Over 100 board directors awarded scholarships to strengthen governance for social impact
The Centre for Social Impact is continuing to roll out a suite of scholarship opportunities across its national professional development programs, with the latest round awarded to over 100 not-for-profit board directors across Australia, who will undertake its Governance for Social Impact course.
Delivered virtually, the short course is designed to support board directors to move beyond compliance and strengthen their ability to govern for long-term social impact, equipping them with the tools to navigate complexity, align strategy to purpose, and drive better outcomes for the communities they serve.
The scholarships form part of a multi-year partnership with Minderoo Foundation, which will support more than 400 directors nationally to access the program.
Across Australia, more than 250,000 directors govern approximately 65,000 registered charities. While these leaders play a critical role in shaping organisational direction and impact, many are volunteers and often have limited access to formal professional development.
Acting CEO of the Centre for Social Impact, Rosemary Conn, said the scholarships represent an important step in strengthening the capability of the sector at a systems level.
“Boards play a pivotal role in determining how organisations respond to complexity and deliver on their mission,” she said.
“These scholarships are about ensuring more directors have access to practical, evidence-informed learning that strengthens their ability to govern with impact.”
The Governance for Social Impact course has already been completed by more than 1,000 directors and is widely recognised for its practical, real-world application and focus on impact-led governance.
Strengthening governance from within the sector
For scholarship recipients, this opportunity represents a chance to deepen their practice and contribute more effectively at board level.
Kellen Evans, Board Director at Nova for Women and Children, said the scholarship would support her transition into the sector.
“I am thrilled to be a successful scholarship recipient! I’m deeply motivated to broaden my knowledge and be part of a community of practice that supports innovation, multi-sector thinking and shared insights,” she explained.
“This course will provide targeted, sector-specific knowledge that complements my corporate experience and enables me to contribute more effectively at board level.”
Malcolm Ferguson, Non-Executive Director at Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, said the course will help him strengthen the link between governance and impact.
“This opportunity is about strengthening my contribution as a Non-Executive Director by better connecting governance decisions to measurable social impact,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to developing a better systems view and gaining practical tools to test whether we are genuinely improving impact.”
Charlie Burton, Director at LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, highlighted the value of formal training to complement lived experience.
“Most of my learning has been ‘on the job’, so the opportunity for more formal training is very welcome,” he said.
“I’m especially interested in bringing a stronger social impact lens to governance, particularly in a time where collaboration across sectors and communities is essential to support and improve the wellbeing of disadvantaged and marginalised people.”
As the not-for-profit sector continues to navigate increasing complexity and demand, strengthening board capability remains a critical lever for achieving lasting social impact.
While scholarship places for 2026 have now been awarded, a limited number of fee-paying places remain available in upcoming cohorts of the Governance for Social Impact course.
These places are designed for board directors and senior leaders who have the means to invest in their own professional development, or are supported by their organisation to do so - helping to expand access to impact-led governance capability across the sector.