Calendar

Explore our training calendar for not-for-profit leaders and board members.

Discover upcoming workshops, courses and events designed to enhance skills in governance, strategy and leadership. Find all upcoming training dates below and register for sessions that align with your goals.

October 2026
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Directors and senior leaders of community organisations make important decisions every day—but when might those decisions, or a failure to act, expose them to personal liability?

Presented by Law Compliance in partnership with the Institute of Community Directors Australia, this practical webinar will explore:

  • how personal liability can arise;
  • who may be considered an officer or senior manager;
  • key case studies, penalties and statutory defences;
  • the role and limitations of directors’ and officers’ insurance; and
  • practical steps community organisations and their leaders can take to reduce their exposure.

Designed for board members, executives, senior managers, and governance, risk and compliance professionals across the not-for-profit and community sectors, the webinar will explain how effective oversight, compliance systems, training and record-keeping can help manage personal and organisational risk.

Key details

Date: Thursday, 1 October 2026

Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm AEST

Location: Online | Recorded

Price: FREE!

Learn more.

Community Sector Secretaries is a three-session program designed to help company secretaries understand their role on the board, and the responsibilities to the board.

The sessions will cover the secretary's role in:

  • Regulatory and legislative compliance, decision-making and ethical obligations (session 1)
  • Keeping the board on track with responsibilities and timelines (session 2)
  • Supporting inclusion and accessibility and ensuring effective induction and onboarding of new board members (session 3)

Participants will learn alongside other community sector secretaries, in sessions designed to enable them to connect and network with their peers. This training takes place online.

Those who complete all three sessions will receive a Certificate in Community Sector Secretaryship, a micro-credential accredited by the Institute of Community Directors Australia.

Key Details

Session 1: Tuesday, October 6, 2026

Session 2: Tuesday, October 13, 2026

Session 3: Tuesday, October 20, 2026

Register now.

A proven program designed to equip not-for-profit CEOs, Chairs, and Board Directors with the tools, confidence, and strategies to secure critical funding and build sustainable partnerships.

Fundraising isn’t just about asking for money. It's about demonstrating value, building trust, and inspiring action. In today’s competitive philanthropic landscape, funders expect more than passion; they want evidence of impact, alignment with their goals, and confidence that their support will deliver measurable results.

Does this sound familiar?

  • You’ve made multiple approaches to funders with little response.
  • You feel uncertain about what funders really want and how to attract core funding.
  • You’re juggling competing priorities, unsure how to balance strategic fundraising with operational demands.

Our Pitch to Impact program will change the way you approach fundraising, and help you secure the funds you need to achieve your mission.

By the end of this program, you’ll have:

  1. A Compelling Funder-Ready Pitch: Learn how to communicate your organisation’s mission with clarity, evidence, and emotional resonance.
  2. Confidence to Make the Ask: Walk into every funding conversation prepared and self-assured.
  3. An Actionable Fundraising Roadmap: Develop a clear, step-by-step plan to secure funding in 2025 and beyond.

What's included?

  • Three Immersive Masterclasses: Interactive sessions with expert guidance and real-world applications.
  • One Live Coaching Session: Personalised feedback to refine your pitch and delivery.
  • Exclusive Resources and Templates: Tailored guides, pitch frameworks, and storytelling tools.
  • Actionable Roadmaps: Create a fundraising roadmap designed for measurable results.

Fees

This course costs $995.00 to attend. Places are strictly limited. To register to attend please click below.

Register now.

Community Sector Treasurers is a three-session program which equips NFP and community treasurers with the knowledge and skills to manage financial responsibilities effectively.

Delivered over three 2-hour sessions, this course will cover core topics, tools, and strategies to ensure compliance, reporting accuracy, and financial planning.

  • Foundations of the treasurer’s role and financial administration (session 1)
  • Reporting and financial strategy (session 2)
  • Strategic planning and collaboration (session 3)

The three sessions will take place online and have been designed to support connection and networking amongst participants.

