Administered by the Australian Scholarships Foundation and funded by the Perpetual Foundation and JS Love Trust, the scholarships are worth over $1,000 each and are part of a program designed to promote education and governance in the sector.

Research undertaken during the 2011 program found that over a quarter of organisations governed by participants in The Role of the Not-for-Profit Chairman course had no budget for training. There were also vast differences in the application of governance practices across the sector.

Perpetual General Manager of Philanthropy Andrew Thomas says many not-for-profits lack the funds for formal professional development.

“Financial constraints and pressure to focus on social impacts often mean board education is not adequately funded. This can have a negative effect on the organisation’s ability to achieve outcomes,” says Thomas.

“These scholarships give organisations and directors across the charitable sector greater access to formal governance education, enabling them to strengthen governance practices. They also prepare board members for making the tough decisions that come with leading an organisation.”

The scholarships do not include travel and accommodation costs.