January 22, 2009
 

25,000 Reasons for Non Profit Professionals to be Happy in 2009
 

This is shaping up as a very happy new year indeed for the latest five recipients of Advanced Solutions International’s ASI SMART Company Scholarships.
 

The December round recipients will attend a major conference, undertake training in fundraising and develop their skills in training and assessment courtesy of the scholarships.

   
“The December 2008 round was one of the most competitive in the fund’s three-year history, so these recipients can be particularly proud,” says Paul Ramsbottom, ASI Asia Pacific managing director and fund chair. “With a fresh $25,000 of funding available in 2009 we are looking to more scholarships, more smarts and more smiles.” 

    
The December round received applications for $15,000 worth of scholarships, making a total of $70,000 worth of scholarships applied for in 2008. Twenty-eight people were successful over the year. Of course, it’s not just individuals who benefit but the non-profit organisations for which they work, in this case:
 

• Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists;
• Asthma Foundation NSW;
• The Infants’ Home;
• Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia; and
• Earthwatch Australia.

Scholarships are once again on offer in 2009, with another $25,000 worth of funding available to individuals working in not-for-profits.  Applicants must be Australian or New Zealand citizens, or have permanent residency, and be either full-time or permanent part-time employees at an NFP. A maximum of $2000 per individual for studies directly relevant to the applicant’s professional development in the sector is available. More about ASI SMART Company Scholarships at: www.advsol.com/ap/scholarship.  
  

About ASI: Advanced Solutions International (Asia-Pacific) – ASI – has more than 35 staff and over 300 clients from the not-for-profit, charity and association sectors including: Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, Cancer Council Victoria and the Australian Medical Association. They use ASI’s flagship software solution iMIS to manage membership communications, fundraising, events, payments and website content.
   

Media: Paul Ramsbottom is available to talk about the ASI SMART Company Scholarship Fund, associations, charities and not-for-profits and their use of technology, association management, Australia’s IT industry and more. Contact ASI media advisor, Brett de Hoedt of Hootville Communications, on +61 3 9017 1062 or brett@hootville.com

The Review Panel for the March 2009 Round of funding will consist of: 

Paul Ramsbottom - ASI Managing Director (and Chairman of the Fund)

Julie Willett - ASI HR/Facilities Director

Andrew Kennedy - ASI Project Manager (on rotation)

The Fund received a number of outstanding applications requesting more than $15,000 in the December round.  We are pleased to confirm five Scholarships were awarded with a total value of more than $5,000. 

Approximately $25,000 will now be made available for the four rounds of funding for 2009.

Congratulations to the following Scholarship recipients:

Part A – Fully Funded Education Scholarships

Enza McNaught - The Infants’ Home
FIA Skills 1 (NSW)

Cate Harman - Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia
FIA Skills 1 (WA)

Caroline Bayer - Earthwatch Australia
FIA Skills 1 (VIC)

Part B – Education Subsidies for ASI Customers

no scholarships awarded

Part C – Education Grants for ASI Customers

Lucy Jacka - Asthma Foundation NSW
FIA 32nd International Fundraising Conference

Travis Bean - The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
Certificate IV in Training and Assessment

We thank all the applicants for taking the time to prepare their applications.  Applicants - successful in this round or not - are encouraged to consider applying again in future funding rounds (annually in March, June, September and December).