Scholarships on offer for NFP leaders

Our Community and the Trawalla Foundation have partnered to offer $500,000 to support up to 500 people from across Australia to achieve “better run not for profits (NFPs)” through a part-scholarship program to study the Diploma of Business (Governance) with the Institute of Community Directors Australia (ICDA).

The Future 500 Leaders governance scholarship was created to increase opportunities for the most under-represented groups in the community, Our Community Group Managing Director Denis Moriarty said.

“We have always been champions of diversity, but we’ve decided to dial up our efforts in 2019.  We’re encouraging applicants from the demographics which have consistently been ignored or shunned.”

Applicants who represent or champion the following sectors are encouraged to apply:

• Youth

• Women

• The LGBTQI+ community

• Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

• Rural and regional areas.

Mr Moriarty said the need for good leaders was especially important given recent “scandals and poor governance” across Australia.

“Think RSL, the Catholic Church, charity rip-offs, advocacy issues, school collapses, community radio in-fighting, sporting club scandals and failures, and political battles.” Mr Moriarty said, before calling for “a shake up (of) the archaic governance structures that are hampering genuine community progress.”  

The Trawalla Foundation’s Carol Schwartz said it was proven that education is the best investment in improving governance outcomes, citing research which shows a six to one return on value for every dollar spent on governance training.

“The Trawalla Foundation’s vision for the future of Australia is focused on strengthening gender equality, creativity, sustainability and social justice within our society. These scholarships are an excellent means to further our work,” Ms Schwartz said.

The scholarships will provide $1,000 discount on the full cost of the diploma, which is Australia’s only current diploma-level qualification specialising in NFP governance. The diploma is delivered by Our Community’s Institute of Community Directors Australia in alliance with Federation Training.

Applications close Wednesday 19 December 2018. Winners will be announced in early February 2019, with further information available on the Our Community website.