Agenda

We’re working hard on building next year’s Third Sector Leaders Forum program. Watch this space and register your interest to be the first to know about upcoming speakers and sessions.

9:00 - 12:00 Workshop A: Unlocking strategic edge through high-trust peer leadership

Leadership in the for-purpose sector is high-pressure and often isolating. While most executives invest in systems and strategy, few leverage one of their most powerful assets: trusted peer insight.

This workshop offers a practical, facilitated space for CEOs and senior leaders to decode real challenges with those who truly understand them. You’ll explore frameworks that sharpen decision-making, strengthen leadership resilience, and build the high-trust networks essential for navigating complexity and avoiding costly blind spots. This isn’t networking, it’s a recalibration of how you lead.

Attend this workshop and learn how to:

Apply proven peer-led decision frameworks to test strategy, explore blind spots and accelerate insight
Build high-trust environments that enable honesty, accountability, and constructive challenge
Strengthen your leadership resilience by shifting from solitary problem-solving to structured, peer-based thinking
Introduce peer-based models of leadership within your own executive or senior management teams
Leave with a tangible, trust-building toolkit to support growth, reflection, and faster course correction

Networking luncheon

1:00 - 4:00 Workshop B: Securing financial resilience by preparing for the next wave of compliance and cyber risk

As the ACNC and broader regulatory environment ramp up scrutiny, particularly around corporate structure transparency, key personnel remuneration, and cybersecurity posture, many nonprofits remain underprepared. Failure to adapt won’t just mean audit headaches. It threatens funding eligibility, reputational trust, and board confidence.

Cyber incidents targeting charities are rising, and funders are beginning to treat ESG, data integrity, and governance failings as investment risks. Inaction can erode credibility with donors, partners and regulators alike.

This practical, scenario-based workshop is designed for nonprofit CFOs, CEOs and COOs who understand that financial governance is no longer just about compliance, it’s about futureproofing. You’ll walk away with the frameworks, updates and tools needed to anticipate change, respond with agility, and lead your organisation with financial integrity in a risk-conscious world.

Attend this workshop and learn how to:

Audit and restructure complex organisational entities to align with ACNC transparency requirements and reduce regulatory exposure
Strengthen cybersecurity protocols to safeguard financial and donor data, meet board expectations, and limit legal liability
Decode the 2024 Annual Information Statement updates—including executive pay reporting—and embed systems to manage new obligations
Build a proactive compliance roadmap that goes beyond minimum standards to reinforce board oversight and cultural accountability
Integrate financial and ESG reporting to align with shifting funder demands and demonstrate measurable sustainability and impact

7:00 7:00 Registration opens

8:40 Welcome to Country

8:50 Opening remarks from the Chair

9:00 Opening keynote: Leading your nonprofit through 2025’s legal and governance landscape

Staying up to date and aware of your obligations
Examining good governance in practice
Building trust through transparency and accountability

9:30 Panel discussion: Strengthening the CEO–Board relationship to navigate power dynamics and expectations

Proactively managing and resolving conflicts to maintain alignment
Enabling effective governance while avoiding micromanagement to support strategic leadership and operational autonomy
Building a transparent, accountable and purpose-driven partnership to enhance trust, collaboration and long-term impact

Moderator:

Panellists:

10:00 Reimagining leadership in an era of disruption to maintain sustainability and inclusive growth

Adapting leadership models to navigate uncertainty, shifting workforce expectations, and sector-wide transformation
Embedding inclusive decision-making to ensure diverse voices shape strategy, culture, and impact
Balancing innovation with stability to maintain mission focus while responding to evolving community needs and funding pressures

10:30 Maximising impact by reducing noise

Overcoming complex problems to increase operational efficiency
Navigating how to build financial sustainability within your organisation
Equipping your people to make the most impact

Morning refreshments

Chair:

11:30 Case study: Enhancing trust and confidence in nonprofit organisations through transformational change in child sponsorship

Upholding storytelling standards that honour dignity while inspiring support
Fostering donor relationships through transparency, consistency, and values-aligned communication
Demonstrating financial integrity with clear reporting and responsible stewardship of funds

12:00 Navigating difficult staff and workplace complaints

Preventing issues before they escalate by identifying early warning signs and setting clear expectations
Responding with confidence and fairness when managing challenging staff behaviours or formal complaints
Managing or undertaking investigations into alleged workplace misconduct, including reportable conduct matters
Restoring trust and transparency through best-practice resolution approaches that support a healthy workplace culture

12:30 Fireside chat: Can Co-CEO models change the way we lead through complexity? Lessons from the Foyer Foundation’s journey

Navigating co-leadership as more than a job share by transforming the relationship bandwidth at the CEO level, creating flow-on benefits for organisations operating in complex ecosystems
Examining how The Foyer Foundation is making their co-CEO model work day-to-day
Understanding what organisations considering co-leadership need to know to succeed

Interviewed by:

11:30 Fireside chat: Leveraging emerging trends in donor behaviour and expectations to future-proof financial strategy 

Tracking shifts in donor priorities toward transparency, impact, and values-driven giving
Tailoring engagement strategies to meet the preferences of digital-first and younger donor segments
Aligning fundraising communications with societal trends to increase resonance and relevance

12:00 Becoming a tech savvy CFO to drive your organisation forward on its mission