Those who complete all three sessions will receive a Certificate in Community Treasury, a micro-credential accredited by the Institute of Community Directors Australia.

Key Details:

Session 1: Thursday, October 8, 2026

Session 2: Thursday, October 15, 2026

Session 3: Thursday, October 22, 2026

Register now.

Join Community Directors and Axelo for a practical, board-focused webinar exploring cyber risk and emerging AI governance challenges in the not-for-profit sector.

Cyber threats continue to evolve, and the rapid uptake of AI tools is introducing new governance considerations for boards. At the same time, many NFPs operate without dedicated IT or HR teams, relying on lean staffing and external support. This session is designed with that reality in mind.

Key details:

Date: Thursday 8 October, 2026

Time: 1:00pm-2:00pm AEDT

Location: Online | Recorded

Member price: FREE

Register now.

AI & Innovation Readiness is a practical three-part program designed to help NFP boards and executive teams build the foundations for thoughtful, effective AI adoption.

The program will help you to build a pathway at your organisation, to ensure that you are ready to innovate, to intentional experimentation, to a scoped use case ready for implementation.

You’ll learn how to set clear organisational goals and KPIs, identify the expertise and resources you need, and put appropriate policies and governance in place.

Dates: October 15, 29 and November 12 from 1PM to 2.30PM AEDT.

You can view the entire course outline or register here.

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how organisations operate, make decisions, and manage risk. Yet while AI adoption is accelerating, many boards and leadership teams are still determining how to govern its use effectively.

Join BoardPro, in association with the Institute of Community Directors Australia and governance partners, for a special seminar designed to help directors, executives, and governance professionals confidently navigate the opportunities and responsibilities of AI.

Be among the first to experience BoardPro's new AI suite, hear the latest insights from our AI Governance Pulse research, and learn practical approaches for governing with impact in an AI-enabled world.

This event is designed for leaders, executives, and decision-makers who want to shape the AI future for their organisations – CEOs, COOs, and senior managers from across small businesses, nonprofits, charities and schools.

Key details:

Friday, October 16th, 2026
10am - 5:30pm AEST
Karstens – 111 Harrington Street, The Rocks, Sydney

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how organisations operate, make decisions, and manage risk. Yet while AI adoption is accelerating, many boards and leadership teams are still determining how to govern its use effectively.

Join BoardPro, in association with the Institute of Community Directors Australia and governance partners, for a special seminar designed to help directors, executives, and governance professionals confidently navigate the opportunities and responsibilities of AI.

Be among the first to experience BoardPro's new AI suite, hear the latest insights from our AI Governance Pulse research, and learn practical approaches for governing with impact in an AI-enabled world.

This event is designed for leaders, executives, and decision-makers who want to shape the AI future for their organisations – CEOs, COOs, and senior managers from across small businesses, nonprofits, charities and schools.

Key details:

Monday, October 19th, 2026
10am - 5:30pm
Karstens – 215 Adelaide St, Brisbane

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how organisations operate, make decisions, and manage risk. Yet while AI adoption is accelerating, many boards and leadership teams are still determining how to govern its use effectively.

Join BoardPro, in association with the Institute of Community Directors Australia and governance partners, for a special seminar designed to help directors, executives, and governance professionals confidently navigate the opportunities and responsibilities of AI.

Be among the first to experience BoardPro's new AI suite, hear the latest insights from our AI Governance Pulse research, and learn practical approaches for governing with impact in an AI-enabled world.

This event is designed for leaders, executives, and decision-makers who want to shape the AI future for their organisations – CEOs, COOs, and senior managers from across small businesses, nonprofits, charities and schools.

Key details:

Wednesday, October 21st, 2026
10am - 5:30pm
Karstens – 111 St George's Terrace, Perth

Fundraising is the lifeblood of most community organisations, yet it’s an often-neglected task. Most organisations draw the majority of their income from just one or two sources. That’s a dangerous strategy. If one of those sources dries up, you could quickly face a budget black hole.

