In 2013, Rio Tinto Diavik Diamond Mine Inc. established the Community Scholarship Fund to assist individuals pursuing a career in mining or resource development. In 2015, the scholarship branched into Mining and Mining Support. In 2019, a third branch was added for women and gender diverse people in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). In 2025, the Fund was restructured into 4 distinct streams. As a result, Mining and Mining Support were merged into the Resource and Community Development stream.
Quote from Lance Morrision, son of Sharon – “When we moved to Yellowknife 1981, we moved here with no family, no support, and little money. We lived in social housing and for many years, on social assistance. My parents were both high school drop-outs and not a lot of opportunities were available. In 1985, mom decided to make changes. Aurora College was launching a Homecare/Long-Term Care program, and Mom saw her chance to break the cycle of poverty we had always known. After graduating the program, Mom did a placement at Mary Murphy Home, than started at Stanton Regional Hospital’s Extended Care Unit, and after 35 years, she retired from Stanton in 2021. She spent those years teaching generations of nurses that came after her, and inspired many to be the best in compassionate care.“In her later years, she was also passionate about nêhiyawêwin, our ancestral language, and was always excited about Indigenous language and cultural revitalization programs happening in the North. Mom’s traditional name was Red Butterfly Woman and when we look at the lifecycle of the butterfly – from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly – it represents a life of amazing transformation. Therefore, I wanted to ensure those bursaries and grants would also be transformation to their recipients. Mom would be glad her legacy can live on in these recipients for years to come. I have been overwhelmed by the amazing community support that has come from friends and loved-ones over the past few months since the fund was launched. Truly, I am grateful. kinanâskomitin.”
Sport North Federation has been awarding scholarships for many years to Northern students involved in sport. In addition to its regular scholarship program, each year Sport North Federation offers one $1,500 scholarship through the Scott McAdam Scholarship in partnership with the Mackenzie Recreation Association. This memorializes Scott McAdam who passed away suddenly in 2001. Scott played an important role in sport and recreation in the NWT, having lived and worked throughout the North including Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk, Repulse Bay, and Fort Simpson. Scott’s love for coaching and mentoring youth and young adults shone through the many afternoons, evenings, and weekends he volunteered in each community he lived in. Whether it was a team or individual sport, Scott was always committed to help the person or team reach their full potential. Scott was particularly passionate about badminton and hockey, helping to set up programs and clubs in the communities in which he lived and worked. Scott’s memory is honoured through a number of awards and events including the NWT Recreation and Parks Association’s Scott McAdam Youth Leadership Award, the Mackenzie Recreation Association’s Scott McAdam Badminton Tournament, and the Scott McAdam Memorial Scholarship. The Yellowknife Community Foundation began administering the Sport North Scholarships for the Sport North Federation in 2025.
Established in 2015, the purpose of the Timothy Henderson Memorial Fund is to help youth in the Northwest Territories access the arts, and thereby give them a creative outlet to cope, connect, and flourish as human beings.To that end, grants from this fund will be made to the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre to support arts initiatives, activities, programs, promotion, and outreach to youth in the Northwest Territories.
Established in 2013 by Rio Tinto Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., this Fund was established to assist individuals pursuing a career in mining or resource development. In 2025, the Fund was restructured into 4 distinct streams. This is the stream for Skilled Trades.
The Travis Booker Memorial Fund was established in 2023 to support Northwest Territories residents pursuing studies in aviation. Travis was born on February 20, 1995, in Kelowna, BC and was raised there until he graduated high school in 2013. His fondness for the aviation world started just hours into his life when he was airlifted by helicopter from Kelowna to Vancouver where he underwent Closed Heart surgery and later Open-Heart surgery. He was an avid soccer and basketball player during his childhood and continued playing basketball into his adult life, playing in the men’s league in Yellowknife.Travis completed his AME course with Northern Lights College in 2017 and landed his first apprenticeship with Summit Helicopters in Kamloops later the same year. Shortly after, he moved to Yellowknife with Summit Air and realized quite quickly that he missed the rotary side upon which time he applied to Acasta HeliFlight for an AME apprentice position. Travis joined the Acasta family in 2018 and about a year later – with his hard work ethic, drive, and determination – he was their first apprentice to become a licensed engineer under the Acasta name. He thrived in his role and loved every single tour, whether it was throughout the Arctic or other regions of Canada. The North became Trav’s home.
