FAQ

Samuel Stedman was a Brantford businessman who, with his brothers, founded the Stedman chain of variety stores which operated across Canada.

Before his death, he established a charitable foundation, the Samuel W. Stedman Foundation. Some of the revenue from this Foundation is used to fund a bursary program, the aim of which is to help and encourage individuals to obtain the education and skills necessary to become contributing members of Canadian society.

Additionally, Stedman wanted to help charitable organizations within Brantford and Brant County, and established a community grant option under the same foundation.

The deadline to apply is April 30th each year.  Your completed application for a School Bursary will be accepted after March 1st and must be submitted BY APRIL 30th.

Graduating high school students, current university and college students, and adults returning to pursue further education may be eligible.  The exact eligibility criteria is detailed in the application.

You will need to provide proof of address, a current transcript printed after February 28^th, an estimate of your costs and financial resources for the year, details about parental income and information about your school program.   The application gives more detail about these items.

The OSAP Aid Estimator will help you budget and it will help us determine the amount of financial support you qualify for.  If necessary, use a date as close to your start of program as possible.  This step MUST be completed.

High school students should see their guidance counsellor for assistance.  If you are not in high school, then you may be able to have material printed at the Public Library or for a small fee have it done at Staples.

There is space on the application to provide details as to why you only have support from one parent. All of the information you submit will be carefully reviewed and will be kept confidential.

No, all transcripts must be dated on or after February 28^th of the year in which you are applying.  It must be a transcript, either official or unofficial.  Mark Summaries from any other source are not accepted and will result in your application being ruled incomplete.

Yes, if you attended a high school in Brant County and you lived in Brantford or Brant County in your graduating year then you are eligible.  If you have previously received a Stedman Bursary, then you remain eligible until you reach the limit of four bursaries, regardless of where you live.  If you are a Mature Student then the only requirement is that you live in Brantford or Brant County during the first year you applied.

Proof of address is critical in the first year that you apply.  Current Students must use the address shown on their Report Cards.  If you are granted a bursary then you do not need to prove your address in subsequent years.  If, in year one, you cannot prove your address then your application will be judged as incomplete.  If you feel you have unique circumstances, then we encourage you to reach out to us at contact@stedmanfoundation.org in advance of the April 30^th deadline.

You can reach out by email.  You can send your questions to contact@stedmanfoundation.org

Unfortunately, no, our deadlines are hard deadlines.

All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application not later than August 1st. Those candidates who are granted a bursary will receive a confirmation letter in July indicating the amount of your bursary.  Acceptance paperwork will be included which you will need to complete and mail back to us.

Unfortunately, you will not be granted a bursary this year, but you are encouraged to apply again next year.

If you do not mail your acceptance paperwork back your bursary will be cancelled.  If you do mail it back and then decide not to go to school, please email us at contact@stedmanfoundation.org and explain your situation.

Yes, all recipients are encouraged to apply each year of their studies.  The maximum number of Stedman Bursaries you can receive is four.

Success or failure to obtain a bursary does not restrict yout from applying for a bursary in subsequent years.

Your acceptance paperwork requires you to confirm your school and program and provide a student number, and must be completed and mailed back to us by the deadline outlined on the sheet. If you change schools after this date, please email us at contact@stedmanfoundation.org and explain your situation. We reserve the right to alter the amount of the bursary if there are significant changes in a student’s information since the original application was completed.

Yes, all students will be notified of the outcome of their application by August 1^st of the year in which you applied.

No, decisions of the Stedman Foundation Board are final and cannot be appealed.

The Foundation reserves the right to alter the amount of the bursary if there are significant changes in a student’s information since the original application was submitted.

Money is sent directly to the educational institution by the Samuel W. Stedman Foundation to be deposited into student accounts. Typically, these funds are sent at the beginning of August and should be available in your student account when you arrive at school.  Some schools take longer to process these funds than others.  If you have not received your funds by the end of September, please contact us at contact@stedmanfoundation.org and we will inquire on your behalf.

It is late, incomplete (e.g. financial statements not included), no status with CRA, application not submitted via the online form, or no purpose stated for the funding request.

The Foundation reserves the right to reduce or deny any application.

Applications submitted after September 15th are NOT considered.

No, they MUST be submitted online by September 15th. Applications submitted in any other way will not be considered.

Applications are due on September 15th each year.

All grant requests should be submitted through the online application process.

Organizations wishing to be considered for a grant should submit the online application that includes the following:

• a brief overview of the organization and its purpose.
• an outline of the project and what the grant monies will be used for.
• the dollar amount of the grant being requested.
• the organization’s registered charitable number.
• a copy of last year’s financial statement, along with any other supporting materials.

Registered charitable organizations located within Brantford/Brant who primarily foster help in areas that are focused on children, the arts, health care, and education.