IPIC Profile: Patent & Trademark Institute Educational Foundation

This June 2022, IPIC will be kicking off a concentrated fundraising effort in support of IPIC’s Educational Foundation. Here is everything you need to know about the Foundation and how you can get involved.

Q: What is the IPIC Foundation?

A. Formally known as the Patent and Trademark Institute Educational Foundation (PTIEF) the Foundation is a registered Canadian charity with the main objective of supporting education and scholarship in the field of IP law. The trustees of the Foundation are the executive members of IPIC’s Board.

Q: What does the Foundation do?

A. To date, the Foundation’s primary role has been to award prizes to the students or professionals who achieve top marks in the Patent Agent and Trademark Agent exams each year. But, the Foundation is more than just awarding prizes; it also administers the Gordon Henderson Fund, which was created to provide financial support for educational and scholastic pursuits in the field of IP law.

Q: How can I help?

A.  Donate!  Volunteer!  Participate! And more!

Q: What are you fundraising for?

A.  The Foundation’s current focus for the Fund is to promote diversity and inclusion in the IP profession in Canada by removing barriers to access and providing financial support for IP-related educational pursuits. Administered by the trustees, and with support from IPIC volunteers on the Foundation Committee, the Fund would be used to provide educational grants to deserving individuals from historically under-represented groups in IP so that they can pursue educational opportunities in IP and achieve their professional goals.

In order to make this mission a reality, we are currently focused on growing the fund pool to ensure that the financial support that we can offer is meaningful and that we can help as many people as possible. Ultimately, the goal is the creation of a robust and self-sustaining Fund that will go on to support IP educational pursuits and promote diversity in our profession for years to come.

Q: How can I help?

A.  There are lots of ways that you can help support the Foundation and its goals.

Donate!

First of all, consider making a donation by clicking here.

All donations are processed securely through Canada Helps and are eligible for a tax receipt. During the month of June 2022, during Canada Helps’ Great Canadian Given Challenge, every $1 donated to the Foundation through Canada Helps will enter us to win a $20,000 prize for the Foundation!

Volunteer!

We are also looking for passionate and enthusiastic volunteers to join the Foundation Committee and help us with our fundraising and event planning efforts! If that sounds like you, please see below for contact information.

Participate!

Finally, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming announcements about events and initiatives in support of the Foundation and spread the word!

Q: I have more questions, who should I ask?

A. If you have a great fundraising idea to propose, have questions, or need further information about the Foundation please contact the IPIC Foundation Committee Chair Nicole Mantini (nmantini@torys.com) or Vice-Chair Kevin Shipley (kshipley@foglers.com) or IPIC Board Member Elizabeth Dipchand (edipchand@dipchand.com).

Alternatively, check out our website at: www.ipfoundation.ca