|
September 5th, 2025This publication contains time-sensitive information directed to Club Executives and members and pertains to CFUW activities and events. Please send relevant pieces to ALL Club members. |
|
|
|
|
In this Edition:
|
|
|
|
|
We are approaching the last days of summer and Clubs across Canada are meeting again and making plans for the new year and it is no different for your CFUW National Board. This summer we held two goal planning and calendar filling sessions in August and we held a 3 hour board meeting yesterday where we finalized the Board goals and took care of CFUW business. I would also like to wish our CFUW GWI Triennial delegates a safe trip to Lusaka, Zambia. And to congratulate all of our CFUW members who are running for positions on the GWI Board and Committees. We will be sharing photos and stories from Zambia with you on social media. Nous approchons les derniers jours de l'été et les clubs à travers le Canada se réunissent à nouveau pour planifier la nouvelle année. Il en va de même pour le Conseil national de la FCFDU. Cet été, nous avons tenu deux séances de planification des objectifs et de remplissage du calendrier en août, ainsi qu’une réunion du conseil d'administration de trois heures hier, au cours de laquelle nous avons finalisé les objectifs du conseil et traité les affaires courantes de la FCFDU. Je souhaite également un excellent voyage à nos déléguées de la FCFDU à la réunion triennale de la GWI à Lusaka, en Zambie, et je félicite toutes nos membres de la FCFDU qui se présentent aux élections pour des postes au Conseil et aux comités de la GWI. Nous partagerons avec vous des photos et des récits de notre séjour en Zambie sur nos réseaux sociaux.
Thank you, Linda Sestock National President, CFUW Présidente nationale, FCFDU |
|
|
CFUW GWI Delegation Press Release |
|
FOR RELEASE BEFORE SEPTEMBER 5, 2025
Canadian women attending Graduate Women International (GWI) Triennial in Lusaka, Zambia
This year marks the 106th anniversary of both CFUW and GWI, and women from around the world will be gathering in Lusaka, Zambia for GWI’s first in-person triennial since Geneva in 2019, when GWI’s 100th Anniversary was celebrated.
Graduate Women International (GWI) advocates for women’s rights, equality and empowerment through access to quality secondary and tertiary education and training up to the highest levels. The GWI vision is 100% of girls and women in the world achieving education beyond primary school. The theme for the 2025 Triennial builds on this vision - Building the Future; Integrating Culture, Education and Empowerment for Sustainability.
These women will represent CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women) as a part of the organization’s delegation to GWI’s triennial from September 11 to 13.
CFUW is a women’s organization with 6,700 members in 90 Clubs throughout Canada. Founded in 1919, CFUW represents a strong voice for the support of this international organization. Canada, together with Great Britain and the United States, was a founding member of GWI in 1919, originally known as International Federation of University Women (IFUW). GWI has National Federations or Associations (NFAs) in 48 countries and individual members in 40 others. Canada, Mexico and the United States (CAMEUS) continue to work together as one of GWI’s five Regional groups with annual presentations to the UN Commission on the Status of Women, focusing on women migrants and education.
Delegates will be voting on the following resolutions that are coming before the GWI General Assembly.
|
|
|
|
|
The CFUW Charitable Trust Annual General Meeting will take place virtually on Saturday, October 4 at 1 p.m. and the guest speaker will be Lauren Stoyles, an amazing young woman and the recipient of CFUW’s Linda Souter Humanities Award for 2025. Laura is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public History at Carleton University where her research centres on women’s labour in museums. CFUW Charitable Trust is a registered charity that raises money and administer funds for fellowships and awards for graduate studies by women from across Canada. CFUW has supported graduate study, literacy and creative arts through awards and fellowships since its founding in 1919 and the first CFUW Travelling Fellowship of $1000 was awarded in 1921. The Trust receives funds from a number of sources: members, Clubs, sponsors and legacy donations; it administers an investment portfolio of $2 million which allows it to award 14 CFUW fellowships and awards valued at over $90,000 yearly. The selection of award recipients is made by the Fellowship Committee under the leadership of Sandy Thomson. The high calibre of applicants makes the selection process difficult and we are pleased to be able to share the work of some of our award winners when they become speakers for CFUW and for the Trust. Most CFUW Clubs have their own scholarship programs, but what makes the Trust unique is that the awards are for students at the masters and graduate level. The Trustees are calling on Clubs to contact their previous award winners who may be graduating and considering graduate studies and to encourage them to apply for a CT award. Information on how to apply is posted on the CT website at https://cfuwcharitabletrust.ca. The application process will open in November 2025. The Trust would like to thank all the Clubs and individuals who have supported the Trust in the past and we look forward to your continued support. Donating to the Trust is as easy as clicking HERE Register HERE |
|
|
|
2025-2027 International Service Project – Launched! |
|
The CFUW 2025-2027 International Service Project Young, Happy, Healthy & Safe - Zambia with our partner the Stephen Lewis Foundation has officially launched! Over the upcoming year, our goal is to raise $15,000 from CFUW Clubs and members to support girls learning about sexual and reproductive health in rural Eastern Zambia. Education for girls on health and rights information can help protect them from early marriage and pregnancy, gender-based violence, HIV infection, caregiving responsibilities and other determinants that directly impact their quality of life. More information about the project and links to a donation webpage are now available on our website. Be sure to include your Club name with your donation. A number of our members attending the 35th GWI Triennial General Assembly and Conference this September in Lusaka, Zambia will be visiting our project partners in rural Eastern Zambia as part of their travel plans. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for our Club to connect in the field with the Stephen Lewis Foundation at their project sites. |
|
|
We are also hosting a webinar on the project with the Stephen Lewis Foundation on October 1, 2025 at 6pm ET. Mark this date in your calendars to learn much more about this exciting new project and hear about our member’s experiences in Zambia.