Strengthening donor trust with transparent, real-time insights that demonstrate program impact
Bridging the automation gap to reduce manual workload and improve outcome tracking
Adapting your finance strategy to meet growing external pressures and evolving funder expectations

12:30 Panel discussion: Unlocking sustainable growth by diversifying funding beyond grants and philanthropy

Identifying alternative revenue streams such as social enterprise, fee-for-service, and impact investment
Developing partnerships with corporates, community organisations, and local government
Strengthening internal systems to support innovation, risk-taking, and adaptive funding strategies

Chair:

Panellists:

2:00 Panel discussion: Navigating reputational damage with humility, transparency and community engagement 

Acknowledging past missteps openly and communicating a clear path to repair
Engaging affected communities in authentic dialogue to rebuild trust and shared ownership
Integrating accountability mechanisms to ensure long-term credibility restoration

Moderator:

Panellist:

2:30 Governing with purpose in complex times

Expanding the governance lens by moving beyond organisational
benefit to steward performance against impact
Safeguarding mission by staying anchored to purpose while
navigating new opportunities
Rethinking scale by focusing on growing outcomes, not just
programs, and assessing readiness for scale

3:00 Embedding participatory decision-making to elevate community voice

Co-designing programs and policies with communities to reflect their lived realities
Sharing decision-making power to reinforce equity, relevance, and local leadership
Evaluating success collaboratively to ensure outcomes reflect collective values and goals

2:00 Tackling complex social issues through powerful partnerships

Collaborating with funders to co-design solutions that extend beyond transactional giving
Examining case studies in partnering with government, corporates, and philanthropy to address vaping, online safety, and healthy eating
Delivering maximum reach and impact, where, and when it counts

2:30 Reimagining the future of philanthropy: unlocking wealth, tech and impact at scale

Exploring how doubling charitable giving and harnessing the intergenerational wealth transfer could reshape the sector’s scale and influence
Diving into cutting-edge donor models, innovative foundations, and breakthrough nonprofit tech transforming impact like never before
Challenging the status quo: is simply giving more enough, or do we need smarter, systems-driven strategies to create lasting change?

3:00 Sustainable Impact: Setting Your Non-Profit Up for Strategic Investment

Positioning your organisation as a strategic partner offering shared value
Cultivating relationships that move beyond transactional sponsorships to deepen collaboration
Integrating social impact goals into partnership frameworks to drive mutual outcomes

Chair:

11:30 Case study: Enhancing trust and confidence in nonprofit organisations through transformational change in child sponsorship

Upholding storytelling standards that honour dignity while inspiring support
Fostering donor relationships through transparency, consistency, and values-aligned communication
Demonstrating financial integrity with clear reporting and responsible stewardship of funds

12:00 Navigating difficult staff and workplace complaints

Preventing issues before they escalate by identifying early warning signs and setting clear expectations
Responding with confidence and fairness when managing challenging staff behaviours or formal complaints
Managing or undertaking investigations into alleged workplace misconduct, including reportable conduct matters

12:30 Fireside chat: Can Co-CEO models change the way we lead through complexity? Lessons from the Foyer Foundation’s journey

Navigating co-leadership as more than a job share by transforming the relationship bandwidth at the CEO level, creating flow-on benefits for organisations operating in complex ecosystems
Examining how The Foyer Foundation is making their co-CEO model work day-to-day
Understanding what organisations considering co-leadership need to know to succeed

Interviewed by:

Networking luncheon

2:00 Panel discussion: Navigating reputational damage with humility, transparency and community engagement 

Acknowledging past missteps openly and communicating a clear path to repair
Engaging affected communities in authentic dialogue to rebuild trust and shared ownership
Integrating accountability mechanisms to ensure long-term credibility restoration

Moderator:

Panellist:

2:30 Governing with purpose in complex times

Exploring systems-level governance to highlight board focus beyond their own programs and organisations
Diagnosing complexity with confidence to distinguish between and respond to simple, complicated, and complex challenges
Applying adaptive leadership strategies to balance competing demands and navigate uncertainty with more clarity and purpose

3:00 Embedding participatory decision-making to elevate community voice

Co-designing programs and policies with communities to reflect their lived realities
Sharing decision-making power to reinforce equity, relevance, and local leadership
Evaluating success collaboratively to ensure outcomes reflect collective values and goals

Chair:

11:30 Fireside chat: Leveraging emerging trends in donor behaviour and expectations to future-proof financial strategy 

Tracking shifts in donor priorities toward transparency, impact, and values-driven giving
Tailoring engagement strategies to meet the preferences of digital-first and younger donor segments
Aligning fundraising communications with societal trends to increase resonance and relevance

12:00 Becoming a tech savvy CFO to drive your organisation forward on its mission

Strengthening donor trust with transparent, real-time insights that demonstrate program impact
Bridging the automation gap to reduce manual workload and improve outcome tracking
Adapting your finance strategy to meet growing external pressures and evolving funder expectations

12:30 Panel discussion: Unlocking sustainable growth by diversifying funding beyond grants and philanthropy

Identifying alternative revenue streams such as social enterprise, fee-for-service, and impact investment
Developing partnerships with corporates, community organisations, and local government
Strengthening internal systems to support innovation, risk-taking, and adaptive funding strategies

Chair:

Panellists:

Networking luncheon

2:00 Tackling complex social issues through powerful partnerships

Collaborating with funders to co-design solutions that extend beyond transactional giving
Examining case studies in partnering with government, corporates, and philanthropy to address vaping, online safety, and healthy eating
Delivering maximum reach and impact, where, and when it counts

2:30 Reimagining the future of philanthropy: unlocking wealth, tech and impact at scale

Exploring how doubling charitable giving and harnessing the intergenerational wealth transfer could reshape the sector’s scale and influence
Diving into cutting-edge donor models, innovative foundations, and breakthrough nonprofit tech transforming impact like never before
Challenging the status quo: is simply giving more enough, or do we need smarter, systems-driven strategies to create lasting change?

