Deadline: Ongoing Opportunity

Applications are now open for the Certified Project Officer Scholarship Program to support individuals facing barriers to education or professional development opportunities.

By partnering with the Center for Project Innovation, your organization is helping individuals in your community take the first step towards gaining valuable project management skills that can enhance their careers and contribute to a greater community impact.

Aims

• By helping 4,000 new leaders upskill with project management each year, they’re aiming to:
  • Improve confidence, skills, and career growth in marginalized communities.
  • Boost the impact of nonprofits and NGOs through value-adding project management.
  • Bring fresh ideas and better project handling to overlooked community sectors.
  • Support social and economic growth and positive change worldwide.

Become a partner

• As a non-profit or NGO partner, you get to pick the people you think are ready to learn these new skills. This could include:
  • Clients you serve who are looking to make their mark on the world
  • Dedicated volunteers who help run your programs
  • Community leaders you work with who could use these skills to drive local initiatives
  • People in your youth programs who are preparing for their careers
  • Individuals experiencing disadvantage looking to build their confidence and autonomy
  • Staff members who want to improve their ability to manage more complex projects
  • Small business owners or entrepreneurs you support wanting to grow their ventures

Benefits

• The certification equips participants with essential project management skills that are highly valued across a wide range of industries. This can improve their employability, enable them to take on more complex roles, and advance their careers.
• For many, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the certification builds confidence, opens doors to new job opportunities, and enhances their ability to contribute effectively to their organizations and communities.

What they ask in return?

• All they ask is one simple thing: share your stories of success.
• They’d love for you to post and share how this certification has helped you or your community!
• Your stories can inspire others and show the real-world impact your people are making.

Eligibility Criteria

• There are no specific qualifications or prerequisites required to apply for the certification. The program is open to individuals from diverse backgrounds with a wide range of life and educational experiences.
• The goal is to empower people from all walks of life, so there is no need for prior project management experience or formal education.
• Initially, they typically limit partner organizations to nominating up to 10 participants. This allows them to assess the program’s success within your community based on graduation rates and the social impact achieved.
• If the program is successful, there are opportunities to expand and nominate additional participants in the future.
• While they primarily work with organizations to nominate participants, they do consider a small number of individual applicants on a case-by-case basis. However, the preference is for individuals to apply through a partnering organization, as this ensures better support and structure throughout the certification process.

For more information, visit Center for Project Innovation.