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Leading through constraint to deliver sustainable impact 

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15 - 17 September 2026, Park Royal Darling Harbour, Sydney

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Event overview

The Australian nonprofit sector faces mounting challenges in 2026. Escalating financial constraints from inflation and donor fatigue, workforce burnout amid volunteer declines, surging service demands from climate events and economic hardship, plus governance gaps and digital lags, are pressuring third sector teams to become more resilient.

A 2025 ACNC Report reveals unprecedented pressures making it more critical than ever for leaders to secure solutions. 60%+ of small/mid charities battle funding sustainability as expenses outpace income, while critical services are having to turn people away amid cost of living crises.

The Third Sector Leaders Forum 2026 is mission-critical for nonprofit CEOs and executive leaders facing 2026’s execution challenges. It delivers peer-validated frameworks tackling the sector’s top priorities and provides C-suite leaders the practical tools and partnerships needed to turn sector pressures into sustainable impact. This is the room where solutions happen.

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Advisory Board

The experts guiding the conversation:

Margaret Sheehan
Chief Executive Officer
ChildFund Australia
Mike Davis
General Manager- Innovation
Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand
Doug Taylor
Chief Executive Officer
The Smith Family
Morgana Ryan
Chief Executive Officer
CARE Australia
Jamie Crosby
Chief Executive Officer
Families Australia
Russell D’Costa
Chief Executive Officer
Life Ed Australia
Josh Hickford
CA ANZ Councillor
Chartered Accountants, Australia and New Zealand
Chief Executive
Taranaki Foundation
Ryan Ginard
Head of Sector Development and Innovation
Minderoo Foundation

Danielle is the Chief Operating Officer at Miracle Babies Foundation with a strong background in marketing and brand management, coming from a Corporate. 

Danielle Hodgson
Chief Operations Officer
Miracle Babies

Jane Jenkins is the Business & Operations Manager at Earbus Foundation of Western Australia, where she is responsible for human resources, finance, and operations management, playing a key role in the overall performance and sustainability of the business.

Jane Jenkins
Business & Operations Manager
Earbus

Kate Saport is a highly experienced chartered accountant who has held prior CFO roles both here in Australia and in Tanzania.

Kate Saporta
Chief Financial Officer
Family Life
Chris Jordan
Head of Fundraising
Farm Angels
Shayne Herriott
Director of Operations
Orange Sky
Bradley Kane
Chief Operations Officer
Lifeline Central West
Marvin Block
Chief Financial Officer
Accoras
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Key benefits of attending:

Secure sustainable growth through funding innovation, leadership alignment and tech transformation 

Build resilient teams, governance and partnerships that scale impact 

Strengthen advocacy, accountability and financial stability for Australia's third sector 

Navigate workforce challenges, policy pressures and digital disruption with confidence

Harness AI, data and digital tools to prove impact and drive operations 

Sponsors

Share a stage with 50+ industry experts

We invite you to join us and share your expertise or suggest a presenter. Please get in touch with us for more information on the event and how to participate. We look forward to hearing from you!

Speaking opportunity

Who should attend:

C-level executives and senior leaders responsible for:

Operations

HR/People & Culture

Finance

Communications

Fundraising

Strategy

Sectors:

Not for profits

NGOs

Charities

Government

Social Enterprises

Philanthropies

Event features

The event program meticulously outlines the schedule and flow of activities, designed to fully engage attendees. It details keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, networking sessions, entertainment, and other planned elements, ensuring a captivating experience from start to finish.

Streams

Customise your learning journey with 2 inclusive streams encompassing all aspects of the industry, you can design a personalised schedule that maximises your time and experience.

Panel Discussions

Learn from expert panellists who will share their perspectives on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities from the industry.

Case Studies
Gain valuable insights from industry experts through engaging case study sessions, designed to present solutions and learnings to key challenges in the industry.
Workshops
Deep dive into an interactive and intimate classroom style workshops with like-minded individuals and discuss key topics.
Exhibition


Showcase your brand to senior NFP professionals by exhibiting at our event.

Sponsoring
Elevate your brands visibility and choose from a wide range of sponsorship packages to expose your organisation to a diverse audience.
Networking Opportunities
Connect with other industry experts, thought leaders, and fellow senior attendees as you contribute to a shared learning experience.
Streams

Customise your learning journey with 2 inclusive streams encompassing all aspects of the industry, you can design a personalised schedule that maximises your time and experience.

Panel Discussions

Learn from expert panellists who will share their perspectives on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities from the industry.

Case Studies
Gain valuable insights from industry experts through engaging case study sessions, designed to present solutions and learnings to key challenges in the industry.
Workshops
Deep dive into an interactive and intimate classroom style workshops with like-minded individuals and discuss key topics.
Exhibition


Showcase your brand to senior NFP professionals by exhibiting at our event.

Sponsoring
Elevate your brands visibility and choose from a wide range of sponsorship packages to expose your organisation to a diverse audience.
Networking Opportunities
Connect with other industry experts, thought leaders, and fellow senior attendees as you contribute to a shared learning experience.
The Third Sector’s Leaders Forum, a comprehensive three-day event addressing the critical issues head on. Attendees will learn invaluable insights and practical strategies to bolster their organisations’ capabilities, drive meaningful impact, secure long-term sustainability, and propel growth.

2025 Sponsors

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Enquire about sponsoring Third Sector Leaders Forum 2026

Our Sponsors

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Associate Sponsor

Plenary Chair sponsor

Round-table Sponsor

Exhibitor

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What our Attendees say

As someone who is new to the NFP/charity sector, the Third Sector Live conference help me increase my knowledge on what is happening in the sector in Australia. It was so wonderful to hear speakers share information on what has worked for them and also some of the work and processes that they are embracing. This conference is a must for anyone new to the sector and for those that have been around for a while, there is valuable information that is shared

I really enjoyed listening to the range of speakers presenting on a diverse range of topics at the conference. The opportunity to network with other senior executives of other charities and share experiences was incredibly valuable

A very enjoyable event, I met many interesting people from our sector from long term established organisations through to start ups. A good opportunity to be in a room with people leading organisations who face the same challenges and opportunities and hearing how these challenges are overcome.

Post event gallery

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