Scholarships

SCHOLARSHIP FUND APPLICATION INFORMATION

General:

1.      The purpose of the Scholarship Fund Program is to provide financial assistance.  Financial need is not a consideration.

2.      The objective of the program is to assist any member of the Guild in furthering his/her education in the arts of weaving, spinning, knitting, dyeing, felting or basketry.

3.      Annually, a sum is allotted to the Scholarship Fund (guideline calculation of $50 for every 10 Guild members).  This sum will be reviewed annually and changed as necessary.  It is also understood that the amount to be allotted will be dependent upon grant monies received.

4.      The total amount in the Scholarship Fund in any one year may be allotted to one applicant, or the sum may be split and awarded to more than one applicant as recommended by the Scholarship Committee and approved by the Executive Committee.

5.      At Guild fiscal year end, any monies not awarded shall either be added to the next year’s Scholarship Fund or re-allocated to another revenue stream that will benefit the Guild in the area of education.

Administration:

A.      Directors:  The Scholarship Fund shall be administered by at least two Directors elected by the Active members of the Guild.

B.     Duties of the Directors:

a)      Remind the Guild membership periodically via newsletter and at general meetings that scholarship funds are available to Guild members.

b)      Once a member has indicated an interest in applying for a scholarship, a Director shall provide the interested Candidate with an Application Form and a copy of the Scholarship Fund Application Information.

c)      Upon receipt of an Application Form, the Directors will review the application.  If the Applicant or their work is unknown to the Directors, then this review may necessitate an interview with the Applicant.

d)      To keep the process as objective as possible, the Directors will not divulge the name of the Applicant to the Executive until after the scholarship has been awarded.  The Directors will advise the Executive Committee of all applications for Scholarship Funds and present their recommendations which will include the amount of money to be granted.  The Executive Committee will then be called upon to vote (at the monthly Executive meeting) for approval of or denial of the request for funding.

e)      The Scholarship Directors will then advise the candidate in writing as to the approval of or denial of the request for funding.  Copies of this letter are forwarded to the Treasurer and Workshop Directors.  Additional copies are also given to the Programs Director, Library Committee Chair, Newsletter Editor, Artisans Sale Chair or Langley Arts Council depending upon method Applicant chooses to share acquired knowledge.

f)        The Scholarship Directors submit to the Newsletter Editor an announcement advising the membership of successful applications and briefly outline the course the candidate will be taking and if predetermined, how the candidate intends to share the information/knowledge learned from the workshop.

C.     Unsuccessful applicants may re-apply during the year unless advised otherwise.

Applications:

1.      The Applicant must be an Active (fully paid up current) member of the Guild.  An Active member is one who under the constitution “receives the Guild newsletter, has access to all meetings and programs with full voting privileges and who may participate in intra-Guild exhibitions, workshops, competitions and/or sales, and who is entitled to use the Library and rent equipment.”

2.      Applications for Scholarship Funds will not be considered for any courses already taken by the applicant i.e. Scholarship Funds must be pre-approved.  Applications must be received by the Directors and approved by the Executive Committee prior to the applicant taking the course.  Please note:  Applications are considered at Executive Committee meetings (first Tuesday of each month except December, July and August).

3.      Scholarship Funds are limited to the furthering of the Applicant’s education in the arts of weaving, spinning, knitting, dyeing, felting or basketry.

4.      To request Scholarship Funds, the Applicant must submit a Langley Weavers & Spinners Guild Scholarship Application Form (available from the Scholarship Fund Directors).  Some of the information required to fill out (but not limited to) includes:

a)      Title of the Workshop applicant wishes to attend.

b)      Name of Workshop Instructor.

c)      Workshop Date and Location

d)      Amount of monies requested including a breakdown of expenses the applicant anticipates (workshop fees, materials fees, equipment rental) as well as any other pertinent information (photocopy of course outline if available).

e)      Manner applicant intends to share the information/knowledge learned from the workshop.

Upon Course/Workshop Completion:

1.      The Recipient will share the information/knowledge learned at the course/workshop by one of the following methods (as agreed to by the applicant and the Directors and approved of by the Executive Committee):

a)      Provide a program/lecture at a General Guild meeting.

b)      Provide a workshop for the Guild.

c)      Provide a permanent written record to the Guild Library.

d)      Provide a juried item (relative to their area of study) for the Artisan Sale door prize/silent auction.

e)      Provide a program to the Langley Arts Council on behalf of the Langley Weavers & Spinners Guild.

f)        Provide samples and notes (relative to their area of study) for the Newsletter.

g)      Provide any other method of sharing agreed to with the Directors and approved by the Executive Committee.

2.      It is also understood that one of the above (a-g) is to be set up within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 12 months from the date of the course completion.

3.      Once a scholarship is awarded, if the Recipient fails to attend or complete the course, it is the responsibility of the Recipient to ensure all monies are repaid to the Guild. The Scholarship Directors will discuss with the Recipient how these monies will be repaid to the Guild to the satisfaction of the Executive Committee.