The National Ballet School has achieved a level of excellence in ballet training in Canada and the world, a success that perhaps only a few could have envisioned more than four decades ago. The National Ballet School plans to continue to thrive as a centre for developing talented young artists for another 40 years and beyond. One of the keys to ensuring this is a strong endowment.

The National Ballet School Foundation is comprised of the Scholarship Fund, the General Endowment, and various named endowments including the Karen Kain Scholarship Fund, Christopher Ondaatje Ballet Fund and the Mona Campbell Fund.

A gift of any amount can be made to the National Ballet School Foundation for one of the endowed funds. The principal of these endowed funds is never touched so that they provide dependable and replenishable support to the training of tomorrow's dancers. The endowment helps the National Ballet School look to the future with confidence and certainty and ensures that young artists have the opportunity to flourish in an artistic, creative, challenging and nurturing environment.

The Scholarship Fund

Talent is the only criteria for admission to the National Ballet School, therefore financial assistance is vital to ensuring that talented young students from across Canada are given the opportunity to train at the National Ballet School. NBS distributes over $600,000 in financial assistance each year to students who otherwise would not be able to attend the School and pursue their dream of becoming a professional dancer. The Scholarship Fund, established in 1959, supports the NBS Financial Assistance program.

The National Ballet School would like to thank the Scholarship Fund Committee, a volunteer committee of the School whose donation of proceeds from the annual Sugar Plum Fair is largely responsible for building the capital of the Scholarship Fund.

Karen Kain Scholarship Fund

In 1999 a $250,000 donation from the RBC Foundation -- one of the largest corporate gifts ever received by the National Ballet School -- established the Karen Kain Scholarship Fund. The Fund supports the School's Financial Assistance program, thereby supporting the School's mandate to accept students based solely on their talent and artistic potential, regardless of financial circumstances.

While attending the National Ballet School, Ms Kain herself was a recipient of financial assistance through scholarships. The RBC Foundation has been an anchor of the School's corporate fundraising program for more than 15 years and it is fitting that they be associated with such a significant endowment fund at the National Ballet School Foundation.

Christopher Ondaatje Ballet Fund

In 1998, philanthropist Christopher Ondaatje expressed interest in making permanent his award acknowledging the outstanding achievements of a NBS student in his or her graduating year. He donated the proceeds from his travel book "Journey to the Source of the Nile" to create the endowed fund, now the largest and most significant graduate award at the School.

"I hope the prize will highlight and nurture the excellence the School has worked so hard to achieve"

The Mona Campbell Fund

Mona Campbell's relationship to the National Ballet School began at its founding. In 1999 she decided to extend her long-time support of the School's annual campaign to include the endowment. A generous gift established the Mona Campbell Fund to provide a steady stream of support to the training and educational objectives of the School in perpetuity.

Scholarship Fund Committee

Since 1961, the National Ballet School Scholarship Fund Committee has played a key role in assisting NBS students in realizing their dream of becoming world class dancers. Each year approximately 1,000 young Canadians audition for the National Ballet School. Of the 50 students who are invited into the full-time Professional Ballet Program, more than 50 per cent require financial assistance; which can be provided thanks to the dedication and support of members of the Scholarship Fund Committee.

The Scholarship Fund Committee work nine months of the year in preparing for the Sugar Plum Fair TM, an annual gift and artisan show held each November now at Canada's National Ballet School. The Committee organizes all aspects of the three-day event with sub-committees that include décor, opening night party, corporate sponsorship, exhibitors and marketing. New volunteers are welcome at any time throughout the year. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact Loma Rattigan at 416.964.3780 ext 2140