How do I enter the For-Purpose Leadership Awards?

  • Entries are either self-nominated or peer-nominated. Please check the category descriptions carefully.  Entries must be submitted through the online entry form.  
  • Entries Open: Monday 19 February 2024
  • Entry Deadline: Friday 19 April 2024 at 11.59pm AEST

Who is eligible to enter the For-Purpose Leadership Awards?

  • All entrants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents who are either staff or volunteers of an Australian charitable not-for-profit organization.
  • Australian tertiary institutions, education providers and professional development organisations are also eligible to enter. Entrants for the Outstanding Education Provider Award can be an education institution or a private/for profit organisation.

Which organisations qualify as For-Purpose in Australia?

Applicants must be from an Australian not-for-profit organisation or social enterprise that, in the opinion of the Australian Leadership Hub, generally fits one or more of the following criteria:

  • has a charitable, community-public benefit or poverty relief purpose, as indicated by whether the NFP has Australian Tax Office TCC and/or DGR status, or “registered charity” status
  • is a social enterprise or business (organisations using a business model to provide a social benefit) and which may not have TCC/DGR
  • other organisations with a community or public benefit purpose (generally evidenced by a “formal” governance structure, voluntary participation by members and independence from government) that do not fit the above categories.

Are social enterprises eligible to apply?

Australian Leadership Hub accepts applicants for the For-Purpose Leadership Awards from social enterprises that meet the following definition:

  • Social enterprises are businesses that trade to intentionally tackle social problems, improve communities, provide people access to employment and training, or help the environment and use the majority (at least 50%) of their profits to work towards their social mission (Social Traders Australia).
  • Generally, the Australian Leadership Hub will exclude companies with a focus on generating commercial profit that doesn’t flow back to the community or to a social cause. We will generally give preference to applicants from charitable not-for-profit organisations when two applicants are considered equal in every other way.

What do the For-Purpose Leadership Awards recognise?

The purpose of the For-Purpose Leadership Awards is to recognise and support the outstanding leaders of the many charities and not-for-profits that deliver on fundamental societal needs and enhance social cohesion. The awards shine a light on organisations, teams and individuals who have demonstrated excellence and courage in their leadership.

Entry Fees

How much does it cost to enter the For-Purpose Leadership Awards?

Entry into the For-Purpose Leadership Awards is $50 (plus GST) per entry. With the exception of the two peer-nominated categories Outstanding Service to Sector Governance and Outstanding Leadership in Philanthropy which are free entry. This fee is paid by credit card on submission of your entry.

My organisation/employer wants to be invoiced for my entry, how can they do that?

If your employer would like to be invoiced for your entry or is paying for multiple entries from your organisation you will need the checkout code previously arranged between them and the ALH. Please ask them to contact [email protected]. All payments must be received prior to the announcements of the award finalists on 15 May 2024 to be eligible.

The entry system and what I need to prepare

How should I prepare before making an online entry?

We recommend having as much information available before you commence your entry registration to avoid encountering a system time-out if a page is left open for long periods. It is recommended that you write the supporting statement about your entry before you start the online entry process. Where uploads are required, have your work ready to upload and make sure it is saved in the correct format (PDF or word documents are preferred).

What do I need to submit my work for a For-Purpose Leadership Award?

You’ll need information such as:

  • your contact details,
  • entry statement (max. 500 words) for the category you are entering,
  • up to two testimonials on letterhead (no longer than one page each), and 
  • up to three items of supporting material.

Please refer to the category description to ensure you are meeting the requirements.

Can I submit my work online, or do I need to send hard copies via postal mail?

All entries must be submitted through the online entry form.  There are no hard copy entry forms. Entries must be completed online.

What is the entry statement?

A body of text up to 500 words in length, the ‘entry statement’ is an opportunity to let the judges know how your entry fits the criteria and what impact your work has had. Pay attention to the criteria and the category description and address these points in your statement. Feel free to include hyperlinks to your work or website. It is recommended that this statement be written by the entrant themselves (when it is a self-nomiated entry). It is compulsory with each entry. This is a really important part of the entry submission process so please give some thought to what you want to say to the judges and the impact you/your work has had. 

How long does the online entry process take?

You should allow approximately 40 minutes to complete the entry form online, please ensure you allow enough time to complete your submission.  Do not leave it to the last day to make your entry, as high demand on the website can lead to the process taking much longer and unnecessary stress.

Category questions

For category descriptions please CLICK HERE

How many categories can I enter?

You are welcome to enter as many categories as you wish as long as you/your work meets the outlined criteria. Previous winners may also enter again each year.

Can I enter into a category more than once?

Each entrant may enter only once in each category. The exception is with joint or team entries.  In this instance, you may submit up to two entries per category.  That is: one single entry and one as part of a joint or team entry. Entrants must complete a new and separate submission for each award category.

Is there a limit on how many times individuals from the same organisation can enter a category?

There is no limit on how many times individuals from one organisation can enter, e.g 5 x individual staff members from ALH could enter the Outstanding Emerging Leader category if they wished.

The difference between a group or team

What’s the difference between ‘group’ and ‘team’ entries?

  • A group entry is permitted to include up to four people’s names as entrants
  • A team entry is a group of five or more people under a team name.

What are the rules for group and team entries?

Groups (up to 4 people) will complete one registration with full details for each group member. Be aware that the order of the names as given in the group entry process is the order used on all publicity and trophies. A team entry will simply be listed as an overall team name with no individuals recognised e.g. ALH Leadership Team.

What period does social impact need to be demonstrated in?

Social impact must have been demonstrated within the last five years.

I have the amount of leadership experience required but I have gained this across a number of roles/organisations. Am I still eligible to enter?

Yes that’s fine. Leadership experience may have been gained across any number of organisations however your current CEO or direct manager will need to be the person who verifies your entry.

Entry verification

Does my entry need to be verified?

During the online submission process, you will be asked to provide contact details for your CEO, Board Member or Senior Manager (depending on the category you are entering). This person will receive an email asking them to verify your entry, the work included and the supporting statement. This person must verify the entry via the email they receive before it can be considered by the judges.

File uploads

Can I upload video or audio files?

Depending on the size of your files it might be better to supply a link to where judges can view/listen to your work online such as YouTube or Soundcloud.

I have multiple PDF pages that I want to upload, how do I do this?

The entry system will only allow you to upload a single pdf file per story. If you work runs over more than one page (which most do) you can merge your files into a single file at ww.pdfmerge.com

My PDF file is too large to upload, is there a way to make it smaller?

You can compress your pdf files size for free at https://smallpdf.com/compress-pdf

Finalists and Winners Announced

  • When will the finalists be announced? Finalists will be announced via press release and the Australian Leadership Hub Newsletter on Wednesday, 15 May 2024.

Resources for Entrants