Nominees must

• Be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.
• Have at least 12 months paid employment experience in the public sector.
• Provide a community referee to confirm the Aboriginality of and connection to and involvement with First Peoples communities.

Self-nominations and nominations by individuals and organisations are welcome.

Scholarship criteria

• History of involvement in professional and First Peoples community activities.
• Demonstrated impact/evidence of positive change as a result of participation in other leadership activities.
• Personal and professional qualities demonstrating a willingness and potential to further strengthen leadership skills and experience and take full advantage of the professional development opportunities offered by the scholarship. 
• Provide a community referee to support evidence of connection to and involvement with First Peoples communities. 

Nominations will be open to either self-nominations or to be nominated by someone.

Nominations will be received by online form, and nominees will be asked to respond to the following questions: 

• History of involvement in professional and First Peoples community activities. 
• Demonstrated impact/evidence of positive change as a result of participation in other leadership activities. 
• Personal and professional qualities demonstrating a willingness and potential to further strengthen leadership skills and experience and take full advantage of the professional development opportunities offered by the scholarship. 

Consists of First Peoples panel members only and that there are processes in place to manage conflicts of interest with nominees and panel members.

• By submitting a nomination, the nominator has obtained relevant permissions from the nominating organisation(s)/department(s)/relevant executive representative, agreeing that IPAA Victoria is entitled to use information and images contained in the nomination, in full or amended, in marketing and communication activities and that the information and images provided have the appropriate internal copyright and cultural clearances and approvals. 
• Nominations are open from Monday 6 July 2026. All nominations must be received by the published close of nominations deadline – Friday 14 August 2026. Nominations received after this date will not be considered unless there has been prior approval by IPAA Victoria prior to the close of nominations deadline. 
• Entries will be assessed on the basis of information and documentation provided in the nomination. 
• Nominations should address the relevant criteria. If for any reason an award criterion cannot be addressed, justification must be provided. 
• All costs associated with the preparation of nominations and attendance at the Fellows Awards ceremony is the responsibility of the nominator. Materials provided to support a nomination will not be returned unless requested. 
• All decisions and recommendations of the First People’s Advisory Committee and the IPAA Victoria Board are final and binding, and no correspondence will be entered into. On request, IPAA Victoria will provide brief feedback following the awards ceremony. 
• Being listed as a winner does not constitute an explicit, or implicit endorsement by IPAA Victoria or its partners. 
• The winner is asked to be available for the Award ceremony, Thursday 29 October 2026 and may be called on to participate in awards marketing and communication activities before and following the awards ceremony.