Fellowship Application

Changes to take place in 2014-2015. For more information, contact Laura Di Maio at ion [at] mcgill.ca

Students must include the following items in their application package:

1. A cover page for your application package with your name, an abstract of your project (max. 100 words, should answer the questions who? what? where? when? why?), and a title that captures the essence of the project.
2. PFF Community Leadership Program Application Form [.doc] and Budget Form [.xlsx], including consent that the application will be shared with the selection committee and representatives of the Pathy Family Foundation for the purposes of evaluation.
3. A letter of interest outlining the applicant’s personal goals and reasons for carrying out this Fellowship at the chosen location and on the proposed project topic, as well as a commitment by the applicant to carry out the project should the applicant receive and accept the Fellowship (maximum 1 page).
4. At least two letters of reference: One should be from a member of the University faculty who knows the applicant well enough to assess his or her ability to complete the proposed project successfully. If the candidate has been actively engaged in community involvement, a letter from someone who has supervised or observed the applicant’s work would be welcomed. For more information, please see the Information for Referees [.pdf] page.
5. Letter of support: For more information, please visit the Information for Local Community Partners [.pdf] page.
   In the case of a project which includes a sponsoring organization, a description of the sponsoring organization, an endorsement of the project and its potential significance to the organization, and a commitment by the organization to support, advise and guide the student during the project should the applicant receive and accept the Fellowship. The letter of support must be written by a decision maker in the organization, such as the Executive Director.
   OR
   In the case where there is no sponsoring organization, at least one letter of support from a local organization, group, business or individual who endorses the project and its potential significance to the community. It could be helpful if this group or person shows direct participation in the applicant’s project.The letter of support must be written by a person of influence in the community.
6. Expert Evaluation: Applicants must ask a third-party expert (e.g.: a McGill professor) in a field pertaining to their project to evaluate the feasibility of their proposal by having them complete the Expert Evaluation Form [.doc]. An evaluation from an expert with experience in the country of fellowship or in other similar countries would be an asset. 
7. Applicant's CV (2 pages maximum).
8. Applicant's official McGill transcript.

Up to two fellowships will be awarded in 2014.

The Program has not been confirmed for 2015. Please check back at the end of June for updates.

Tips for applying:

• The project cannot be a research project.
• Projects must directly benefit the people of the targeted community (e.g.: capacity building for an organization cannot be the only goal). Applications should clearly answer the question: "Who is this project helping?".
• Students should seek advice and support from the Internships Offices Network while preparing their application.
• Students should consult McGill Faculty and staff as well as other key resources in their field to ensure their application is strong and that their projects are viable in practice. 
• Students should request letters from their referees and local community partners at least one month prior to the deadline.
• A delay of 5 to 10 business days should be expected for the printing of official McGill transcripts.
• When preparing the budget for the proposal, students should consider the following:
  
  • The contigency fund should not exceed 5 to 10% of your total expenses.
  • Applicants should consider themselves as volunteers: the project's expenses must come first. This should be clearly reflected in the budget. Personal items and recreation expenses should not exceed $200 per month.
  • Total personal expenses should not exceed 50% of the budget (this guideline is flexible, please consult with the ION coordinator for more information).
  • Some items such as phone, internet, transportation, etc. actually have a portion under personal expenses and a portion under project expenses, therefore applicants/fellows could divide these costs accordingly (e.g. cell phone usage being 60% personal and 40% project). This division should be clearly indicated in the budget.
  • Applicants may add lines to the budget form as needed.