Register HERE |
|
|
|
|
Draft Schedule for the 2026 Montreal AGM and Conference. Please note: this is a draft schedule and is subject to change, although arrival and departure dates will remain the same.
Monday, July 20th, 2026: Arrivals, Registration, First Timers Meet and Greet (PM). Tuesday, July 21st, 2026: Arrivals, Registration, Local Arrangements Committee (LAC) Tours/Excursions around Montreal (TBD). Full day trip and half day excursions will be available. Opening ceremonies dinner. Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026: Regional Meetings, AGM Session, Member Led Sessions. Thursday, July 23rd, 2026: Policy Session, Member Led Sessions. Hosted Dinner with LAC. Friday, July 24th, 2026: Conference Keynotes & Speakers and Sessions. Check-Out and Departure (PM).
Please note: CFUW Sherbrooke will be planning post-AGM and Conference activities/events in the Eastern Townships region, South East of Montreal for all day Saturday, July 25th and returning delegates to the airport by 3 pm Sunday, July 26th - in time for late afternoon flights.
More information to follow as the 2026 CFUW AGM & Conference schedule is confirmed. |
|
|
2026 CFUW Policy Session Resolution Intents |
|
This notice is to advise Clubs, Councils and Committees that the due date for Intents to write a resolution for the 2026 Policy Session will be October 23, 2025. The Intent submission includes a proposed title/topic and a short paragraph explaining what the resolution is about.
English Form: https://forms.gle/1GVauLF8E7KGGfH27
French Form: https://forms.gle/9uj78xv8Zauw8J539
An updated Resolutions Information and Guidelines 2025-2026 was approved at the September 4th, 2025 Board meeting. It includes the full schedule for resolutions. |
|
|
|
|
Register HERE |
|
|
|
|
Our first Monday Membership Moment will be September 29th, 4-5:30pm ET Topic—recruitment with ideas from our clubs increasing their membership by at least 10%. Register HERE
CFUW Membership Grants for 2025-2026 Timeline: announced mid September, applications through mid November, $$ December
CFUW Membership Grants for 2025-2026 Membership Grants supporting your members and/or raising your Club and CFUW profile will fall into three categories listed below.
New “this year” means started and executed August 2025- July 2026. Our committee’s total budget for grants of $4000 will be distributed late fall as outlined. If there is money remaining in the budget, we may have another call for applications in the new year. Money left in any of the grant categories may be redistributed to other categories depending on the number and type of applications in the other categories.
A club may not receive funds for the same or similar project from their CFUW Region/Province.
A Club may apply for only one grant—Branding non electronic material, a New project/event, or a Recurring or Ongoing project/event. The selection criteria will put priority on requests from and ideas that · have a strong possibility of being transferable so are easily adoptable or adaptable by other clubs
|
|
|
|
|
Elizabeth Malcolm will be hosting biweekly (every two weeks) drop-in sessions for the CFUW Members Drive and CFUW Members Database. We cover topics such as: how to update Club Executive information, event calendar submissions, resources available in the Members Drive and so much more!
Register HERE
A recording of a previous Drop-In is available HERE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have you checked out the new CFUW Event Calendar? It’s jam packed with CFUW Committee meetings, Club Events, and important dates from the National Office!
Clubs are encouraged to submit their events to the CFUW National Event Calendar through the CFUW Member Database. |
|
|
|
|
Consent Awareness Week 2025 is September 15 to 19. This year’s theme is consent in the workplace, because consent isn’t just personal, it’s professional.
HOW YOU CAN TAKE ACTION
|
|
|
|
|
Draw the Line is an international campaign addressing the climate crisis, and Seniors for Climate is one of many partners across Canada.
Together we’re working toward the September 20 Day of Action because …
Learn more HERE |
|
|
|
|
Preventing Intimate Partner Homicide:
Founded in 2003, the mandate of Ontario’s multi-disciplinary Domestic Violence Death Review Committee (DVDRC) is to assist the Office of the Chief Coroner in the investigation and review of deaths of persons that occur as a result of intimate partner homicide and to make recommendations to help prevent further deaths. In March 2023, a new 15-member DVDRC committee was appointed and began reviewing deaths. The first report of the new committee will be released this fall.
For those Clubs working on Gender Based Violence advocacy and all other interested members - register HERE |
|
|
Graduate Women in the New Global Economy: Leveraging Knowledge and Opportunity for Empowerment |
|
Thursday, September 25, 2025 7:00 PM 8:00 PM
The New Global Economy is characterized by uncertainty. We are witnessing episodic changes in the world as historic alliances among countries and global agreements are disrupted.
Collectively, we are struggling to understand the impacts of these far-reaching changes on our personal lives as well as on social, economic and environmental progress around the world. As graduate women we are asking ourselves: How can we meet the impending, still undecipherable challenges of the new economy? How can we build on our previous personal and professional development to advance in the world of work? How will structural and policy changes affect our volunteer work? How can we build knowledge and opportunity in a changing world? How can we find purpose and progress in the midst of seeming chaos?
This webinar will help graduate women begin to create a paradigm for action by doing the following:
Join this session to help navigate this changing world dynamic. Register HERE |
|
|
|
|
Tickets can be purchased HERE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do you want your Club’s newsletter shared in the CFUW Club Action newsletter? Send your newsletter to Elizabeth Malcolm at memberservices@cfuw-fcfdu.ca |
|
|
|
