Community Sector Banking, Australia’s banking service dedicated to the not-for-profit sector, partnered with the Churchill Trust to offer two new Churchill Fellowships in 2019 specifically to support and strengthen leaders in the Australian not-for-profit sector.  

The two recipients of the sponsored Fellowships are Cara Peek of Western Australia and Jan Maggacis of Queensland. 

The first Fellowship, awarded to Maggacis, has been established to support the development of leadership skills and people and culture programs so future challenges can be met across the not-for-profit sector.

Maggacis has more than 20 years of experience in leadership and governance. She intends to visit academic institutions and business schools across the USA to research strategies and resilience training methods to develop sustainable leadership models that will support not-for-profits through generational changes in leadership.

The second Fellowship, awarded to Peek, was created to support an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person to explore positive interactions and outcomes between indigenous peoples and communities and the not-for-profit sector.

Peek, a proud Yawuru/Bunuba woman, is the Founder & Chairperson of Saltwater Country – a multifaceted Indigenous-led organisation that builds on the symbolic power of the Aboriginal Cowboy in remote Australia. She wants to experience First Nations-led events in North and South America to inform the development of Saltwater Country programs and build a network of like-minded social enterprises across the nation.

“Community Sector Banking is always looking for opportunities to invest in the not-for-profit sector because a strong and thriving civil society helps nourish our communities,” says Community Sector Banking CEO Andrew Cairns.

“We’re extremely proud to support these two accomplished women to visit not-for-profits overseas and bring back their findings for the enrichment of the sector here in Australia. Upon their return, we will invite Peek and Maggacis to present at future Board meetings and conferences and look forward to learning from their experiences,” Cairns said.

“A Churchill Fellowship is a life changing experience, so we congratulate Peek and Maggacis on being selected and wish them well on their journeys ahead,” said CEO of the Churchill Trust, Adam Davey.

“The not-for-profit sector plays a critical role in Australia’s economic and social wellbeing. The Churchill Trust would like to acknowledge and congratulate Community Sector Banking for investing in the sector’s emerging leaders and supporting an exploration of global best practice,” concluded Davey.