3:00 Engaging corporate Australia in long-term funding partnerships

Positioning your organisation as a strategic partner offering shared value
Cultivating relationships that move beyond transactional sponsorships to deep collaboration
Integrating social impact goals into partnership frameworks to drive mutual outcomes

Afternoon refreshments

4:00 Powering impact through strategic partnerships: from transactional to transformational

Forging values-aligned partnerships that go beyond funding to build trust, credibility and shared purpose
Cultivating a community of champions by aligning stakeholders, staff, and supporters around your mission
Unlocking new opportunities by blending professional networks with personal leadership influence

4:30 Roundtable discussions

Join a series of topic-driven roundtable discussions designed to foster candid conversation, practical insight, and peer-to-peer exchange. Each table will focus on a specific challenge or opportunity facing the sector, with a facilitator guiding dialogue and encouraging shared solutions.

8:00 Registration opens

8:50 Opening remarks from the Chair

9:00 Opening Keynote: Lessons learned from designing and embedding a leading not for profit innovation program

Discussing the barriers and enablers, tools and tactics that drive successful organisational innovation
Sharing use cases around piloting industry first agentic AI tools that improve the client experience and service impact
Planning for innovation as a key market differentiator enabling success with your key stakeholders including partners, clients, funders and community

9:30 Educating the ecosystem - Embracing digital transformation in 2025 to improve cost efficiencies and drive competitiveness

Positioning digital transformation as a strategic enabler, not just an operational upgrade
Mobilising the wider ecosystem, including funders, boards, and delivery partners, to support investment in tech and data
Inspiring a sector-wide mindset shift toward continuous digital learning and innovation

10:00 What if you’re not the answer? Rethinking leadership, legacy and letting go

Reframing leadership ambition by moving from heroic individualism to collective, values-led impact
Exploring how to define success (and failure) beyond traditional metrics to embrace growth, experimentation and evolution
Navigating partnerships, mergers and transitions with clarity by understanding when to lead, when to support, and when to step aside

10:30 Panel discussion: Bridging the digital divide by empowering staff and stakeholders with tech confidence and capability

Identifying and addressing digital literacy gaps across teams, volunteers, and service users
Providing accessible training and support to ensure equitable participation in tech-enabled service delivery
Embedding inclusive design principles so that digital transformation benefits all—not just the tech-savvy

Facilitator:

Panellists:

Chair:

11:30 Panel discussion: Overcoming HR challenges in the nonprofit sector to attract and retain talent

Responding to shifting workforce expectations by offering flexibility, purpose, and pathways for progression
Navigating recruitment and retention in a resource-constrained environment with creative, low-cost strategies
Strengthening organisational culture to improve staff satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term commitment

Chair:

Panellists:

12:00 Case study: Fostering a high-performance culture in purpose-driven organisations

Cultivating shared ownership of outcomes by aligning staff goals with organisational purpose
Encouraging innovation and initiative by recognising and rewarding strengths-based performance
Balancing productivity with wellbeing to avoid burnout while driving impact

12:30 Demonstrating impact to foster credibility and stakeholder confidence 

Showcasing meaningful outcomes that reflect both quantitative data and lived experiences
Tailoring impact narratives to resonate with diverse audiences, from funders to beneficiaries
Linking evaluation findings directly to program improvements and strategic direction

11:30 Keeping Up Without Burning Out: Compliance in the Fast Lane for NFPs

Recognising the passion and purpose that drives NFPs, and the uphill battle they fact in navigating compliance
Examining best practice tools to help address the compliance burden and be future ready
Empowering your organisation to thrive, not just survive regulation through actions you can take right now to transform compliance from burden into a strategic advantage

12:00 Maximising social impact measurement and management as a vital tool for social economies 

Adopting blended methods to capture both qualitative stories and quantitative results
Linking impact data to real-time decision-making for program improvement and accountability
Building stakeholder trust by transparently sharing how insights drive tangible change

12:30 From clients to co-creators: Reimagining human-centred design in social impact

Embedding lived experience in program design and how Arise Foundation co-created the Arise Academy and Employment Ready Program with women survivors, ensuring their voices shaped curriculum, delivery, and pathways to economic independence
Utilising the power of co-design in the third sector and why human-centred approaches build trust, relevance, and long-term impact in social programs, particularly for marginalised communities
Journeying from service delivery to systemic change and how co-design principles move organisations from top-down aid models to collaborative, empowering structures that drive sustainable outcomes and shift the broader social impact landscape

2:00 Leading with a Full Backpack: Executive Leadership While Caring for Others

Structuring executive roles for sustainability when life outside of work is complex
Modelling values-based leadership informed by personal experiences of care and pressure
Creating cultures that embrace flexibility, authenticity, and long-term contribution

2:30 When systems fail: Rebuilding trust with multicultural communities through partnership, purpose and people

