Scholarships
Diverse perspectives are fundamental to an equitable and effective philanthropic sector. The broader the voices and lived experience shaping its future, the stronger its impact.
This commitment to diversity and access underpins a new scholarship initiative at the Centre for Social Impact.
Made possible through the generous support of Minderoo Foundation and Equity Trustees, more than 75 scholarships will be delivered over three years to expand access to The Giving Academy, Australia’s flagship learning program for the philanthropic ecosystem.
The rollout begins in 2026 with 25 Field-Building & Access Scholarships designed to strengthen philanthropic practice nationwide.
For the opening round, our funding partners have chosen to prioritise access for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people; people of diverse gender identities (including non-binary, trans and agender individuals); and those actively contributing to climate. This includes individuals working on the giving side of philanthropy as well as grant seekers seeking to better understand and engage with funders.
Scholarships are also available to those working within small to medium-sized philanthropic organisations where access to professional development funding is unavailable.
Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate that cost or organisational constraints would otherwise prevent their participation.
Each scholarship covers the full cost of either the Effective Giving or Giving in Complexity short courses, delivered online or in person.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The 2026 Field-Building & Access Scholarships are open to people in Australia working across the philanthropic ecosystem who meet one or more of the following criteria.
You are eligible if you are:
- An Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles
- A person of diverse gender identity (including non-binary, trans and agender individuals) involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles
- An individual actively advancing climate initiatives involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles
- Working within a small to medium-sized philanthropic organisation with limited or no dedicated professional development budget (this category applies to grant makers only)
ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS & COURSES
These scholarships cover the full cost of participation in one of The Giving Academy short courses, valued at $3,080 ($2,800 plus GST) for the online course, or $4,290 ($3,900 plus GST) for the hybrid in-person course.
We recommend reviewing the courses and upcoming delivery dates before applying.
What we're looking for
Beyond meeting the eligibility criteria, we are seeking applicants who are genuinely committed to deep learning and to applying new thinking in their work and communities.
Strong applications will demonstrate:
- A clear commitment to strengthening philanthropic practice and/or engagement within their organisation, community or the wider sector
- A growth mindset, including openness to new perspectives, evidence and ways of working
- A willingness to both contribute to, and learn from, a diverse peer cohort
- The capacity and commitment to attend all sessions and actively participate in the full course experience
How to apply
Applications will be open between 25 February 2026 and 15 March 2026, with future rounds in 2027 and 2028.
To apply, you will be asked to complete a short online form (roughly 20-30 minutes) which includes questions about:
- your background and relevance to philanthropy
- which course you are applying for and your preferred course dates
- why this scholarship is important at this stage of your professional journey, and how you intend to apply the learning
- the financial or organisational barriers that would prevent you from attending without scholarship support
Applications are assessed by a review panel. Recipients will be selected based on both eligibility and demonstrated commitment to learning and contribution to the field.
Applying for a scholarship does not reserve a place and cohorts may fill before decisions are released. If you are applying for a scholarship only, you do not need to complete the booking form unless you wish to secure a place regardless of the outcome.
If you have any questions, please check the FAQ’s below or get in touch with us at csinational@unsw.edu.au
The Field-Building & Access Scholarships are made possible through the generous support of Minderoo Foundation and Equity Trustees.
We are grateful for their commitment to a more connected and effective philanthropic ecosystem.
Frequently asked questions
1. Who is funding the scholarships, and how are priorities determined?
The 2026 Field-Building & Access Scholarships are made possible through the generous support of Minderoo Foundation and Equity Trustees.
Over three years, our funding partners have chosen to prioritise access for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people; people of diverse gender identities (including non-binary, trans and agender individuals); and those actively contributing to climate. This includes individuals working on the giving side of philanthropy as well as grant seekers seeking to better understand and engage with funders. Scholarships are also available to those working within small to medium-sized philanthropic organisations where access to professional development funding is unavailable.
The eligibility criteria for this round reflect the priorities set by our funding partners. These priorities may evolve in future scholarship rounds as funding partnerships develop.
