Rob Dowler and Lisanne Hill Matawa First Nations Scholarship

What you will need

• ✓ Indigenous affiliation
• ✓ Enrollment at a post-secondary institution
• ✓ Community membership for Matawa Tribal Council or Nishnawbe Aski Nations members

About this award

No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact CGOV Foundation to confirm the value for your specific award before you apply. As a bursary, this money is yours to keep and you do not have to pay it back. This is for you if you are an Indigenous student attending a post-secondary institution, especially if you are from a community within the Matawa Tribal Council or the Nishnawbe Aski Nations. Deadlines come around three times a year on August 1, November 1 and February 1, so aim for whichever one is next. When you apply, ask how and when you'll hear back — whether it is by email, phone, or through an online portal. Selection criteria aren't published — ask CGOV Foundation how winners are chosen and roughly how many applicants they typically receive so you can judge your odds. Ask CGOV Foundation during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with CGOV Foundation whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.

Who qualifies

You must be an Indigenous student attending a post-secondary institution. You can be in any program of study at any level of study. Priority is given to students from the Matawa Tribal Council, which includes Aroland, Constance Lake, Eabametoong, Ginoogaming, Hornepayne, Long Lake 58, Marten Falls, Neskantage, Nibinamik, and Webequie. If no one from those communities qualifies in a given year, students from any of the Nishnawbe Aski Nations will be considered.

This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.

• ✓ Open to college, undergraduate, graduate, trades or certificate students

How to apply

1. 1

   Read the award's official page

   Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.

2. 2

   Submit your application

   Save a copy, and submit at least a day before the deadline shown above.

Tips for applying

• Financial NeedAvoid providing a vague statement about needing money. Instead, provide a detailed budget showing exactly how the bursary fills a gap in your tuition or living costs. List your specific expenses to show why this funding is necessary.
• SupportAvoid using a generic character reference. Instead, secure letters from community leaders or elders who can speak to your connection to the Matawa Tribal Council or Nishnawbe Aski Nations. Ask your referee to use specific examples of your community involvement.
• StrategyAvoid waiting until the final deadline to apply. Since there are three windows (August, November, and February), apply during the earliest one possible to increase your visibility to the committee.

Questions students ask

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