murphy
