Why we're good at what we do
Well-established, stable, trusted
The Institute of Community Directors Australia (ICDA) is part of the Our Community group of enterprises. Our Community is a multi-award-winning organisation established through Australia’s first social investment in 2000. Our Community services (principally its training and software) are used and trusted by hundreds of local, state and federal government agencies, including DPIE.
Not-for-profit focused
We have a proud reputation for delivering products and services that fit the unique needs of the not-for-profit sector. Our holistic offerings go beyond the important legislative and fiduciary duties of not-for-profit board members, to include parallel models of governance in Indigenous organisations, and incorporate considerations of culture, fundraising, sector consultation, mission-centred planning and conflict negotiation.
Government-accredited training and trainers
We offer Australia’s only government-accredited Diploma-level governance qualification. Our Diploma of Governance is designed specifically for not-for-profits. Working closely with our Registered Training Organisation training partner, TAFE Gippsland, all Our Community’s accredited training is conducted under the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) framework and undergoes rigorous and regular quality and compliance audits. In addition, all our trainers hold ASQA qualifications along with governance and business qualifications and professional experience.
Meet our expert trainers
Our trainers are experienced and engaging community sector practitioners. With decades of experience between them, they provide contemporary, insightful and relevant training experiences.
Enormous reach
Our Community boasts Australia’s largest not-for-profit sector database, reaching 110,000 not-for-profit organisations each year. We provide governance training to approximately 2000 not-for-profit organisations per year.
Sector influence
Our Community staff fulfil key strategic roles across the not-for-profit sector. Currently, ICDA’s Managing Director Denis Moriarty sits on the Charities Crisis Cabinet. Our Innovation Lab Head Sarah Barker sits on the Board of the Social Impact Measurement Network Australia (SIMNA). Our Community’s taxonomy, CLASSIE, has recently been adopted by the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC).
High-level Board
Our Community’s board is led by leading businesswoman and Reserve Bank of Australia member Carol Schwartz AO, and Australia’s leading ethicist and Australia’s most in-demand corporate board member, Simon Longstaff AO. The board also comprises Our Community founder and Group Managing Director, Denis Moriarty AM, a former Assistant Secretary in the Victorian public service who founded Our Community in 2000.
Expert advice from a prestigious advisory council
ICDA’s work is guided by the eminent Community Director's Council (many of whom also provide advisory services to the AICD). The Council’s chair, Adj. Prof. Susan Pascoe AM, is the highly respected inaugural Commissioner of the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) and currently serves as Australian Council for International Development Chair ACFID (among many other roles). The Council also includes Australia’s leading not-for-profit researcher, Emeritus Professor Myles McGregor-Lowndes (QUT), Jahna Cedar, who is the Director of Policy, Evaluation and Indigenous Engagement at IPS Management, Professor Kristy Muir, who heads up the Centre for Social Impact, Professor Cynthia Mitchel from the Institute of Sustainable Futures at UTS, and Jodi Kennedy, General Manager, Charitable Trusts and Philanthropy at Equity Trustees (among other key sector leaders). The Council members bring specialist knowledge of not-for-profit law, finance, governance, theory and change management to the table.
Credentials for trainees
Participants in our training get access to a range of post-nominals:
- MICDA (Member of the Institute of Community Directors Australia):
Must have successfully completed the Our Community/Institute of Community Directors Australia Certificate IV in Governance and/or attended (but not yet completed all course requirements of) the Institute of Community Directors Australia's Diploma of Business (Governance) - FICDA (Fellow of the Institute of Community Directors Australia):
Must have completed Institute of Community Directors Australia's Diploma of Business (Governance) Members of the Institute who have completed the Diploma of Business (Governance) may also use the post-nominals Dip. Bus (Gov).
Access and affordability
Importantly, trainees can maintain their membership of ICDA and credentials for just $65 per annum, meaning more money to spend on their mission.
Future-thinking, future leading
ICDA’s work is informed by extensive cutting-edge research into the sector, supervised by a team of data scientists from Our Community’s Innovation Lab. Recent research includes: The Not-for-Profit Governance Roadmap and Data Visualisation; COVID-19 Research Hub; COVID-19 Community Sector Impact Survey.
What people say...
“The Diploma has helped me mesh the legislated, strategic and operational functions of governance. I found the face-to-face teaching was perfectly supported by the course work, delivering immediate outcomes in both my professional and community endeavours.”
“The Diploma helped to make governance work for me - and hence helps to make it real and practical for the community I work with. The opportunity to share and work with others in similar situations and to learn with the excellent trainers is one not to be missed!”
“It is very comforting to be connected to real subject matter experts.”
“Thank you for your assistance. Your support and information has allowed me to take emotion out of the equation and think clearly about this governance issue.”