Professional Education Scholarships

Perpetual FIA Scholarships

Aimed at building capacity and capability in the fundraising sector.

Perpetual shares FIA’s vision for a greater impact for a better world through best-practice fundraising. They understand that ongoing professional education and training are critical to ensuring the improvement and success of fundraising, so they have partnered with FIA as the peak body for fundraising in Australia to provide these valuable scholarships. 

The scholarships provided by Perpetual will ensure fundraising professionals advance their skills and knowledge to continue to make a greater impact in fulfilling the missions of the causes for which they so passionately work.

Perpetual is committed to acting in the best interests of the communities they support to ensure a positive impact and sustainable future – this partnership will help fulfill this commitment. 

Eight fully-paid scholarships were awarded in 2023.

The recipients of the Diploma in Professional Fundraising are:

Glen Norris from Karrkad Kanjdji Trust“I was thrilled to be successful with this scholarship application, particularly as there was such a high number of applicants. I feel this diploma will significantly complement my hands-on experience over the past 16 years and solidify my capabilities as a fundraiser with a ‘sleeves rolled up’ approach. I am grateful to Perpetual and FIA for this opportunity, and I am genuinely excited to broaden my professional networks throughout the for-purpose community.”

Larissa Reinboth from Possum Portraits“I’m very happy I won this scholarship and for the learnings I’ll be able to draw from it. I didn’t realise that the announcement of the winners would reach so many people or that the scholarship was so coveted. It is very humbling and rewarding to have so many colleagues, past and present, reach out unexpectedly to congratulate me on winning.”

Rebecca Stalenberg from MS Plus“I am so thrilled and thankful to be one of the FIA/ Perpetual Scholarship winners. I remember vividly the call from Lauren in the Training Team telling me the amazing news and how proud I felt to be chosen by my peers to be given such an opportunity to formalise my love of fundraising. When I found out only 4 scholarships were offered, I knew I couldn’t miss the opportunity to put my full heart into study.  Winning this Scholarship means that I want to give it my all – it’s my chance to give back and share more about promoting charitable giving in the community. As a Solicitor, coming to fundraising later in life – I have seized every opportunity to learn more and now I feel that I am not just ‘playing catch up’, but excelling in the field with this formal endorsement’

Georgina Harvey from Youth Focus  – I am extremely humbled to be one of four fundraisers in Australia to receive this scholarship to complete a Diploma in Fundraising. I am so passionate about this industry and hope that not only will this experience benefit my career and my employer, but that it will provide me with an opportunity to give back and encourage and support more people to enter the for-purpose field.                  

The recipients of the Certificate in Professional Fundraising are:

Samuel Diotallevi from the Adelaide Festival Centre“Receiving the Perpetual Scholarship with FIA has been a game changer for me on both a personal and academic level. When I was informed that I had won the scholarship, it made me feel recognised, empowered and excited about the educational journey ahead. Having the support from my managers at Adelaide Festival Centre made me feel valued. For me, on-going learning keeps me engaged and focused and allows me to share new ideas with my team.”

Imogen Hielscher from LifeFlight Foundation“Receiving the Perpetual FIA Scholarship has been an absolute game-changer for me in the realm of fundraising. When I received news that I was one of the eight fortunate recipients of this prestigious scholarship, I was overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement. It felt like validation for my dedication to making a meaningful difference in the fundraising sector.

This scholarship isn’t just recognition of my efforts, it’s a golden opportunity to further my education and expertise in fundraising. Knowing that Perpetual, in partnership with FIA, believes in the significance of ongoing professional development has been incredibly motivating. I look forward to completing the course and building upon my solid foundation of learnings. Thank you Perpetual and FIA for this opportunity.”

Isabella Neal-Shaw from Cambodian Children’s Fund“I love my job and more broadly, the not-for-profit sector. I applied for the FIA scholarship so I could better contribute to the success of Cambodian Children’s Fund. Passion is a crucial element of fundraising, but I need the practical skills to maximise my success (cue FIA!). In that sense, fundraising is both an art and a science. You need to inspire donors to give and then continue to give them opportunities to do so. Through this scholarship I am developing the necessary skills to connect amazing people with an amazing cause and increase their impact! Thank you, FIA, for investing in the sector… and me!”

Claudia Hundloe Uniting WAI feel incredibly grateful to be a recipient of Perpetual’s 2023 Scholarship to complete a Certificate in Professional Fundraising. The opportunity to further my learning in this important way not only contributes to my career, but it will also give me the skills to apply in my current organisation, hopefully driving better impact. It is fantastic that these opportunities exist for young fundraisers as many of us are in small organisations that face challenges to contribute financially to professional learning.

Thank you to all those who took the time to submit applications and to Perpetual for their generosity and support. Check back again for future opportunities to grow your skills and career with FIA.


FIA National Conference Scholarships

Aimed at improving fundraising skills in small charities.

The FIA Conference National Scholarship provides an opportunity for FIA members to attend the conference when they would otherwise not have the opportunity, due to financial means. The scholarship was introduced in 2016 to help support and improve fundraising skills in small charities and not-for-profits within Australia. The scholarship covers the cost of a full FIA Conference member registration. The scholarship covers the cost of conference registration only. Any other costs (such as travel, accommodation, awards gala dinner tickets or any other expenses) must be met by the scholarship recipient.

This year FIA will provide one scholarship proudly sponsored by the FIA Foundation.

National Scholarship Program Brief

Download the Scholarship Application Form here.

Entries close 8 December 2023.

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