Exploring the lived consequences of service gaps for refugee and migrant communities and what genuine trust repair demands beyond numbers and reports
Catalysing sector-wide change through partnerships built on authentic community voice, cultural intelligence, and shared purpose
Strengthening organisational resilience by developing a workforce that truly reflects and adapts to Australia’s rich diversity

3:00 Building the next generation of nonprofit leaders to sustain organisational success

Identifying and developing emerging talent early through structured mentorship and succession plans
Championing diverse leadership pathways to reflect the communities served
Designing leadership pipelines that blend lived experience, cultural intelligence, and strategic capability

2:00 Understanding scope 3 implications for nonprofit organisations – collating, storing, sharing and reporting value chain data

Identifying key scope 3 emissions sources relevant to your supply chain and service delivery model
Developing data collection protocols that balance rigour with feasibility
Collaborating with partners and funders to ensure aligned reporting and accountability

2:30 Panel discussion: Moving beyond compliance by integrating ESG into core strategy and culture

Embedding ESG thinking into strategic planning rather than treating it as a standalone compliance activity
Empowering staff and leadership to take ownership of ESG goals through internal alignment
Demonstrating long-term value creation through integrated impact, sustainability, and governance reporting

Panellist:

3:00 Integrating the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) to enhance effective leadership

Embedding self-awareness and empathy into leadership frameworks to strengthen internal and external impact
Applying IDGs to organisational culture to foster collaboration, resilience, and ethical decision-making
Bridging personal development and strategic leadership to align individual growth with broader system change

Chair:

11:30 Panel discussion: Overcoming HR challenges in the nonprofit sector to attract and retain talent

Responding to shifting workforce expectations by offering flexibility, purpose, and pathways for progression
Navigating recruitment and retention in a resource-constrained environment with creative, low-cost strategies
Strengthening organisational culture to improve staff satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term

Panellists:

12:00 Case study: Fostering a high-performance culture in purpose-driven organisations

Cultivating shared ownership of outcomes by aligning staff goals with organisational purpose
Encouraging innovation and initiative by recognising and rewarding strengths-based performance
Balancing productivity with wellbeing to avoid burnout while driving impact

12:30 Creating a culture of continuous learning to drive innovation and adaptive leadership 

Normalising feedback and reflection as tools for professional and organisational growth
Integrating microlearning and peer mentoring to build skills and support cross-functional development
Adapting leadership approaches to empower self-directed learning and team autonomy

Networking luncheon

2:00 Leading with a Full Backpack: Executive Leadership While Caring for Others

Structuring executive roles for sustainability when life outside of work is complex
Modelling values-based leadership informed by personal experiences of care and pressure
Creating cultures that embrace flexibility, authenticity, and long-term contribution

2:30 When systems fail: Rebuilding trust with multicultural communities through partnership, purpose and people

Exploring the lived consequences of service gaps for refugee and migrant communities and what genuine trust repair demands beyond numbers and reports
Catalysing sector-wide change through partnerships built on authentic community voice, cultural intelligence, and shared purpose
Strengthening organisational resilience by developing a workforce that truly reflects and adapts to Australia’s rich diversity

3:00 Building the next generation of nonprofit leaders to sustain organisational success

Identifying and developing emerging talent early through structured mentorship and succession plans
Championing diverse leadership pathways to reflect the communities served
Designing leadership pipelines that blend lived experience, cultural intelligence, and strategic capability

Chair:

11:30 Keeping Up Without Burning Out: Compliance in the Fast Lane for NFPs

Recognising the passio and purpose that drives NFPs, and the uphill battle they fact in navigating compliance
Examining best practice tools to help address the compliance burden and be future ready
Empowering your organisation to thrive, not just survive regulation through actions you can take right now to transform compliance from burden into a strategic advantage

12:00 Maximising social impact measurement and management as a vital tool for social economies 

Adopting blended methods to capture both qualitative stories and quantitative results
Linking impact data to real-time decision-making for program improvement and accountability
Building stakeholder trust by transparently sharing how insights drive tangible change

12:30 From clients to co-creators: Reimagining human-centred design in social impact

Embedding lived experience in program design and how Arise Foundation co-created the Arise Academy and Employment Ready Program with women survivors, ensuring their voices shaped curriculum, delivery, and pathways to economic independence
Utilising the power of co-design in the third sector and why human-centred approaches build trust, relevance, and long-term impact in social programs, particularly for marginalised communities
Journeying from service delivery to systemic change and how co-design principles move organisations from top-down aid models to collaborative, empowering structures that drive sustainable outcomes and shift the broader social impact landscape

Networking luncheon

2:00 Understanding scope 3 implications for nonprofit organisations – collating, storing, sharing and reporting value chain data

Identifying key scope 3 emissions sources relevant to your supply chain and service delivery model
Developing data collection protocols that balance rigour with feasibility
Collaborating with partners and funders to ensure aligned reporting and accountability

2:30 Panel discussion: Moving beyond compliance by integrating ESG into core strategy and culture

Embedding ESG thinking into strategic planning rather than treating it as a standalone compliance activity
Empowering staff and leadership to take ownership of ESG goals through internal alignment
Demonstrating long-term value creation through integrated impact, sustainability, and governance reporting

Panellist:

3:00 Integrating the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) to enhance effective leadership

