2016 Not for Profit Governance Scholarships Open
8 October 2015 at 8:55 am
Philanthropic trust managers, Perpetual, the Australian Scholarships Foundation and Australian Institute of Company Directors have joined together to boost Not for Profit governance, opening applications for the 2016 Not for Profit Governance Scholarships.
Perpetual said the fifth annual Not for Profit Governance Scholarship program was offering 245 scholarships for NFP directors and chairs and giving them the opportunity to improve their leadership and governance skills.
The courses are funded by the Perpetual Foundation and JS Love Trust, which is managed by Perpetual, and are run by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
“Investing in the training and development of Not for Profit directors and chairs is critical to improving their skill set and building the capacity of the sector,” Perpetual’s National Manager Philanthropy & Non Profit Services, Caitriona Fay, said.
“As one of the largest managers of charitable wealth in Australia, one of Perpetual’s key objectives is to contribute to the advancement of the NFP sector and the quality of its leadership, governance, capability and accountability.
“These scholarships are a key component of our commitment to IMPACT philanthropy – investment that achieves long-lasting, maximum benefit to the community – and that means supporting the continuing development of the sector’s leaders.”
With donors more prudent than ever in ensuring they are supporting organisations that manage finances efficiently and effectively, AICD’s NFP Sector Leader, Phil Butler, said enhancing governance levels was a high priority for NFPs.
“These scholarships are a wonderful opportunity for directors and chairs of NFP organisations to participate in governance programs and interact with fellow directors on the key issues affecting their organisations. We know from research this training provides excellent ongoing benefits not just to the individual directors but to their organisations as well,” Butler said.
As the administrator of the scholarships, Australian Scholarships Foundation Chairman Paul Murnane said a small improvement in the NFP sector’s effectiveness could mean big gains for the Australian community.
“NFPs control significant assets and have a large workforce, and they are growing in both size and importance. Improved leadership and management capacity is critical to creating efficient and effective NFPs that contribute to the ongoing creation of vital social capital,” Murnane said.
2016 will see the addition of a new course to the program.
The Governance Foundations for Directors course will be supplemented by the Advanced Not for Profit Governance course which will be open to NFP directors seeking to further their professional contribution and improve the performance of their board. The Role of the Not for Profit Chairman program will continue as a master class.
Applications are open until Tuesday 27 October 2015. The courses will be held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth in February 2016. For more information and to apply, visit www.scholarships.org.au.
