The Mastercard Foundation Fellows Program will provide mentorship, coaching and up to $50,000 per participant through a culturally grounded, self-directed approach
TORONTO – INDIGENOUS NEWS – September 17, 2026 – A new $130-million national fellowship program aims to help more than 1,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis young people strengthen their leadership skills and advance work that benefits their communities.
The Mastercard Foundation launched the Fellows Program on Thursday with a 10-year funding commitment. The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies and the Gabriel Dumont Institute will serve as the first host organizations, working with an inaugural group of 25 Fellows.
The program is designed to let participants shape their own leadership journey instead of following one standard course. Each Fellow will identify the education, cultural learning, professional development or other support they need.
Fellows will receive mentorship and coaching and may receive up to $50,000 in funding to help pursue their goals.
Fellows Will Choose Their Own Path
The Foundation says the money could support courses, workshops, land-based learning, cultural connections, mentorship, industry experience or other activities considered meaningful by the Fellow and host institution.
This flexible model recognizes that leadership can take many forms. A participant’s plan could focus on community health, culture, education, business, public policy, technology, the environment or another field important to their Nation or community.
“Indigenous youth are already leading in their communities, and they understand what their communities need,” said Sewit Ahderom, president and chief executive officer of the Mastercard Foundation.
Ahderom said the Foundation’s role is to ensure education, mentoring and other resources are available when participants are ready to use them.
The funding is intended to help Fellows build skills and relationships while remaining connected to their identities, cultures and responsibilities to community.
First Cohort Includes 25 Fellows
The Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies and Gabriel Dumont Institute will host the program’s first 25 participants.
SIIT is a First Nations-governed, credit-granting post-secondary institution based in Saskatchewan. It provides education, trades training, employment services and other programs through campuses, training centres and community learning sites.
Gabriel Dumont Institute delivers Metis education, culture and training programs in Saskatchewan.
The involvement of Indigenous-led institutions is central to the programs approach. Rather than bringing young leaders into a system designed without them, the Fellowship will be shaped through organizations with direct knowledge of Indigenous learners, cultures and communities.
“We are honoured to create a space where young leaders can accelerate their careers while remaining grounded in who they are,” said CeCe Baptiste, vice-president of finance at SIIT.
Brett Vandale, chief executive officer of Gabriel Dumont Institute, said connecting young people with mentors, cultural teachings and supportive networks is an investment in the future of Indigenous Peoples and Canada.
Leadership Grounded in Culture and Community
The Fellowships designers emphasize that Indigenous leadership is not simply about individual career advancement. It also includes responsibility to family, community, culture, the land and future generations.
Dr. Leroy Little Bear, professor emeritus at the University of Lethbridge and a former vice-provost of Iniskim Indigenous Relations, participated in developing the program.
Little Bear said leadership grows from relationships and the responsibilities those relationships carry. He said the program will give young people space to understand their place within a larger living network and to carry those responsibilities forward.
Alejandra Metallic-Janvier, a member of the first Fellowship cohort, described the opportunity as a chance to learn and grow alongside other Indigenous leaders.
Metallic-Janvier, a Migmaq and Denesuline woman, said she hopes to carry forward the teachings and strengths of her cultures while encouraging other Indigenous young people to invest in themselves and “dream boldly and lead in a good way”.
National Expansion Planned Over 10 Years
The first 25 Fellowships represent the opening phase of a much larger initiative.
The Mastercard Foundation says lessons from the first cohort will guide a gradual national expansion involving additional Indigenous-led host organizations. The long-term objective is to support more than 1,000 First Nations, Inuit and Metis youth over the next decade.
The Foundation says the growing network could help increase Indigenous representation in decision-making positions and create stronger connections among leaders working in different communities and sectors.
Success, however, will depend on more than the size of the financial commitment. The program will also need transparent selection processes, equitable access for rural and remote applicants, strong Indigenous oversight and clear reporting on results.
Those factors will be particularly important for young people in Northern and remote communities, where travel costs, limited broadband, fewer local courses and the high cost of leaving home can create barriers that urban applicants may not face.
What Prospective Fellows Need to Know
The launch announcement identifies SIIT and Gabriel Dumont Institute as the first host partners and confirms that the inaugural cohort includes 25 Fellows.
It does not provide details about future application dates, age requirements, selection criteria or the process for applying through later host organizations.
Interested First Nations, Inuit and Metis young people should watch for official information from the Mastercard Foundation, SIIT, Gabriel Dumont Institute and future Indigenous-led partners. Applicants should not pay anyone claiming they can guarantee entry into the program.
Why the Program Matters
Indigenous Peoples are among the youngest and fastest-growing populations in Canada. Indigenous youth are already leading businesses, cultural initiatives, governments, schools, health programs and land-based organizations.
What is often missing is sustained access to funding, experienced mentors and opportunities designed around Indigenous priorities.
The Fellows Program attempts to address that gap by trusting participants to identify what they need and by placing Indigenous-led institutions at the centre of delivery.
If the model works as intended, its value will not be measured only by certificates, promotions or job titles. It will also be measured by whether Fellows can use their learning and relationships to improve community well-being, strengthen culture and open doors for the young people who follow them.
Program figures and statements in this report are based on the Mastercard Foundation’s September 17, 2026 launch announcement. Future application and eligibility details should be confirmed directly with the Foundation or an authorized host institution.