Embedding self-awareness and empathy into leadership frameworks to strengthen internal and external impact
Applying IDGs to organisational culture to foster collaboration, resilience, and ethical decision-making
Bridging personal development and strategic leadership to align individual growth with broader system change

Afternoon refreshments

Chair:

4:00 Evolving strategy, governance and leadership for systems level impact

Exploring how social purpose organisations can take a more intentional and effective approach to making change at a systems level
Sharing practical insights from Uniting’s own journey: achievements, failures, traps and lessons learnt
Evolving collaboration and accountability practices to meet the dynamic and ambitious nature of systems change

4:30 Navigating trends and predictions for the future of nonprofits in Australia 

Exploring emerging models of nonprofit governance, funding, and collaboration shaping the next decade
Anticipating shifts in workforce, technology, and policy to stay ahead of disruption
Positioning your organisation strategically to thrive in a values-driven, impact-focused, and tech-enabled sector

9:00 - 12:00 Workshop A: Unlocking strategic edge through high-trust peer leadership

Leadership in the for-purpose sector is high-pressure and often isolating. While most executives invest in systems and strategy, few leverage one of their most powerful assets: trusted peer insight.

Attend this workshop and learn how to:

Apply proven peer-led decision frameworks to test strategy, explore blind spots and accelerate insight
Build high-trust environments that enable honesty, accountability, and constructive challenge
Strengthen your leadership resilience by shifting from solitary problem-solving to structured, peer-based thinking
Introduce peer-based models of leadership within your own executive or senior management teams
Leave with a tangible, trust-building toolkit to support growth, reflection, and faster course correction

Networking luncheon

1:00 - 4:00 Workshop B: Securing financial resilience by preparing for the next wave of compliance and cyber risk

Attend this workshop and learn how to:

Audit and restructure complex organisational entities to align with ACNC transparency requirements and reduce regulatory exposure
Strengthen cybersecurity protocols to safeguard financial and donor data, meet board expectations, and limit legal liability
Decode the 2024 Annual Information Statement updates—including executive pay reporting—and embed systems to manage new obligations
Build a proactive compliance roadmap that goes beyond minimum standards to reinforce board oversight and cultural accountability
Integrate financial and ESG reporting to align with shifting funder demands and demonstrate measurable sustainability and impact

7:00 7:00 Registration opens

8:40 Welcome to Country

8:50 Opening remarks from the Chair

9:00 Opening keynote: Leading your nonprofit through 2025’s legal and governance landscape

Staying up to date and aware of your obligations
Examining good governance in practice
Building trust through transparency and accountability

9:30 Panel discussion: Strengthening the CEO–Board relationship to navigate power dynamics and expectations

Proactively managing and resolving conflicts to maintain alignment
Enabling effective governance while avoiding micromanagement to support strategic leadership and operational autonomy
Building a transparent, accountable and purpose-driven partnership to enhance trust, collaboration and long-term impact

Moderator:

Panellists:

10:00 Reimagining leadership in an era of disruption to maintain sustainability and inclusive growth

Adapting leadership models to navigate uncertainty, shifting workforce expectations, and sector-wide transformation
Embedding inclusive decision-making to ensure diverse voices shape strategy, culture, and impact
Balancing innovation with stability to maintain mission focus while responding to evolving community needs and funding pressures

10:30 Maximising impact by reducing noise

Overcoming complex problems to increase operational efficiency
Navigating how to build financial sustainability within your organisation
Equipping your people to make the most impact

Morning refreshments

Chair:

11:30 Case study: Enhancing trust and confidence in nonprofit organisations through transformational change in child sponsorship

Upholding storytelling standards that honour dignity while inspiring support
Fostering donor relationships through transparency, consistency, and values-aligned communication
Demonstrating financial integrity with clear reporting and responsible stewardship of funds

12:00 Navigating difficult staff and workplace complaints

Preventing issues before they escalate by identifying early warning signs and setting clear expectations
Responding with confidence and fairness when managing challenging staff behaviours or formal complaints
Managing or undertaking investigations into alleged workplace misconduct, including reportable conduct matters
Restoring trust and transparency through best-practice resolution approaches that support a healthy workplace culture

12:30 Fireside chat: Can Co-CEO models change the way we lead through complexity? Lessons from the Foyer Foundation’s journey

Navigating co-leadership as more than a job share by transforming the relationship bandwidth at the CEO level, creating flow-on benefits for organisations operating in complex ecosystems
Examining how The Foyer Foundation is making their co-CEO model work day-to-day
Understanding what organisations considering co-leadership need to know to succeed

Interviewed by:

11:30 Fireside chat: Leveraging emerging trends in donor behaviour and expectations to future-proof financial strategy 

Tracking shifts in donor priorities toward transparency, impact, and values-driven giving
Tailoring engagement strategies to meet the preferences of digital-first and younger donor segments
Aligning fundraising communications with societal trends to increase resonance and relevance

12:00 Becoming a tech savvy CFO to drive your organisation forward on its mission

Strengthening donor trust with transparent, real-time insights that demonstrate program impact
Bridging the automation gap to reduce manual workload and improve outcome tracking
Adapting your finance strategy to meet growing external pressures and evolving funder expectations

12:30 Panel discussion: Unlocking sustainable growth by diversifying funding beyond grants and philanthropy

