2027 Scholarships for Board Directors
Greater Boardroom Impact with Fully Funded Scholarships
Thanks to a multi-year partnership between the Centre for Social Impact, Paul Ramsay Foundation and Minderoo Foundation, 189 fully funded scholarships are available for charity board directors to undertake the Governance for Social Impact short course in 2027.
For-purpose board directors play a critical role in guiding organisations through increasingly complex challenges, often while volunteering their time and expertise. Yet the cost of professional development can put high-quality governance training out of reach. These scholarships are designed to change that.
The virtual Governance for Social Impact course helps for-purpose board members move beyond compliance-focused oversight towards governance that is purpose-led, impact-oriented and responsive to complex social challenges.
What is Governance for Social Impact?
Governance for Social Impact is a practical, four-week online short course tailormade specifically for charity board directors.
Trusted by more than 1,000 board members across Australia, the course explores what effective governance looks like when social impact is at the centre of decision-making. In the course you’ll learn how to:
- Keep mission and impact at the heart of governance
- Navigate complexity and understand the broader systems your organisation operates within
- Strengthen your board’s role in shaping strategy for social impact
- Measure what matters most to better understand your organisation’s impact on the people and communities it serves
Register for the free information session on 20 October 2026.
About the scholarships
Successful applicants will receive a fully funded place, valued at $2,310, to complete the Governance for Social Impact course in one of 12 online cohorts running from March to November 2027. Scholarship recipients will have access to:
- Four live 90-minute virtual sessions facilitated by for-purpose governance experts
- Self-paced learning between sessions, including curated readings, case studies and guided reflection
- A carefully sized cohort designed to support candid peer exchange on governance practice under Chatham House Rule
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Governance for Social Impact scholarship, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
- Serve on the board of an Australian charity that is registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC).
- Be a current board director of the registered Australian charity at the time of application.
- Be an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
- Be available to attend all live sessions for the course cohort allocated if awarded a scholarship.
Join our free information session
If you currently serve on the board of an Australian charity, join our free online information session to find out more about the scholarships and how to apply. During this session, you’ll hear from the Centre for Social Impact and our expert facilitators about:
- The fully funded scholarships available in 2027
- Scholarship eligibility and what we’ll be looking for when selecting scholarship recipients
- How to put forward a strong application and give yourself the best chance of success
- What to expect from the course, including the learning experience, time commitment and online format
- Key dates and next steps, so you’re ready when applications open
- Hear directly from a Governance for Social Impact alumnus about their experience of the course
- Ask your questions live in a dedicated Q&A with our team and facilitators