In partnership with our leading education providers, we awarded 414 scholarships in 2021 to not-for-profit staff and board members. These scholarships support building capabilities including, leadership and management skills, technical skills and governance knowledge.

The following scholarships have been offered in 2021:

  • CPA Australia – CPA Program Scholarships 2022
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors – Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors Scholarships 2021/2022
  • Kaplan Business School – Graduate Certificate in Business Administration and Master of Business Administration – 2021
  • Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarship 2021
  • Deakin Business School – MBA Residential Units
  • AGSL / Torrens University – Doctor of Business Leadership
  • 2021 Fulbright Scholarship in Non-Profit Leadership
  • McKinsey Academy – Executive Leadership Program and Young Leaders Forums
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors – Women’s Regional, Rural and Remote Diversity Scholarships 2022
  • Perpetual / Australian Institute of Company Directors – Company Directors Course for Indigenous Business Leaders

CPA Australia – CPA Program Scholarships 2022

CPA Australia and the Australian Scholarships Foundation offer up to five 100% scholarships annually.

This scholarship enables managers and financial officers of registered charitable organisations to enhance their knowledge and skills to further contribute to the management and accountability of charitable not-for-profit organisations.

Congratulations to all our recipients for the 2022 scholarships including:

  • Anoosha Montazami, Financial Officer – Accountant, CareerTrackers Indigenous Internship Program Limited
  • Gabrielle Clarke, Finance Co-ordinator, SEQUAL Ltd
  • Shahrina Sharmin, Senior Finance Co-Ordinator, YMCA Canberra
  • Sharon James, Manager Finance & Business Services, Blueline Laundry
  • Skye Humphreys, Financial Officer, Bligh Park Community Services Inc

They will commence their studies in the new year, Semester 1 starts on 24 January 2022. The scholarship entitles them to enrolment into the six CPA Program subjects.

Read full details here.

Australian Institute of Company Directors – Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors Scholarships 2021/2022

In 2021 the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), in partnership with the Australian Scholarships Foundation offered 200 full scholarships to enable directors, executives and emerging directors of NFP organisations with a turnover of less than $2m to attend the AICD’s Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors program.

The Governance Foundations for Not-for-Profit Directors provides participants with an understanding of fundamental compliance and performance related roles and responsibilities of directors, specifically in the areas of governance, risk, financial performance and strategy.

Congrats to all the recipients across Australia, read more here.

The course has allowed me to gain more knowledge with advanced tools and frameworks to be used for the organisation’s strategy, governance, risk and financial management. It has enabled me to be more confident in how to question and explore issues without swaying into operational matters. In particular better clarity on how the board charter, code of conduct and what sort of information a board should be requesting from the management has without a doubt provided a better sense of how the board “stewards” the organisation.

Susan Swift, The Grief Centre of WA

Kaplan Business School – Graduate Certificate in Business Administration and Master of Business Administration – 2021

We partnered with Kaplan Business School to offer three scholarships for the combined package of Graduate Certificate in Business Administration and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) to not-for-profit staff Australia-wide in 2021. Applications closed on 17 September 2021.

After reviewing an excellent range of applicants Kaplan Business School extended the opportunity to an additional three partial scholarships this year. We send a big thank you to Kaplan for their ongoing support for not-for-profit staff and for helping the sector continue to grow and thrive.

A big congratulations to our recipients of the 2021 Kaplan Business School – Master of Business Administration Scholarships:

  • Joanne Kakafikas, Acting General Manager, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
  • Daniel Pillar, Project Manager, Compassion Australia
  • Jess Whykes, Zone Development Manager, Queensland Police Citizens Youth Welfare Association
  • Darren Mew, Queensland Senior Development Manager, BlueCHP Limited
  • Emma Mahony, CEO, Women’s Health and Wellbeing Barwon South West
  • Balesh Merchant, Senior Finance Business Partner, Karingal St Laurence.

Our scholars commence studies in late November and early 2022. These scholars completing Kaplan Business School’s MBA benefit from the flexibility and diversity of a general Master of Business Administration or choose one of eight specialisations; Health Services Management, Project Management, Digital Management, International Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Women in Leadership, Tourism and Hospitality Leadership or Data-Driven Leadership.

Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarship 2021

In 2021 the Stanford Australia Foundation (SAF), in partnership with the Australian Scholarships Foundation, once again supported not-for-profit leaders with an opportunity to study with the Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarship 2021 at Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) in the United States. Applications closed on 17 September 2021.

Congratulations to our recipients of the 2021 Stanford Australia Foundation Scholarships:

Recipients will be honoured at Stanford Australia Association’s annual general meeting on 25 November 2021.

Stanford Australia Foundation
Stanford Graduate Business School

Deakin Business School – MBA Residential Units

In partnership with Deakin Business School, we offer three scholarships per annum to the staff of charitable not-for-profit organisations to attend an MBA Residential Unit at graduate level. Applications closed on 8 July 2021.

The recipients of the scholarships included:

Congratulations to all the recipients who will be commencing their studies in November 2021. Read about the opportunity here.