Identifying alternative revenue streams such as social enterprise, fee-for-service, and impact investment
Developing partnerships with corporates, community organisations, and local government
Strengthening internal systems to support innovation, risk-taking, and adaptive funding strategies

Chair:

Panellists:

2:00 Panel discussion: Navigating reputational damage with humility, transparency and community engagement 

Acknowledging past missteps openly and communicating a clear path to repair
Engaging affected communities in authentic dialogue to rebuild trust and shared ownership
Integrating accountability mechanisms to ensure long-term credibility restoration

Moderator:

Panellist:

2:30 Governing with purpose in complex times

Expanding the governance lens by moving beyond organisational
benefit to steward performance against impact
Safeguarding mission by staying anchored to purpose while
navigating new opportunities
Rethinking scale by focusing on growing outcomes, not just
programs, and assessing readiness for scale

3:00 Embedding participatory decision-making to elevate community voice

Co-designing programs and policies with communities to reflect their lived realities
Sharing decision-making power to reinforce equity, relevance, and local leadership
Evaluating success collaboratively to ensure outcomes reflect collective values and goals

2:00 Tackling complex social issues through powerful partnerships

Collaborating with funders to co-design solutions that extend beyond transactional giving
Examining case studies in partnering with government, corporates, and philanthropy to address vaping, online safety, and healthy eating
Delivering maximum reach and impact, where, and when it counts

2:30 Reimagining the future of philanthropy: unlocking wealth, tech and impact at scale

Exploring how doubling charitable giving and harnessing the intergenerational wealth transfer could reshape the sector’s scale and influence
Diving into cutting-edge donor models, innovative foundations, and breakthrough nonprofit tech transforming impact like never before
Challenging the status quo: is simply giving more enough, or do we need smarter, systems-driven strategies to create lasting change?

3:00 Sustainable Impact: Setting Your Non-Profit Up for Strategic Investment

Positioning your organisation as a strategic partner offering shared value
Cultivating relationships that move beyond transactional sponsorships to deepen collaboration
Integrating social impact goals into partnership frameworks to drive mutual outcomes

Chair:

11:30 Case study: Enhancing trust and confidence in nonprofit organisations through transformational change in child sponsorship

Upholding storytelling standards that honour dignity while inspiring support
Fostering donor relationships through transparency, consistency, and values-aligned communication
Demonstrating financial integrity with clear reporting and responsible stewardship of funds

12:00 Navigating difficult staff and workplace complaints

Preventing issues before they escalate by identifying early warning signs and setting clear expectations
Responding with confidence and fairness when managing challenging staff behaviours or formal complaints
Managing or undertaking investigations into alleged workplace misconduct, including reportable conduct matters

12:30 Fireside chat: Can Co-CEO models change the way we lead through complexity? Lessons from the Foyer Foundation’s journey

Navigating co-leadership as more than a job share by transforming the relationship bandwidth at the CEO level, creating flow-on benefits for organisations operating in complex ecosystems
Examining how The Foyer Foundation is making their co-CEO model work day-to-day
Understanding what organisations considering co-leadership need to know to succeed

Interviewed by:

Networking luncheon

2:00 Panel discussion: Navigating reputational damage with humility, transparency and community engagement 

Acknowledging past missteps openly and communicating a clear path to repair
Engaging affected communities in authentic dialogue to rebuild trust and shared ownership
Integrating accountability mechanisms to ensure long-term credibility restoration

Moderator:

Panellist:

2:30 Governing with purpose in complex times

Exploring systems-level governance to highlight board focus beyond their own programs and organisations
Diagnosing complexity with confidence to distinguish between and respond to simple, complicated, and complex challenges
Applying adaptive leadership strategies to balance competing demands and navigate uncertainty with more clarity and purpose

3:00 Embedding participatory decision-making to elevate community voice

Co-designing programs and policies with communities to reflect their lived realities
Sharing decision-making power to reinforce equity, relevance, and local leadership
Evaluating success collaboratively to ensure outcomes reflect collective values and goals

Chair:

11:30 Fireside chat: Leveraging emerging trends in donor behaviour and expectations to future-proof financial strategy 

Tracking shifts in donor priorities toward transparency, impact, and values-driven giving
Tailoring engagement strategies to meet the preferences of digital-first and younger donor segments
Aligning fundraising communications with societal trends to increase resonance and relevance

12:00 Becoming a tech savvy CFO to drive your organisation forward on its mission

Strengthening donor trust with transparent, real-time insights that demonstrate program impact
Bridging the automation gap to reduce manual workload and improve outcome tracking
Adapting your finance strategy to meet growing external pressures and evolving funder expectations

12:30 Panel discussion: Unlocking sustainable growth by diversifying funding beyond grants and philanthropy

Identifying alternative revenue streams such as social enterprise, fee-for-service, and impact investment
Developing partnerships with corporates, community organisations, and local government
Strengthening internal systems to support innovation, risk-taking, and adaptive funding strategies

Chair:

Panellists:

Networking luncheon

2:00 Tackling complex social issues through powerful partnerships

Collaborating with funders to co-design solutions that extend beyond transactional giving
Examining case studies in partnering with government, corporates, and philanthropy to address vaping, online safety, and healthy eating
Delivering maximum reach and impact, where, and when it counts

2:30 Reimagining the future of philanthropy: unlocking wealth, tech and impact at scale

Exploring how doubling charitable giving and harnessing the intergenerational wealth transfer could reshape the sector’s scale and influence
Diving into cutting-edge donor models, innovative foundations, and breakthrough nonprofit tech transforming impact like never before
Challenging the status quo: is simply giving more enough, or do we need smarter, systems-driven strategies to create lasting change?

