The Just Economy Institute runs a fellowship program for people working to shift the flow of capital and power to solve social and environmental problems. This page covers the Canada Fellowship.
To learn more about what the program involves and who we are looking for, see Become a Fellow.
Why the fellowship is in Canada
Effective and well-connected changemakers and financial activists are needed now more than ever. The Just Economy Institute helps deepen a shared understanding of how capital and power move, building connection across silos and nurturing the relationships that community solutions are built on.
A group of Canadian leaders kept meeting on monthly calls after their fellowship years ended, from different provinces and different corners of the financial sector. In 2024, they wrote to JEI and asked what this learning and connection could look like in the Canadian context. The Canada Fellowship is what came of that: immersions held in Canada, with Canadian advisors, speakers and leaders alongside practitioners from the U.S. and elsewhere. We expect 60% to 70% of Fellows to come from Canada, with others joining from a range of countries.
If you’d like to learn more about the JEI Canada Fellowship program, please join us for an Informational Webinar for prospective Fellows on Thursday, October 15, from 10am to 11am PT.
What the fellowship includes
The Canada Fellowship is a nine to ten month program. It is built around three five-day immersions, and includes ten online sessions with leading practitioners, one-on-one advisor sessions, peer coaching, connection calls, and online resources.
Dates
- Immersion 1: May 10-14, 2027, Tin Wis, ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht) homelands, n̓ačiqs (Tofino), British Columbia
- Immersion 2: September 20-24, 2027, at Métis Crossing, St. Paul-Cold Lake Métis District and Treaty Six Territory, near Edmonton, Alberta
- Immersion 3: March 6-10, 2028, at The Brew Creek Centre, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Líl̓wat7úl (Lil’wat) homelands, Squamish, British Columbia
Participation in all three immersions is required.
We honor the many ways our Fellows care for family and community. Because JEI immersions are a space for deep learning, rest and connection, we are unable to accommodate family members or other companions. However, service animals are welcome.
Ten online sessions are offered between immersions. These sessions bring the wider JEI community together, so JEI Canada Fellows learn and connect alongside Fellows and alumni from across the network.
Chris Lee
Cohort 6, Inspirit FoundationCost
Sliding scale, from $10,000 to $40,000 CAD. Fellows can pay their fees over two to three years.
The cost to support one Fellow is $35,000 CAD, which covers tuition, faculty, advisors, speakers, staff, materials, online sessions, resources and on-site lodging and meals at all three immersions. The fee does not cover travel to and from the immersion sites.
JEI uses a sliding scale to keep the fellowship accessible. For those who can afford to pay more, we invite you to be generous, so we can make the fellowship accessible to leaders with different levels of financial resources.
Sliding Scale (CAD)
| $10K fee: | Assets of up to $1M |
| $15K fee: | Assets over $1M and up to $4M |
| $20K fee: | Assets over $4M and up to $8M |
| $25k fee: | Assets over $8M and up to $15M |
| $35K fee: | Assets over $15M and up to $25M |
| $40K fee: | Assets over $25M |
Who can apply
Applicants whose work is mainly based in Canada are encouraged to apply for the Canada Fellowship. Those whose work is based entirely in the United States are usually better served by the U.S. Fellowship. Anyone whose work reaches across borders, or who works outside the country where they live, is welcome in either.
We also welcome applicants whose work is based in other countries. If that’s you, you’re welcome to apply to whichever fellowship feels like the better fit for your work and community.
Applications
We are currently accepting applications. Please submit your application by November 9, 2026.
Program Dates: May 2027 through March 2028.
Wendy Cooper
Cohort 2, Dragonfly VenturesKim Hardy of Right Relations Collaborative and Jess Lake of Heart Lake Committed Capital are co-founders of the Canada Fellowship, and among a group of JEI alumni already advancing Canada’s social finance sector.