AGSL at the Torrens University – Doctor of Business Leadership

Australian Graduate School of Leadership at Torrens University are offering five scholarships from 2019 to 2023 for a Doctor of Business Leadership.

In 2021 the Scholarship recipient was Teresa Jayet, Chief Executive Officer, Mallee Family Care Ltd.

Teresa Jayet – recipient AGSL at Torrens University – Doctor of Business Leadership Scholarship 2021

Fulbright Professional Scholarship in Non-Profit Leadership

The Fulbright Scholarship funds an emerging leader in the not-for-profit sector to undertake research and/or professional development in the U.S. for three to four months. It is funded by Perpetual and supported by the Australian Scholarships Foundation.

The Fulbright Scholarship in Non-Profit Leadership applicants closed in July 2021. The scholarship winner for 2022 is Rachel Coghlan. Rachel is an international public health researcher, advocate and board member of Palliative Care Australia. She is currently completing a PhD at the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, Deakin University.

Her project at the Center for Humanitarian Leadership, Johns Hopkins University, will open up new discussions and generate bilateral collaborations on palliative care with leading humanitarian health researchers and practitioners in both countries. Read more in the press release.

Rachel Coghlan

In 2021 our scholarship recipient was Bridi Rice, a former Director at the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and current Co-Convenor of the Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy and Defence Dialogue. Read more in the press release.

Previous recipients include Dermot O’Gorman, CEO, WWF-Australia (2020), Adam Davids, Director of Learning, Career Trackers, and Board Member, Social Ventures Australia (2019), and Gordon Duff, General Manager, Sector Development and Research for National Disability Services (2018).

Read full details on the scholarship here.

McKinsey Academy leadership program scholarships

McKinsey Academy began working with the Australian Scholarship Foundation in 2018 to offer leadership scholarships to not-for-profit organisations. In 2021, 44 Executive Leadership Program scholarships and 81 Young Leaders Forum scholarships were awarded. Read the full list of 2021 Executive Leadership Program recipients here. Some of the recipients included:

2021 Executive Leadership Program scholarship recipients included:

“It’s no exaggeration to say that the McKinsey Executive Leadership Program is life-changing (if you let it).”

Elizabeth McKinnon, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Environmental Justice Australia

“This course dug deeper than I expected and was certainly not just about theory or management principles. It was a time to reflect on my role not only within batyr but across broader society as well.”

Nicolas Brown, Chief Executive Officer, Batyr Australia Limited

2021 Young Leaders Forum scholarship was awarded in 2 cohorts. 81 scholarship recipients from across the not-for-profit sector joined the McKinsey Academy’s Young Leaders Forums in virtual 4-day events.

During the week they explored their personal leadership through building on personal strengths and influencing others. The participants are also benefiting from assessment surveys and peer coaching sessions throughout the six-week blended program.

Read the full list of recipients here. Some of the 2021 Young Leaders Forum recipients included:

“I was so lucky to have received a scholarship to attend the Young Leaders Forum through the McKinsey Academy. It was the best professional development I have ever done. I review my notes from the sessions every few weeks.”

Cassidy Hayward, Project Officer – Coasts and Biodiversity GIS Officer, Reef Catchments Ltd

“Tools/tips/strategies provided at the forum has certainly made a huge difference in both my personal and professional life. The program was structured in a very engaging way whereby we had time to connect in the group, engage with speakers, lead the groups and most importantly connect with like-minded individuals.”

Eshna Khadka, Operations Manager, NDIS Castle Personnel Ltd.

“The McKinsey Academy Young Leaders Forum was an exciting, insightful, and meaningful week-long investment in my leadership capabilities.”

Adam Hegedus, Managing Director, Educating The Future Australia Limited

Supporting scholarships

Australian Institute of Company Directors – Women’s Regional, Rural and Remote Diversity Scholarships 2022

The Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) with support from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women launched a multi-year scholarship program in 2021 to support emerging and experienced female directors in regional, rural and remote Australia. These scholarships are being administered by the Australian Scholarships Foundation.

The program provides opportunities for suitably qualified women from different backgrounds who face additional barriers to education and leadership participation.

The first round of the program is offering the following courses to be undertaken in 2022:

Scholarship recipients are to be announced in January 2022.

Perpetual / Australian Institute of Company Directors – Company Directors Course for Indigenous Business Leaders

Perpetual, the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and Australian Scholarships Foundation offered 17 scholarships for Indigenous leaders to attend the AICD’s Company Directors Course for Indigenous Business Leaders in Perth. The scholarships are focused exclusively on supporting Indigenous communities and will be funded by the Fred P Archer Charitable Trust (managed by Perpetual) and the AICD, administered by the Australian Scholarships Foundation and delivered by the AICD. 

These scholarships were awarded to 17 recipients across Australia including Yuseph Deen, Robyn Smith Walley, Kerry Kennell, Jasmine Kadic, Joanne Abraham, Danielle Captain-Webb, Elle Davidson, Robert McLellan, Duean White, Daniel Ramm, Emma Gartlett, Shontelle Lennon, Dallas Hure, Donna Burns, Bradley Knight, Thom Calma and Marilee Liddell. They undertook their studies in April 2021.

Read about our scholarships opportunities open now.