You can only apply through our online application portal. In 2026, the application portal opens on April 2nd.
Access it here: https://www.grantinterface.ca/Home/Logon?urlkey=yellowknifescholarship
Mailed and emailed applications will not be accepted barring extreme circumstances. Please reach out to information@ykcf.ca if you need accommodations.
In order to apply for a scholarship, you must be pursuing studies in that field – that is, accepted or enrolled in a program.You must provide either a proof of acceptance or proof of enrolment as part of your application.You cannot apply if you are merely interested in the field of study. You also cannot apply if the field is outside of your primary program of study (eg. If you are a Biology major taking a Music class as an elective, you cannot apply for the Alice and Randy Daniels Music Fund).
Every year, our application period happens between April and May. All of our scholarships, except for:
We consider you to be a 'resident' As per our policy, of the Northwest Territories, Yukon, or Nunavut if you meet one of the following criteria:
Yes! We encourage you to complete the eligibility quiz to see which funds you are eligible to apply. Remember that not every fund is available for residents outside of Yellowknife, but most are available to people who reside in one of the Northern Territories.
Each residency declaration is a one-click question embedded within the application process.You just need to provide the email address of your residency witness, and they will be emailed directly.
Once you create a profile on our application portal, it will ask you to complete an eligibility quiz to determine which Student Award funds you are eligible to apply to. Once complete, you can start applying to the funds that apply to your studies! Once you have completed the eligibility quiz and you think there should be a Student Award that isn't listed, please contact our office to inquire!
Tel: 867 446 4527
Email: information@ykcf.ca
All of our funding amounts vary from scholarship to scholarship, year by year. However, each scholarship is worth at least $1,000. Clicking on each award will show you how much each scholarship is worth this year.
Each application is reviewed by our Student Award Review Committee. Student awards that we administer for another organization are reviewed by Committee members from that organization. Assessment criteria can also be seen here.
As much as you can! You will get into the flow of the process the more you write and apply. The key is to give each question your all.
Yes, you can re-use answers. Although, be sure to read and re-read the application instructions to confirm your writing is applicable to the question. If there are common questions among different student awards, you will see that they will already be filled out if you already answered that question for another scholarship application.
You no longer have to upload a reference letter for most of our awards. Simply provide the email address of your reference, and we will send them a recommendation form to fill out.
We have different types of reference requests: academic reference, character reference, sports involvement reference, and arts-involvement reference. We suggest you ask someone you know well and for an extended period of time. Some great examples are employers, teachers, guidance counselors, coaches, mentors, or instructors.
For some of our Funds, you will have to submit a statement of financial need. This can look very different for everyone - that is why your statement is in the form of a written essay. We want to learn more about your unique circumstances, as long as you are comfortable sharing.
Exp: "I grew up with a single father and he always made sure we were taken care of, but it was a struggle. We never left the territory for vacation. When some of my friends would have nice clothes and good snacks for lunch, I always had old clothes and a peanut butter sandwich, every day. Life was good but we didn't have luxuries. I could not go to college without financial support and student loans."
It is a good idea to start the process of applying early, to ensure you have all of the needed documents (eg. letter of admission, reference letters received) completed and submitted by the deadline.
All of our scholarships are due on the same day every year. If you are ready to submit your application, feel free to do so before the deadline. However, all applications will be reviewed only after the deadline. Applying for a scholarship earlier than the deadline will not give you an advantage.
You may only submit one application per scholarship. Keep in mind that each scholarship has specific criteria. Please complete the eligibility quiz to see which Student Award Funds you are eligible to apply to.
31 May at 11.59pm MST: All applications due via scholarship portal found on the Yellowknife Community Foundation website.
June & July: Yellowknife Community Foundation staff and Student Awards Review Committee members conduct due diligence checks on all applications and undertake a review process. As a normal part of our review process, you may hear from us with questions about your application. We appreciate your time in providing clarity.
Mid to Late July: Applicants are notified. Every applicant will receive notification regardless of funding decision.
If you have any questions, please contact the Yellowknife Community Foundation at information@ykcf.ca
If you have any questions, please contact the Yellowknife Community Foundation at information@ykcf.ca, or call us at (867) 446-4527, our business hours are:
