Winnipeg, MB – Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada

The Honourable Bernard Valcourt, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, today announced that Canada is providing an additional $1.4 million to Indspire's Building Brighter Futures : Bursaries and Scholarship Awards program to support more First Nation and Inuit students getting the education they need to find jobs, support their communities, and realize their dreams.

Indspire is an Aboriginal-led, charity with a proven track record of success in promoting post-secondary education for Aboriginal students. Federal investments in Indspire's Building Brighter Futures Campaign enable the charity to raise matching funds from the private sector, as well as from provincial and territorial governments.

The Government of Canada is a proud partner of Indspire, including their activities in support of student achievement, like the Building Brighter Futures : Bursaries and Scholarship Awards program and theIndspire Awards.

Quick facts

• Canada committed $10 million over two years to Indspire's Building Brighter Futures campaign as part of Economic Action Plan 2013.
• Between now and March 31, 2015, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) will make available an additional $1.4 million to Indspire for bursaries and scholarships, subject to Indspire raising matching contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis from non-federal sources.
• Indspire's current deadline for Indigenous students to apply for bursaries and scholarships is March 9, 2015.

Quotes

"Our Government's priority is jobs, growth and economic prosperity; that's why we are proud to support initiatives that help youth reach their goals and find good jobs. This additional support for Indspire's scholarship and bursaries program will mean more First Nation and Inuit students will have the opportunity to complete a post-secondary education. Their success leads to stronger and more prosperous Aboriginal communities and to a stronger and prosperous Canada."

- Bernard Valcourt,
Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development

"Thank you to the Government of Canada for this additional support that will enable us to raise even more funding to support Indigenous students as they strive to complete their post-secondary education. Indspire has disbursed almost $65 million through close to 20,000 bursaries and scholarships, and our research shows that 93% of our funding recipients are graduating and 82% of them are gainfully employed."

- Roberta Jamieson,
President and CEO of Indspire