Centre for Social Impact

When the Governor-General, Sam Mostyn wore a custom gown created by The Social Outfit for the royal reception of King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark during their March Australian Tour, it was more than a fashion moment.

The gown was made by refugee and migrant women supported through The Social Outfit – a social enterprise creating employment, training and economic opportunity through fashion.

In this feature story, CEO Amy Low reflects on stepping into leadership, navigating the complexities of philanthropy, and how our pilot short course with The Giving Academy helped reshape the way she approaches funding partnerships and strategic engagement with funders.

“[The course] shaped a clearer and more effective funding ask, and I'm pleased to share that it led to immediate and essential funding,” Amy reveals.

Read the full story via the link below.

A milestone moment for the Centre for Social Impact last week, as we delivered the first official workshops for The Giving Academy across both our hybrid and virtual short courses.

In Sydney, our hybrid cohort gathered for two days of rich discussion, as participants explored increasingly complex questions around what good, intentional philanthropy looks like in practice.

Coinciding with the Sydney workshops, participants in our virtual cohort came together online from across the country to explore the principles and practice of effective giving.

A special shoutout to our exceptional Facilitators Jo Taylor, Dr Sally McGeoch, Heather Newberry Lord for the calibre of the learning experience they created for The Giving Academy’s first official workshops. Their thoughtful approach, deep sector expertise and ability to foster trust and genuine engagement set an incredibly high standard - creating the kind of learning environment where meaningful connection and growth can truly flourish.

The Centre for Social Impact has awarded dozens of scholarships across Australia to strengthen philanthropic practice, supporting changemakers to deepen their impact through our flagship philanthropy program, The Giving Academy.

Made possible through the support of Minderoo Foundation and Equity Trustees, the scholarships form part of a multi-year commitment to strengthen philanthropic practice across Australia, removing financial barriers and expanding access to high quality, real-world, evidence-based learning.

“I'm so excited to deepen my understanding of effective giving and strategic philanthropy; and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to bring that learning directly back to my organisation and influence the programs and initiatives that I manage,'' - Laura Potts, The Giving Academy scholar.

Read more here: https://shorturl.at/PA6zF

Enrolments for The Giving Academy are now officially open!

For the first time, The Giving Academy - Australia’s flagship learning program for the philanthropic ecosystem - is officially open for enrolments, backed by more than 75 new scholarships to expand access and strengthen philanthropic leadership nationwide.

The announcement lands against a backdrop of record charitable giving in Australia - now almost $19 billion annually - placing greater focus on ensuring those funds deliver meaningful impact.
Co-designed by the Centre for Social Impact in partnership with sector experts, The Giving Academy seeks to fill a critical gap in philanthropic education and sets a new benchmark for practical, real-world learning.

After receiving glowing feedback from its pilot program, The Giving Academy’s inaugural short courses are now open to the public.

At its heart, The Giving Academy is designed to uplift philanthropic practice across Australia - enabling more effective use of resources and lasting benefit for communities and causes.

Launching today, the scholarships will roll out over three years, supported by new multi-year commitments from Minderoo Foundation and Equity Trustees.

Scholarships are available for:
-First Nations people
-Gender-diverse individuals
-Individuals working in climate-related initiatives
-Staff from smaller philanthropic organisations with limited professional development funding
-Enrol in The Giving Academy today and strengthen your philanthropic practice for lasting impact.

Find out more and enrol now: https://www.csi.edu.au/education/the-giving-academy/

Young Carers (18–25) - We Want to Hear From You!

Have you supported or cared for a loved one due to disability, mental health challenges, chronic illness, age-related needs, or other circumstances? Your lived experience matters and it can help shape better support for young carers across Western Australia.

The Centre for Social Impact UWA is forming a Young Carers Youth Advisory Collective as part of a research project with WA exploring the wellbeing of young carers in WA.

We’re looking for young adults aged 18–25 who are willing to share their insights and perspectives to help us shape this meaningful research project.

🗓️ What’s involved?

Around five group sessions across 2026–2027
Reimbursement $60 per hour for your time and contribution
Your voice can help create meaningful change for young carers now and into the future.

📩 Interested? Complete the short expression of interest form: 👉 https://uwa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cOSDRWLvtbkER1k

Email [email protected] for more information.

Applications for social impact scholarships are now open! 🎓

Over the past decade, the Centre for Social Impact has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to empower changemakers across Australia. This year, we’re investing a further $100,000 to support your postgraduate studies to ignite meaningful social change.

📝 Apply now and take the next step toward shaping a better future
🔍 Learn more about eligibility, FAQs, and student stories
🎥 Missed the webinar? Watch the recording for tips and insights

👉 https://shorturl.at/cElnW

First Nations Response is a charity providing culturally safe food relief to First Nations families and elders in Sydney. Every year it provides free meals, groceries, essentials and support to over 240 people.

Kimberley Peckham is one of the founding Directors of FNR. Drawing on her lived experience, she helped shape the organisation from a shared recognition among the founders of the food insecurity and hidden, ongoing crisis within their communities, a challenge that became even more visible during COVID.

Supported by the CSI UNSW Indigenous Female Scholarship, Kimberley is now studying a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact, applying what she learns directly to establishing strong foundations for the growing charity.

“Everything I’m learning, I can put into practice straight away… Some of the subjects really opened my eyes — especially leadership, philanthropy, and measuring social impact. Every topic connected back to the challenges I see in my community and gave me insights on how we could work towards better outcomes,” Kimberley says.

Kimberley will also be joining us as a guest speaker at our upcoming webinar, Social Impact Scholarships: Alumni Q&A + How to Apply on 11 November, sharing her story and insights with future changemakers.

📖 Read more about Kimberley’s journey and the people she’s helping: https://lnkd.in/gaTkx5Dj

🔗 Plus find out how you can apply for a CSI scholarship to create impact in your own community - link in the comments.

Ever wondered where a social impact scholarship could take you? 🌏

Over the past decade, we’ve awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to support the studies and careers of changemakers across Australia. This year, we’re investing another $100K to empower future leaders to create positive social change.

✨ Could it be you? ✨

Join our live info session to hear from inspirational alumni, get practical tips for your application, and discover how postgraduate study is helping changemakers across Australia create lasting impact.

Social Impact Scholarships: Alumni Q&A + How to Apply Centre for Social Impact webinar: Alumni share how UNSW, UWA, Flinders & Swinburne scholarships drive social impact. Live Q&A and application tips included!