Our Scholarship

NFP Executive Scholarship

Our scholarship is designed to assist a talented executive from the NFP sector to strengthen leadership skills, manage tough organisational challenges and increase leadership capacity so that they can better deliver their important work in the community.

We invite applications from founders or executives who are leading an initiative that has a social purpose, including people working in charities, social enterprises and for-purpose organisations that are seeking to achieve positive social, organisational or grassroots change.

Our scholarship winner receives a six-month Executive Mentoring Program package and is matched with a carefully selected mentor external to their own organisation. Our mentors are chosen from an extensive network of well-respected leaders in the business, government and not-for-profit sectors. All our mentors have reached the top of their respective fields and have demonstrated extensive commitment to developing others. The mentor guides, advises and encourages the scholarship recipient to test ideas around leadership, extend their work performances, learn board management, change management and more.

The scholarship winner also receives a Hogan Leadership Assessment together with a coach debrief; a powerful assessment tool for providing emerging leaders with self-awareness and a deeper understanding into their own strengths, behaviours, challenges and drivers.

The scholarship is an exciting opportunity for any executive looking to achieve their personal and organisational goals and strengthen their capacity to affect change in the Australian community.

Congratulations to the 2024 Scholarship recipient: Dr Shenouda Girgis, Co-Founder, Eyes of Hope. Read the SMH media story of this new charity providing free eye care and clinics to Sydney’s homeless and disadvantaged here.
Please contact us for enquiries about 2025 Scholarship applications. 

The application process will include:

  • Complete the application form
  • Email a link to your LinkedIn profile and a copy of your CV to McCarthy Mentoring
  • Interviews with short-listed applicants
  • McCarthy Mentoring interview with chosen candidates’ CEO or Chair
Executive Scholarship Conditions

Applicants must:

  • lead a social, cultural, environmental or community change for the greater good
  • be a founder, owner, or executive team member reporting to the CEO
  • show the ability to affect change in your community or sector
  • work in an Australian NFP, charity, social enterprise, for-purpose organisation
  • be able to participate in the program between May-November

We assess applicants based on their:

  • potential for leadership (skills and/or expertise)
  • need for support and mentoring
  • capacity to influence and make an impact within the organisation and broader sector
  • availability to participate in the mentoring program

McCarthy Mentoring awards this scholarship at its absolute discretion. McCarthy Mentoring retains the right to reject an application or retract the award of the scholarship on the basis of false or misleading information forming any part of the application.

We congratulate our past recipients and share their stories in the links below:
  • 2024 – Dr Shenouda Girgis, Co-Founder, Eyes of Hope
  • 2022 – Jane Seeber, Chief Operating Officer at Access Health and Community
  • 2021 – Penny Waitsman, Director of External Affairs, The Australian Ballet
  • 2020 – Kathy Poulton, General Manager Operation and Quality, Roses in the Ocean
  • 2019 – Jonathan Peatfield, CEO at Life Education; former Head of Partnerships, batyr
  • 2018 – Tom Hull, Head of Client Partnerships at The Ethics Centre, former GM, The Funding Network
  • 2017  – Tatiana Isaacs, Fundraising and Communications Director, The Shepherd Centre
  • 2016  – Sarah Coker, Director of Programs for national mental health charity SANE Australia
  • 2015  – Suzanne Connolly-Andrews, CEO,  Gurriny Yealamucka Health Services, Northern Queensland
  • 2014  – Brett Macdonald, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Dry July Foundation
  • 2013  – Karen Bevan, Director Social Justice Unit, UnitingCare

To read the full 2024 media announcement please click here.

*roles are listed at the time of the scholarship

“I didn’t grow up knowing people that did the type of jobs I aspired to or had the deep networks to draw on. I feel this program helped levelling the playing field and made these types of roles seem possible for someone like me. I am grateful every day that I was able to draw on the support of a mentor to help me get here!”

 

Karen Bevan, CEO of sexual, domestic and family violence service, Full Stop Australia & inaugural scholarship recipient