Sustainability Scholarship

WFIM Corporate Partner, Club Coffee
2025 Sustainability Scholarship

Deadline for Applications – September 22, 2025

Club Coffee
Sustainability Scholarship

Apply Now!

On behalf of the WFIM board and the Scholarship committee team, we are pleased to officially announce: the WFIM Corporate Partner, Club Coffee Sustainability Scholarship, for 2025!

This scholarship rewards those innovative pioneers who are implementing great ideas in the fields of food sustainability, including water management, sustainable packaging, and food waste.

Club Coffee is one of North America’s largest coffee roasters and providers of innovative sustainable coffee packaging solutions. WFIM is pleased to partner with Club Coffee to support new and upcoming food sustainability pioneers in Canada. A sponsorship award of $2,000 Cdn has been provided by Club Coffee for the winning recipient!

2024 Scholarship Winner Caitlin Ciampaglia

SOLANGE ACKRILL PREsenting the scholarship

Applicant Criteria

We are looking for applicants based on the following criteria:

  • Female innovators and pioneers in the food sustainability area, undergraduate or graduating students with proven results and well tracked projects, in areas such as sustainable agriculture, food waste, the food circular economy, and/or the environment.

  • Candidates must be in their senior years, about to graduate, recently graduated or in their first year of employment, ie. those who have graduated or are about to graduate between January 2024 and December 2026.

  • Candidates can be international or domestic students, but must be studying in a Canadian institution, Canadian company, company with a Canadian branch, or working with a Canadian innovation centre.

  • Project must be relevant to Canadian interests.

If you know of any eligible candidates who would be interested in applying for this scholarship, please spread the word and encourage them to apply! We are launching first to our WFIM members who can share with suitable candidates, and then opening it up to the broader community. From then on we will be accepting applications.

Application Process

Candidates must submit the following via online form to apply:

  • official academic transcript

  • complete details for the project that they are applying with; projects should be completed during their course of study with clear & impactful results

  • essay/cover letter to demonstrate eligibility
  • resume
  • two reference letters related with applicant’s interest/work/research

Application Process

Candidates must submit the following to apply:

  • official academic transcript
  • complete details for the project that they are applying with; projects should be completed during their course of study with clear & impactful results
  • essay/cover letter to demonstrate eligibility
  • resume
  • two reference letters related with applicant’s interest/work/research
  • completed application form

Timeline

  • June 5th – Applications open

  • September 22nd – Applications close

  • Late October – Winner chosen

If you have any questions, please contact us at admin@wfim.ca. We look forward to seeing all the sustainability initiatives that come our way!

Thank you for your support of WFIM. We are here to support, develop and connect women to be the best at the table!

Frequently Asked Questions

For context, the eligibility for this scholarship is as follows:

  • Female innovators and pioneers in the food sustainability area, undergraduate or graduating students with proven results and well tracked projects, in areas such as sustainable agriculture, food waste, the food circular economy, and/or the environment.
  • Candidates must be in their senior years, about to graduate, recently graduated or in their first year of employment, ie. those who have graduated or are about to graduate in Jan 2024 to Dec 2026.
  • Candidates can be international or domestic students, but must be studying in a Canadian institution.
  • Candidates who are working must be working for a Canadian company, company with a Canadian branch, or working with a Canadian innovation centre. Project must be relevant to Canadian interests.

Yes, you still meet the requirements as you have graduated between Jan 2024 to Dec 2026.

We only accept official transcripts for the scholarship application.

You are eligible to apply if you are a student of, or recently graduated from a Canadian academic institution, or you are affiliated with a Canadian company, company with a Canadian branch, or working with a Canadian innovation centre. 

The recipient will be judged based on the following:

  • 20% References
  • 50% Project Results and Impact
  • 10% Transcript
  • 15% Resume
  • 5% Spelling and Grammar

There is a judging committee made up of WFIM members and a representative from Club Coffee.

The Club Coffee representative will recuse herself and not participate in the judging of Applications where the contents of the Application could reasonably be viewed as constituting a conflict of interest with the business of Club Coffee L.P.

Club Coffee, now part of Olam Food Ingredients, has been at the forefront of introducing innovative sustainable packaging solutions in the coffee world, such as compostable single serve coffee pods. Club Coffee has partnered with organizations such as the Biodegradable Products Institute, Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade International, and Bullfrog Power, to certify their products and reduce carbon emissions.