The Foundation for Educational Exchange Between Canada and the United States of America (FULBRIGHT Canada) is seeking applications from diverse youth with unique ideas that help to tackle the key challenges facing in the post-COVID world.

Conceived of and supported by a generous initial gift from Fulbright Canada Board member Ajay Royan, the Fulbright Canada Post-COVID Challenge is the signature program in 30th Anniversary commitment to encourage, celebrate, and support bright young leaders with diverse perspectives and unique ideas.

The goal is to tap into the next generation's creativity and imagination, especially underrepresented youth, in both Canada and the United States. The program will provide youth participants with an opportunity to present their solutions to the current crisis and their big ideas.

Eligible Fulbright Canada Post-COVID Challenge participants are young persons who are the age of majority and reside in Canada or the United States. They may be students, early career professionals, or young community leaders, or simply a young person with an extraordinary idea and a commitment to sharing that idea. Applications are welcome from individuals or teams.

Eligible Fulbright Canada Post-COVID Challenge Fellows are early to mid-career professionals, community leaders, students, and scholars. The mentors are there to support the individuals and teams that are competing in the post-COVID challenge. They are trainers, guides, and advisors to the youth participants, and they are persons whose commitment and professional achievements reflect the range of skills that speak to three core challenge areas:

• Improving public health and wellbeing;
• Contributing to digital transformation; and,
• Finding solutions to social cohesion and economic recovery.

Awards & Benefits

• For youth applicants:
  • Each team that submits a successful application will be assigned a mentor and have access, on a competitive basis, to small grants that will support the development of their idea and access to Fulbright Canada’s prestigious network of alumni.
  • The overall winning team will receive a $25,000 prize, along with an all-expense-paid trip to the Fulbright Canada Post-COVID Challenge Innovation Summit.
  • The second and third place winning team will receive a $10,000 prize, along with an all expense-paid trip to the Fulbright Canada Post-COVID Challenge Innovation Summit.
• For fellowship applicants:
  • Successful applicants to the Post-COVID Challenge Fellowship Program will receive a $5000 award and reasonable expenses to attend the in-person finals and the Innovation Summit.
  • Access to Fulbright Canada alumni grants and our prestigious global alumni network.

Eligibility Criteria

• For youth applicants:
  • Applicants must have a vision about what they want the post-COVID world to look like and an initial concept for their idea.
  • Applicants must be the age of majority in the province or state where they reside.
  • Applicants must currently reside in Canada or the U.S.A.
  • Please note that applicants can apply individually or in teams (up to 4 people).
• For Fellowship applicants:
  • Applicants must have some experience in one of the three challenge categories and demonstrate some mentorship role expertise.
  • Applicants must currently reside in Canada or the U.S.A.
  • Applicants must agree to these critical expectations:
    • roughly 10 hours/month dedicated to the youth,
    • attendance at the Youth Innovation Summit in the summer of 2021(travel expenses covered in line with CRA guidelines), and
    • adherence to Fulbright Canada’s vision for the program and our statements and policies on diversity, inclusion, integrity, and privacy (fulbright.ca)

For more information, visit The Program.