Scholarships season kicks off with new philanthropic funding

Centre for Social Impact

Not-for-profit directors and philanthropic professionals will benefit from hundreds of new scholarships, helping equip for-purpose leaders with the tools to tackle complex societal challenges.

The Centre for Social Impact, Australia’s leader in social impact education, will award up to 220 scholarships in 2027.

The fully funded scholarships will be available across CSI’s two flagship professional development programs:

Governance for Social Impact, supporting not-for-profit board directors
The Giving Academy, supporting funders, advisors and not-for-profit professionals looking to strengthen their philanthropic practice

Importantly, the scholarships will help remove cost barriers to professional development, giving more people across the for-purpose sector access to the skills and knowledge to strengthen their impact.

This significant investment has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Paul Ramsay Foundation (PRF), Minderoo Foundation and Equity Trustees.

CSI’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Rosemary Conn, said continued investment reflected the sector’s demand for practical professional development.

“Australia’s leading philanthropic foundations recognise the game-changing nature of these courses and we’re delighted to have their support to expand the number of scholarships available for for-purpose leaders.”

“Investment in professional development for the for-purpose sector does more than benefit individual leaders – it unlocks opportunities for the organisations they lead and lifts the system as a whole,” she said.

Expanded scholarships for board directors

The largest share of the new scholarship funding will support not-for-profit board directors to move beyond fiduciary oversight towards more mission-centric leadership.

New funding of $1.2 million over five years from Paul Ramsay Foundation will support approximately 400 scholarships for board directors to undertake the Governance for Social Impact course.

This builds on Minderoo Foundation’s existing $1 million commitment to support the Governance for Social Impact program and scholarships through to 2029.

“Governance within the for-purpose sector is one of the most under-recognised and under-tapped levers for change,” said PRF Senior Associate, Sector Capability, Mia Georges Sturrock. “Board directors play a critical role in shaping an organisation’s impact. Investing in leaders that may otherwise be excluded is a direct way to strengthen organisations and the sector’s ability to deliver better outcomes for the communities they serve.”

Fully funded scholarships for The Giving Academy

The second scholarship stream will expand access to The Giving Academy, offering fully funded places in its short courses to those working in philanthropy.

Co-designed by the Centre for Social Impact with sector leaders, The Giving Academy is Australia’s flagship learning program for the philanthropic ecosystem, bringing funders and not-for-profit professionals together to build more effective partnerships.

Recognising the importance of investing in these relationships, the Paul Ramsay Foundation is also providing new funding for up to 35 philanthropy scholarships over three years.

Together with continued support from Minderoo Foundation and Equity Trustees, almost 100 fully funded places will be available across The Giving Academy over three years.

To help prospective applicants make the most of this opportunity, the Centre for Social Impact will host two free national information sessions, where prospective applicants can hear directly from program alumni and learn more about the scholarship process.

“Minderoo Foundation is proud to support this initiative alongside the Paul Ramsay Foundation and Equity Trustees because increasing access to critical development opportunities helps strengthen the leaders who drive impact across Australia’s for-purpose sector," said Minderoo Foundation CEO John Hartman. "This ultimately enables more effective giving and better outcomes for communities.”

INFORMATION SESSION ONE: Board Director Scholarships – Governance for Social Impact

Who should attend: Not-for-profit board directors interested in fully funded Governance for Social Impact scholarships
When: Tuesday, 20 October 2026
Register: https://events.humanitix.com/scholarships-for-charity-board-directors-information-session

INFORMATION SESSION TWO: The Giving Academy Scholarships

Who should attend: Anyone working in philanthropy interested in fully funded scholarships with The Giving Academy
When: Tuesday, 10 November 2026

Contact details:

Siobhan McDonnell 0439 505 261 / [email protected]