2. Are grant seekers eligible?
Yes. The scholarships support grant seekers who are wanting to better understand and engage with funders. The course will not teach you how to fundraise but will give grant seekers a deeper insight into how the often opaque system of philanthropy works. To be eligible as a grant seeker in this round, you must also meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
- Be a person of diverse gender identity (including but not limited to non-binary, trans and agender individuals)
- Be involved in climate-related initiatives
Grant seekers who do not meet one of the above criteria are not eligible under this scholarship round, reflecting the priorities of the current funding partners.
3. Should I complete the booking form if I’m applying for a scholarship?
Only complete the booking form if you wish to secure a place regardless of the scholarship outcome. If you are applying for a scholarship only, you do not need to enrol.
4. Do I need to be working for a First Nations or a gender-focused organisation to apply?
No. Eligibility under these categories is based on your identity, not on whether your employer is a First Nations or gender-focused organisation.
5. What does ‘involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles’ mean?
Applicants may be employed, volunteering, working independently, advising, freelancing, studying, or between roles — provided they meet one of the eligibility categories and are working within or connected to the philanthropic and not-for-profit sector.
6. What do you mean by a “small to medium-sized philanthropic organisation”?
We recognise that there are many ways to define the size of a philanthropic organisation — including number of staff (FTE), size of endowment, annual giving. For the purposes of this scholarship, we do not apply a strict financial or structural threshold. Instead, this category is intended to support individuals working in grant making roles within philanthropic organisations where staff have limited or no access to dedicated professional development funding.
This may include, for example:
- Small family foundations
- Private ancillary funds (PAFs)
- Community foundations with lean staffing
- Place-based or volunteer-run grant making entities
Applicants may provide an ACNC listing, Annual Information Statement (AIS) or a brief explanation of their organisation’s size and structure for context.
7. Do I need to complete the course if I receive a scholarship?
Yes. Accepting a scholarship comes with a commitment to attend, actively engage in, and complete the course. Deferrals or transfers are only available in extenuating circumstances. Participants who do not participate fully may be required to refund the scholarship amount.
8. Should I apply for Effective Giving or Giving in Complexity?
- Start with Effective Giving no matter where you are on your giving journey if you are wanting to strengthen your impact, align your values, bring greater intention and knowledge to giving practices and develop your own giving roadmap to guide your impact efforts. This course is for anyone in the ecosystem including foundation staff, family offices, trustees and board members, wealth holders, and philanthropy-adjacent advisors and intermediaries. It is best geared toward those who spend a lot or most of their time thinking about how to give well. If you are a not-for-profit practitioner or grantseeker, this course will help you uncover how philanthropy works in Australia so you can improve your own efforts in seeking funding.
- Start with Giving in Complexity if you are on the giving side of philanthropy. If you are on the giving side of the philanthropic ecosystem, have the seniority or influence to shape giving decisions, already have experience in philanthropy or social impact and are ready to deepen your practice, work with complexity and focus on systems change. If you are unsure whether you have sufficient experience, we encourage you to begin with Effective Giving, which provides the foundational frameworks that will make Giving in Complexity even more valuable. Note this course is not open to grant seekers.
9. Are travel costs covered?
No. The scholarship covers course fees only. Travel and accommodation costs for in-person sessions are not included. However, the cost of the cohort networking dinner for in-person courses is covered.
10. How many scholarships are available? What if I am not successful?
There are 25 scholarships available in 2026, with a further 25 anticipated in both 2027 and 2028.
If you are not successful this year, you are welcome to apply again in a future round.
You may also enrol as a paying participant. A 20% discount is available for individuals working for grant seeking charities with an annual revenue of under $3m.
11. What if I am available to attend more than one course date? How do I indicate my availability and preferences?
The online scholarship application form will ask you to indicate both your preferred course and your availability across available dates.
If you are flexible and able to attend multiple sessions (particularly online options), we encourage you to indicate this clearly in your application. Greater flexibility may assist with allocation but does not guarantee selection.
Please nominate your first preference and then indicate any additional courses or dates you would be willing to attend.