3:00 Engaging corporate Australia in long-term funding partnerships

Positioning your organisation as a strategic partner offering shared value
Cultivating relationships that move beyond transactional sponsorships to deep collaboration
Integrating social impact goals into partnership frameworks to drive mutual outcomes

Afternoon refreshments

4:00 Powering impact through strategic partnerships: from transactional to transformational

Forging values-aligned partnerships that go beyond funding to build trust, credibility and shared purpose
Cultivating a community of champions by aligning stakeholders, staff, and supporters around your mission
Unlocking new opportunities by blending professional networks with personal leadership influence

4:30 Roundtable discussions

8:00 Registration opens

8:50 Opening remarks from the Chair

9:00 Opening Keynote: Lessons learned from designing and embedding a leading not for profit innovation program

Discussing the barriers and enablers, tools and tactics that drive successful organisational innovation
Sharing use cases around piloting industry first agentic AI tools that improve the client experience and service impact
Planning for innovation as a key market differentiator enabling success with your key stakeholders including partners, clients, funders and community

9:30 Educating the ecosystem - Embracing digital transformation in 2025 to improve cost efficiencies and drive competitiveness

Positioning digital transformation as a strategic enabler, not just an operational upgrade
Mobilising the wider ecosystem, including funders, boards, and delivery partners, to support investment in tech and data
Inspiring a sector-wide mindset shift toward continuous digital learning and innovation

10:00 What if you’re not the answer? Rethinking leadership, legacy and letting go

Reframing leadership ambition by moving from heroic individualism to collective, values-led impact
Exploring how to define success (and failure) beyond traditional metrics to embrace growth, experimentation and evolution
Navigating partnerships, mergers and transitions with clarity by understanding when to lead, when to support, and when to step aside

10:30 Panel discussion: Bridging the digital divide by empowering staff and stakeholders with tech confidence and capability

Identifying and addressing digital literacy gaps across teams, volunteers, and service users
Providing accessible training and support to ensure equitable participation in tech-enabled service delivery
Embedding inclusive design principles so that digital transformation benefits all—not just the tech-savvy

Facilitator:

Panellists:

Chair:

11:30 Panel discussion: Overcoming HR challenges in the nonprofit sector to attract and retain talent

Responding to shifting workforce expectations by offering flexibility, purpose, and pathways for progression
Navigating recruitment and retention in a resource-constrained environment with creative, low-cost strategies
Strengthening organisational culture to improve staff satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term commitment

Chair:

Panellists:

12:00 Case study: Fostering a high-performance culture in purpose-driven organisations

Cultivating shared ownership of outcomes by aligning staff goals with organisational purpose
Encouraging innovation and initiative by recognising and rewarding strengths-based performance
Balancing productivity with wellbeing to avoid burnout while driving impact

12:30 Demonstrating impact to foster credibility and stakeholder confidence 

Showcasing meaningful outcomes that reflect both quantitative data and lived experiences
Tailoring impact narratives to resonate with diverse audiences, from funders to beneficiaries
Linking evaluation findings directly to program improvements and strategic direction

11:30 Keeping Up Without Burning Out: Compliance in the Fast Lane for NFPs

Recognising the passion and purpose that drives NFPs, and the uphill battle they fact in navigating compliance
Examining best practice tools to help address the compliance burden and be future ready
Empowering your organisation to thrive, not just survive regulation through actions you can take right now to transform compliance from burden into a strategic advantage

12:00 Maximising social impact measurement and management as a vital tool for social economies 

Adopting blended methods to capture both qualitative stories and quantitative results
Linking impact data to real-time decision-making for program improvement and accountability
Building stakeholder trust by transparently sharing how insights drive tangible change

12:30 From clients to co-creators: Reimagining human-centred design in social impact

Embedding lived experience in program design and how Arise Foundation co-created the Arise Academy and Employment Ready Program with women survivors, ensuring their voices shaped curriculum, delivery, and pathways to economic independence
Utilising the power of co-design in the third sector and why human-centred approaches build trust, relevance, and long-term impact in social programs, particularly for marginalised communities
Journeying from service delivery to systemic change and how co-design principles move organisations from top-down aid models to collaborative, empowering structures that drive sustainable outcomes and shift the broader social impact landscape

2:00 Leading with a Full Backpack: Executive Leadership While Caring for Others

Structuring executive roles for sustainability when life outside of work is complex
Modelling values-based leadership informed by personal experiences of care and pressure
Creating cultures that embrace flexibility, authenticity, and long-term contribution

2:30 When systems fail: Rebuilding trust with multicultural communities through partnership, purpose and people

Exploring the lived consequences of service gaps for refugee and migrant communities and what genuine trust repair demands beyond numbers and reports
Catalysing sector-wide change through partnerships built on authentic community voice, cultural intelligence, and shared purpose
Strengthening organisational resilience by developing a workforce that truly reflects and adapts to Australia’s rich diversity

3:00 Building the next generation of nonprofit leaders to sustain organisational success

Identifying and developing emerging talent early through structured mentorship and succession plans
Championing diverse leadership pathways to reflect the communities served
Designing leadership pipelines that blend lived experience, cultural intelligence, and strategic capability

