New Zealand: Community Leadership Scholarships

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

The Community Trust South is seeking applications for Community Leadership Scholarships to support rangatahi (youth) leadership development and community/non-profit emerging, mid-career and established leaders to access leadership development relevant to their stage and distinct personal and professional development needs so they can realise their potential and capacity for leadership in the community.

Enhanced leadership skills and knowledge and increased leadership talent and capacity within individuals, organisations and the community helps to tackle community challenges and drive positive outcomes.

Leadership Scholarship fund encourages:

• Individuals to seek improved leadership skills and knowledge and to have increased access to professional development opportunities
• Organisations to have enhanced organisational resilience and strengthened capability to achieve goals and to deliver quality services and programmes
• Community to have enhanced leadership capacity.

What they Fund

• Their leaders of today and tomorrow need to be reflective of their communities therefore the following are priorities for their Community Leadership scholarships:
  • Ensuring equity, inclusion, and diversity in those benefiting from leadership scholarships including; ethnicity, gender identity, ages, varying geographies, contexts, size of organisations, sectors, and fields of operation.
  • Empowering rangatahi (youth) through leadership opportunities and experiences.
  • Sustaining Māori cultural knowledge and leadership.
  • Encouraging Pasifika, other cultures, migrant, and refugee leadership development.
• The following are just a few examples of the types of leadership development programmes and opportunities considered:
  • Southland Chamber of Commerce – Leadership Academy
  • Community Governance Aotearoa programmes
  • Lead Centre for Not-for-Profit Governance & Leadership
  • Leadership New Zealand
  • Institute of Directors NZ Not for Profit Courses
  • Community Networking Aotearoa's 'Tick for Governance'
  • Targeted support e.g. coaching and mentoring, strengthening board leadership or secondments in New Zealand
  • More formal learning through specific leadership training and development programmes.
  • Funding can cover such things as course fees and related administration costs, costs incurred in transport and travel for study or course materials.

Funding Information

• Total fund: $20,000 per annum.

Eligibility Criteria

• Community/Non-Profit
  • Applications will be accepted from people who:
    • Are a New Zealand citizen or hold New Zealand permanent residency;
    • Reside in the Trust’s area and have done so for three years or more;
    • Work in or be significantly involved as a volunteer in any of the following in the Trust’s area
    • A not-for-profit organisation 
    • An Iwi/Māori organisation
    • A Pasifika or other cultural organisation
    • A specific community of interest e.g. youth, Iwi/Māori, Pasifika, migrant/refugee community, disability.  
    • Have some leadership experience, being either an emerging leader, mid-career or established leader;
    • Have the support of their organisation/community (e.g. Manager, CE, Executive Committee or Governance Board) or a relevant community leader;
  • Show evidence of their:
    • Personal character and capacity for leadership;
    • Accomplishments, commitment and motivation to serve their organisation/community in the Trust’s area;
    • Community involvement in the Trust’s area e.g. membership of external organisations, committees or boards;
    • Readiness, commitment, and motivation to take their leadership to the next level.
• Rangatahi (Youth)
  • Applications will be accepted from rangatahi who:
    • Are a New Zealand citizen or hold New Zealand permanent residency;
    • Reside in the Trust’s area and have done so for three years or more;
    • Are strongly involved in their community of interest in the Trust’s area;
    • Have the support of their community of interest or a relevant community leader;
  • Show evidence of their:
    • Personal character and capacity for leadership;
    • Community involvement in the Trust’s area;
    • Readiness and motivation to take their leadership to the next level.
• General
  • You can only receive one leadership scholarship in a 12-month period and a lifetime maximum of five Leadership Scholarships.

For more information, visit Community Leadership Scholarships.