At this training, you'll learn about the seven pillars of fundraising.

  1. Grants
  2. Donations
  3. Crowdfunding
  4. Membership
  5. Events
  6. Sales
  7. Sponsorship

With around $125 billion given out in grants across Australia each year, this session will take an in-depth look at writing a proposal to ensure your organisation is getting its share of the money on offer.

This course is designed for grassroots community groups that want to find out where to find funding, and how to win it.

This 3-hour online session costs $189 (member price) and will be held Wednesday, 21 October 2026 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. This session is not recorded. Live attendance is required.

Register now.

The Hon Dr Andrew Leigh, Member for Fenner and Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition and Treasury, overseeing the ACNC and charities sector, will be delivering the 2026 Joan Kirner Social Justice Oration.

Andrew Leigh is the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, and Federal Member for Fenner in the ACT. Prior to being elected in 2010, Andrew was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard, having graduated from the University of Sydney with first class honours in Arts and Law. Andrew is a past recipient of the Economic Society of Australia's Young Economist Award and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Social Sciences.

The 2026 Joan Kirner Social Justice Oration will be streamed live and free at 6.15pm AEDT on Wednesday, 21 October.

Register now

Artificial Intelligence is reshaping how organisations operate, make decisions, and manage risk. Yet while AI adoption is accelerating, many boards and leadership teams are still determining how to govern its use effectively.

Join BoardPro, in association with the Institute of Community Directors Australia and governance partners, for a special seminar designed to help directors, executives, and governance professionals confidently navigate the opportunities and responsibilities of AI.

Be among the first to experience BoardPro's new AI suite, hear the latest insights from our AI Governance Pulse research, and learn practical approaches for governing with impact in an AI-enabled world.

This event is designed for leaders, executives, and decision-makers who want to shape the AI future for their organisations – CEOs, COOs, and senior managers from across small businesses, nonprofits, charities and schools.

Key details: 

Friday, October 23rd, 2026
10am - 5:30pm
Karstens – 123 Queen Street, Melbourne

Good governance is the backbone of every effective not-for-profit - but it's often the area boards feel least confident about.

Here's something that might surprise you: every group that makes decisions together is already doing governance. Many people don't realise they've been part of a governance group until years down the track. Whether that's a committee, a board, or a working group: if you're making decisions collectively, governance applies to you!

At this training, you'll learn:

    • Legal responsibilities for board members
    • Distinguishing governance vs management: roles and boundaries
    • Identifying, disclosing, and managing conflicts of interest:
    • Healthy decision-making frameworks
    • Board solidarity and fiduciary duty

This 1 hour webinar costs $99 (member price) and will be held Tuesday 27 October 2026 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. This session is recorded.

Register now.

The sessions will cover the CEO's role in:

  • Leading with strategy and governance (session 1)
  • Leading people and performance (session 2)
  • Leading innovation and sustainability (session 3)

Participants will learn alongside other community sector CEOs, in sessions designed to enable them to connect and network with their peers. This training takes place online.

This course is designed for CEOs of organisations with management teams. It is best suited to organisations with annual revenue of approximately $1 million–$3 million.

Those who complete all three sessions will receive a Certificate of Completion.

This course is perfect for new CEOs or those about to step into the role.

Learn more.

November 2026
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The NFP Leadership Certificate is an online program that will equip leaders with the skills, knowledge, tools and connections required to take the next big step in their leadership journey.

Leaders who want to get more done need to start doing less.

But when you're so used to doing the doing, it can be difficult to take a step back and start leading.

ICDA's NFP Leadership Certificate provides space for middle and senior managers to lift their gaze and look at the big picture.

Taking place each Monday across 4 weeks, we'll be bringing together leaders from across Australia, via Zoom, to hone their leadership skills and explore what it truly means to lead.

