Australian Scholarship Foundation Boosts Opportunities
19 August 2010 at 12:35 pm
Not for Profit scholarship provider, the Australian Scholarship Foundation is planning to triple the number of NFP scholarships on offer by 2012.
Australian Scholarship Foundation (ASF) is set to greatly increase the number of scholarship on offer to the NFP sector through its “My Scholarships” IT Project.
The project, funded by the Perpetual Foundation, will see the creation of a one-stop-shop website connecting the NFP sector with over 400 scholarships and opportunities.
It will allow ASF to fully automate its online applications process and develop a database of every education and training scholarship on offer for NFPs.
Amy Lyden, CEO of ASF says this investment will enable ASF to triple the number of annual scholarships offered to the NFP sector with their funds increasing from $1.5 million to $2.3 million by 2012.
Lyden says the majority of the nearly 900,000 people working in the NFP sector do not know what scholarships exist or where to find them. She says the ASF website will change this.
Australian Scholarships Foundation (ASF) funds and facilitates training and education scholarships for people who work in the Not for Profit sector. ASF’s mission is to increase the overall effectiveness of the NFP sector through training and development of the sector.
Since its inception 3 years ago, ASF has experienced rapid growth, and has funded and facilitated over 200 scholarships to the NFP sector during that time. In 2010, ASF is on track for 200 scholarships worth roughly $1.5 million, with the aim of providing $2.3 million of scholarships annually by 2012.
Funding for ASF and the scholarships it offers comes from a mixture of trusts and key philanthropists, as well as scholarships being either fully or partially subsidised by universities and education providers.
Lyden says that universities are keen to work with and support the Not for Profit sector, however many are not sure how to engage with the sector.
Lyden says ASF acts as a bridge between the education providers and the NFP sector; connecting NFPs with valuable opportunities and giving education providers important exposure in the sector.
Lyden says continuing education and investing in the skills of staff hasn’t been a high priority in the NFP sector, however she feels this is beginning to change. She says recent developments such as the Productivity Commission report show that the sector is maturing and as employees in the NFP sector skill up through scholarships opportunities, it will become more aware of the importance of continued education and training.
For more information on ASF, visit the website here www.scholarships.org.au
Click here to view the scholarships on offer for the NFP sector for August/September
