Scholarships

2026 scholarships have now closed

Future scholarship opportunities and course dates will be announced soon. To be among the first to hear when registrations open, we encourage you to join our mailing list.

EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

With eligibility now expanded, the 2026 scholarships are open to people in Australia who meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Women working across the philanthropy and not-for-profit sectors
• Individuals working within a small to medium-sized philanthropic organisation (defined as having an annual distribution of less than $5million) with limited professional development budget
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles
• Individuals of diverse gender identity (including non-binary, trans and agender individuals) involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles
• Individuals whose work touches on climate-related issues within philanthropic or grant seeking organisations

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.

WHO SHOULD APPLY

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 are now open. We encourage early submission, as scholarships are limited.

To apply, you will be asked to complete a short online form (roughly 20minutes) 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 Giving Academy 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 Giving Academy 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:

• Women working across the philanthropic and charity sectors
• Individuals working within a small to medium-sized grantmaking organisation (defined as having an annual distribution of less than $5million) and with limited professional development budget
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles
• Individuals of diverse gender identity (including non-binary, trans and agender individuals) involved in philanthropy or grant seeking roles
• Individuals whose work touches on climate-related issues within philanthropic or grant seeking organisations

The eligibility criteria reflects the priorities set by our funding partners. These priorities may evolve in future scholarship rounds as funding partnerships develop.

2. How many scholarships are available? What if I am not successful?

Thanks to the support of our visionary funders, eligibility for The Giving Academy scholarships has expanded. In 2026, as many as 37 scholarships are now available to undertake a Giving Academy short course, advacing pilanthropic practice across Australia.

Further scholarship rounds are 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.

3. What do the scholarships include?

The scholarship provides a fully funded place in one of The Giving Academy short courses. This covers the full course fee, valued at $3,080 ($2,800 + GST) for the online course or $4,290 ($3,900 + GST) for the hybrid in-person course. It provides access to the complete learning experience, including expert facilitation, curated learning materials, and participation alongside a cohort of peers from across Australia’s philanthropic and charity sectors.

4. Are travel costs covered in the scholarships?

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.

5. Are grantseekers eligible?

Grantseekers are eligible to apply under the following scholarship categories:

• Women working across the philanthropy and not-for-profit sectors
• Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people
• Individuals of diverse gender identity (including but not limited to non-binary, trans and agender individuals)
• Individuals involved in work that touches on climate-related initiatives

Grantseekers are not eligible to apply for the following scholarship category:

• Individuals working within a small to medium-sized grantmaking organisation (defined as having an annual distribution of less than $5million) and with limited professional development budget

6. 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.

7. What does ‘involved in philanthropy or grantseeking 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.

8. What do you mean by a “small to medium-sized philanthropic organisation”?

For the purposes of these scholarships, grantmaking organisations with an annual distribution of less than $5million are eligible to apply. This category is intended to support individuals working in grantmaking 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
• 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.

9. Who would benefit from Effective Giving short course?

Anyone seeking to advance their giving practice, whether you are on the giving side of philanthropy or seeking to better understand how to work with funders. This includes:

• Philanthropic practitioners
• Foundation staff
• Family offices
• Trustees and board members
• Wealth holders
• Philanthropic advisors and intermediaries
• Not-for-profit organisations and grantseekers

10. 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 a grantmaker and 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, this is for you. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.