Supporting Indigenous students living in community housing

ONPHA’s Kathleen Blinkhorn Indigenous Student Scholarship supports Indigenous students living in non-profit housing in Ontario. Each scholarship winner receives $2,000 for use towards their post-secondary education costs, like tuition, books, technology and transportation.

Who is eligible?

Students must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Identify as an Indigenous person.
  • Be living in non-profit housing* in Ontario during the school term.
  • Be enrolled in a program at a recognized college, university or private trade school for the 2025-2026 school year, or program equivalent.

*Non-profit organizations, including community groups, faith groups, and local governments (cities, towns, or counties), own and operate non-profit housing. People sometimes refer to non-profit housing as social housing, public housing, community housing, or subsidized housing. If students are unsure of whether they live in non-profit housing, they can ask their landlord or property manager.

Note: Individuals currently living on-reserve or in co-operative housing are not eligible for this scholarship.

2025 Scholarships

Applications for the 2025 scholarship are now open. The application deadline is Friday, May 2, 2025.

Apply now
Social Media Kit - 2025 Kathleen Blinkhorn Scholar

2025 Scholarship Social Media Kit

Download our easy-to-use  social media toolkit to share this opportunity with your networks.

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A poster promoting the ONPHA Indigenous Scholarship

2025 Scholarship Poster

Help us spread the word and reach students in your buildings by hanging a poster in your lobby or another high-traffic area.

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Meet the 2024 Indigenous students scholarship winners

About the Kathleen Blinkhorn Indigenous Student Scholarship

The Kathleen Blinkhorn Indigenous Student Scholarship is a tribute to the legacy of Kathleen Blinkhorn, a dedicated colleague and tireless advocate for affordable housing. The entire community housing sector lost a valued member with her passing in December 2009.

To honor her memory, ONPHA, with the support of Kathleen’s family, developed this scholarship to support Indigenous students pursuing post-secondary education. By investing in these future leaders, we hope Kathleen’s commitment to developing Indigenous housing programs continues to inspire and shape the community housing sector.