North America Wales Foundation
The North America Wales Foundation exists to promote education and cultural links between Wales and North America. A 501(c)3 charity founded in 1980, we provide scholarships and bursaries; host events that create awareness of historical and on-going trans-Atlantic links; continue to develop a network of people on both sides of ‘the pond’ to support our work; and make awards to commemorate individuals who we feel have, by personal example, furthered Welsh-American relations.
The North America Wales Foundation provides scholarships, grants and bursaries to recipients whose applications promote cultural or educational links between Wales and North America. The majority are educational and targeted at students although there are other bursaries, for example to help musicians perform in America. Most recently winners of the National Eisteddfod’s Osborne Roberts Blue Ribband have been funded to be the featured performer at the Heritage Medallion Banquet at the North American Festival of Wales. The founders in Wales included the late Sir William Crawshay and in the United States John K (Jack) Evans who had begun his career sailing in ships exporting slate from Porthmadog and who ended up in a position of great influence in the US. oil industry. Originally known as the National Welsh-American Federation, we changed our name to North America Wales Foundation in 2017 to reflect growing participation in Canada.
The NAWF is dedicated to sharing Welsh-culture with other ethnic groups and to recognizing the contributions and achievements of Welsh-Americans. It encourages understanding and recognition of those values that are unique to the Welsh heritage. To that end, the Foundation is dedicated to:
- Promote and share the history and cultural heritage of Welsh-Americans;
- Coordinate the activities of Welsh-Americans in all cultural and educational activities;
- Encourage an exchange of artists and scholars between Wales and the United States so as to share the Welsh language, music and culture with the World;
- Provide financial assistance through scholarships, fellowships and study grants to eisteddfodau, Welsh festivals, traveling museums, exhibits and choral groups;
- Provide a unified, effective voice for Welsh-Americans in all aspects of American society;
- Support Welsh-American groups in their relations with corporate, philanthropic and governmental organizations in the United States and Wales.