You've thought about it. Maybe for a while now. Here's how to make it real today.

There's something powerful about putting your values into action — and creating a scholarship is one of the most direct ways to do that. Whether you want to honour someone who shaped your creative life, give back to a community that gave to you, or simply make art more accessible for the next generation of Ottawa artists, a named scholarship at the Ottawa School of Art is something you can set up entirely on your own, online, in just a few minutes.

No phone calls. No appointments. No waiting.

Here's exactly how to do it.

Step 1: Go to the Donate Page

Head to the main navigation menu at the top of the website and select the Donate tab. This will bring you to our giving page, where you'll find the donation form ready to go.

Step 2: Choose Your Giving Frequency

The first thing you'll decide is how you'd like your scholarship to work.

The form gives you four options: One-Time, Weekly, Monthly, or Annual. If your goal is to create a scholarship that supports a student every year, selecting Annual is the way to go — it means your gift renews automatically and OSA can plan around it, awarding a scholarship on a recurring basis.

That said, a one-time gift to the scholarship fund is equally meaningful. Every contribution helps us say yes to a student who might otherwise have to say no.

Step 3: Choose Your Amount

Next, select how much you'd like to give. You can enter any amount using the $Other field — but if you're not sure where to start, here's a helpful guide to what different giving levels make possible for OSA students:

• Access — $150 to $900: Helps lower the cost of tuition, and is often the difference between a student enrolling or not.

• Sustaining — $1,000 to $4,000: Meaningful tuition support that frees a student from a second job and gives them real time to create.

• Transformational — $5,000+: Covers a significant portion of tuition — the kind of gift a student will remember for the rest of their life.

• Endowed — $10,000+: A scholarship in your name, funded every year by investment returns, given to artists long after you're gone.

There's no wrong place to start. Every level opens a door that might otherwise stay closed.

Step 4: Direct Your Gift to Scholarships

Under the Donate To dropdown, select Scholarships. This is the step that ensures your donation goes exactly where you intend it — directly into OSA's scholarship fund, not into general operations.

This is what turns a donation into a scholarship.

Step 5: Tell Us Who's Giving

Select whether you're donating as an Individual or a Company. This helps us acknowledge and receipt your gift properly. Both are warmly welcome.

Step 6: Decide Whether to Cover the Processing Fee

You'll see an option to add a small amount to cover the platform's processing fees. If you'd like every dollar of your donation to go directly to scholarships, checking this box means OSA receives your full gift amount. It's a small gesture with a real difference — but it's completely optional and up to you.

When you're ready, press Donate.

Step 7: Enter Your Name and Email

You'll be taken to a new screen to fill in your First Name, Last Name, and Email Address. You'll also have the option to subscribe to fundraising updates from OSA — it's a nice way to stay connected and hear stories about the students your generosity makes possible.

Press Continue when you're done.

Step 8: Enter Your Mailing Address

This step is important — your mailing address allows us to issue an official tax receipt for your donation. In Canada, charitable donations are eligible for a tax credit, so hang onto that receipt when it arrives.

Step 9: Choose Your Payment Method

You can complete your gift by PayPal or Credit/Debit Card. A secure payment window will open — whichever method you choose, your information is fully protected.

Step 10: Complete Your Payment and You're Done

Enter your payment details, check the agreement box, and press Pay.

That's it. You've just started a scholarship.

What Happens Next?

Once your gift is processed, you'll receive a confirmation by email. Our team will also be in touch to acknowledge your donation and let you know how it will be put to work supporting OSA students.

If you'd like to discuss naming your scholarship, dedicating it to someone, or learning more about how OSA awards student funding, we'd love to hear from you. Reach out anytime at [contact email].

One Last Thing

Art changed something in you — otherwise you wouldn't be here. A scholarship is your way of passing that forward. Of making sure that the cost of a course never has to be the reason someone walks away from the thing they love.

You can do that today. Right now. In about five minutes.

Start your scholarship, donate today.