Key Details

Session 1: Thursday, 5 November 2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.
Session 2: Thursday, 12 November 2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.
Session 3: Thursday, 19 November2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.
Session 4: Thursday, 26 November 2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.

Find out more.

Community Sector Chairs is a three-session program designed to help new and aspiring Board Chairs understand their role on the board, and their responsibilities to the board.

The sessions will cover the Chair's role in:

  1. The Chair’s role in governance and leadership
  2. Making healthy decisions in the board room
  3. Leading an organisation beyond meetings

Participants will learn alongside other community sector chairs, in sessions designed to enable them to connect and network with their peers. This training takes place online.

Those who complete all three sessions will receive a Certificate in Chairs Leadership, a micro-credential accredited by the Institute of Community Directors Australia.

Key Details

Session 1: Tuesday, 10 November 2026

Session 2: Tuesday, 17 November 2026

Session 3: Tuesday, 24 November 2026

Register now.

Too many nonprofits are unseen, unheard & underfunded. Only one in 1,000 nonprofits will grow beyond a small business. But more fundraising itself can’t fix your fundraising. You must be fundable and findable. First.

Join us for a conversation between author and Mighty Ally CEO Kevin L. Brown and Equitable Philanthropy’s Catherine Brooks.

At this training, we'll discuss:

  • The findable/fundable framework
  • How to build a clear, compelling not-for-profit brand that maximises your funding and advances social justice
  • The 20 laws of fundraising in Kevin L. Brown’s Fundable and Findable
  • How to improve your pitch to funders
  • What the board’s role is (and isn’t) in fundraising

This 1 hour webinar is FREE and will be held on Tuesday 17 November 2026 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm AEDT. This session is recorded.

Register now.

Overseeing the finances is probably one of the most important tasks you have as a board member. Financial literacy will put your organisation in the best position to promote and fulfil your organisation’s mission. If you don’t understand how the finances work, you’ll be at risk of getting caught up if anything goes wrong.

How well do you understand the financial performance and position of your organisation?

At this training, we'll cover:

  • Why you need to understand your organisation’s finances
  • Financial roles and responsibilities
  • Legal duties of board directors
  • Key elements of a board financial report
  • Profit and Loss Statements
  • Budgets
  • Balance Sheets
  • Cash flow statements
  • Reg flags to look out for
  • Oversight and monitoring

Key details

Date: Wednesday 18th November 2026
Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm AEDT
Location: Online
Member price: $189
Non-member price: $249

Register now.

Reach the most people at the lowest cost (free!) with the least effort (a phone call!) and the most influence (big audiences) - by gaining media coverage.

Nonprofit PR specialist Brett de Hoedt of Hootville Communications has helped community groups and not-for-profits land 1000+ media hits on a range of issues. He knows how to get coverage for complex, unsexy stories.

At this training, you'll learn:

    • why media coverage is worth the effort
    • knowing what media wants from you
    • identifying and creating catalysts for media coverage
    • how to prepare your organisation to be shameless media tarts
    • building media relationships without wining nor dining
    • dealing with journalists from first contact to warm afterglow
    • writing media releases - and why they hardly matter
    • story packaging – supplying media the various elements of your story
    • pitching your story to journalists (the moment of truth)

This 1 hour webinar costs $99 (member price) and will be held Tuesday 24 November 2026 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. This session is recorded.

Register now.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of the community sector, whether they’re sizzling sausages at the local fair, coordinating vital fundraisers, or providing vision and leadership in the boardroom. Without them, many organisations would be unable to keep the doors open.

Despite this, many organisations aren’t properly set up to effectively manage their volunteers.

At this training, you'll learn:

    • Proper record keeping
    • How to communicate with volunteers
    • What policies you'll need
    • What legal checks you should expect from volunteers
    • How to keep your volunteers

This 1 hour webinar costs $99 (member price) and will be held Tuesday 24 November 2026 from 1:00pm to 2:00pm. This session is recorded.

Register now.

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