After a ten-year period of relative dormancy, the Interior Designers of Canada Foundation (IDCF) has been reactivated and is poised for future success.
IDCF is managed by a board of volunteers, with support from IDC staff, who organize events to raise funds for the foundation and help promote the work of the foundation and IDC members across the country.
New IDCF Board
In fall of 2020, a new IDCF board was appointed and identified its goals for the following year, including taking stock of existing grants and funds and developing a plan to enhance the Foundation’s support for education and research.
IDCF administers the IDC Foundation Legacy Fund at Ryerson University, School of Graduate Studies, the Teknion/Global Fellowship at the University of Manitoba, Department of Interior Design along with three IDC scholarships and bursary programs – Wayne Thomson Scholarship, Robert Ledingham Scholarship, and the BYU Design Bursary.
Robert Ledingham Lecture
On June 16, 2021, the IDCF held a special event in honour of Robert Ledingham, one of Canada’s most celebrated interior designers. The inaugural lecture series featured a presentation by renowned furniture designer, Klaus Nienkämper. All donations through registration for the event were applied to the Robert Ledingham Scholarship fund. The donations were generously matched by Nienkämper, for a total of $5,140 raised.
Research Grants
Three research grants are now available to members.
- IDC Foundation Research and Development grant (for conducting research by a practitioner)
- IDC Foundation Research Grant (for conducting research by a practitioner or an academic)
- IDC Foundation Research Bursary (for students in Masters and PhD programs who submit research projects – for their work on a thesis or for research)
Silent Auction
To bring awareness to the interior design profession and higher education, IDCF is also launching a silent auction this month. Information on how to view and bid on items will be shared with members in the coming days.
Membership Dues & Donations
To aid in the Foundation’s ability to continue to fund research and educational opportunities, starting this year IDC membership invoices will include a line for donation to the IDCF.
An in-depth annual report for the IDC Foundation will be published in early 2022, which will include the fund amounts for each of the bursaries and scholarships that the IDCF administers.