2:00 Understanding scope 3 implications for nonprofit organisations – collating, storing, sharing and reporting value chain data

Identifying key scope 3 emissions sources relevant to your supply chain and service delivery model
Developing data collection protocols that balance rigour with feasibility
Collaborating with partners and funders to ensure aligned reporting and accountability

2:30 Panel discussion: Moving beyond compliance by integrating ESG into core strategy and culture

Embedding ESG thinking into strategic planning rather than treating it as a standalone compliance activity
Empowering staff and leadership to take ownership of ESG goals through internal alignment
Demonstrating long-term value creation through integrated impact, sustainability, and governance reporting

Panellist:

3:00 Integrating the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) to enhance effective leadership

Embedding self-awareness and empathy into leadership frameworks to strengthen internal and external impact
Applying IDGs to organisational culture to foster collaboration, resilience, and ethical decision-making
Bridging personal development and strategic leadership to align individual growth with broader system change

Chair:

11:30 Panel discussion: Overcoming HR challenges in the nonprofit sector to attract and retain talent

Responding to shifting workforce expectations by offering flexibility, purpose, and pathways for progression
Navigating recruitment and retention in a resource-constrained environment with creative, low-cost strategies
Strengthening organisational culture to improve staff satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term

Panellists:

12:00 Case study: Fostering a high-performance culture in purpose-driven organisations

Cultivating shared ownership of outcomes by aligning staff goals with organisational purpose
Encouraging innovation and initiative by recognising and rewarding strengths-based performance
Balancing productivity with wellbeing to avoid burnout while driving impact

12:30 Creating a culture of continuous learning to drive innovation and adaptive leadership 

Normalising feedback and reflection as tools for professional and organisational growth
Integrating microlearning and peer mentoring to build skills and support cross-functional development
Adapting leadership approaches to empower self-directed learning and team autonomy

Networking luncheon

2:00 Leading with a Full Backpack: Executive Leadership While Caring for Others

Structuring executive roles for sustainability when life outside of work is complex
Modelling values-based leadership informed by personal experiences of care and pressure
Creating cultures that embrace flexibility, authenticity, and long-term contribution

2:30 When systems fail: Rebuilding trust with multicultural communities through partnership, purpose and people

Exploring the lived consequences of service gaps for refugee and migrant communities and what genuine trust repair demands beyond numbers and reports
Catalysing sector-wide change through partnerships built on authentic community voice, cultural intelligence, and shared purpose
Strengthening organisational resilience by developing a workforce that truly reflects and adapts to Australia’s rich diversity

3:00 Building the next generation of nonprofit leaders to sustain organisational success

Identifying and developing emerging talent early through structured mentorship and succession plans
Championing diverse leadership pathways to reflect the communities served
Designing leadership pipelines that blend lived experience, cultural intelligence, and strategic capability

Chair:

11:30 Keeping Up Without Burning Out: Compliance in the Fast Lane for NFPs

Recognising the passio and purpose that drives NFPs, and the uphill battle they fact in navigating compliance
Examining best practice tools to help address the compliance burden and be future ready
Empowering your organisation to thrive, not just survive regulation through actions you can take right now to transform compliance from burden into a strategic advantage

12:00 Maximising social impact measurement and management as a vital tool for social economies 

Adopting blended methods to capture both qualitative stories and quantitative results
Linking impact data to real-time decision-making for program improvement and accountability
Building stakeholder trust by transparently sharing how insights drive tangible change

12:30 From clients to co-creators: Reimagining human-centred design in social impact

Embedding lived experience in program design and how Arise Foundation co-created the Arise Academy and Employment Ready Program with women survivors, ensuring their voices shaped curriculum, delivery, and pathways to economic independence
Utilising the power of co-design in the third sector and why human-centred approaches build trust, relevance, and long-term impact in social programs, particularly for marginalised communities
Journeying from service delivery to systemic change and how co-design principles move organisations from top-down aid models to collaborative, empowering structures that drive sustainable outcomes and shift the broader social impact landscape

Networking luncheon

2:00 Understanding scope 3 implications for nonprofit organisations – collating, storing, sharing and reporting value chain data

Identifying key scope 3 emissions sources relevant to your supply chain and service delivery model
Developing data collection protocols that balance rigour with feasibility
Collaborating with partners and funders to ensure aligned reporting and accountability

2:30 Panel discussion: Moving beyond compliance by integrating ESG into core strategy and culture

Embedding ESG thinking into strategic planning rather than treating it as a standalone compliance activity
Empowering staff and leadership to take ownership of ESG goals through internal alignment
Demonstrating long-term value creation through integrated impact, sustainability, and governance reporting

Panellist:

3:00 Integrating the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) to enhance effective leadership

Embedding self-awareness and empathy into leadership frameworks to strengthen internal and external impact
Applying IDGs to organisational culture to foster collaboration, resilience, and ethical decision-making
Bridging personal development and strategic leadership to align individual growth with broader system change

Afternoon refreshments

Chair:

4:00 Evolving strategy, governance and leadership for systems level impact

Exploring how social purpose organisations can take a more intentional and effective approach to making change at a systems level
Sharing practical insights from Uniting’s own journey: achievements, failures, traps and lessons learnt
Evolving collaboration and accountability practices to meet the dynamic and ambitious nature of systems change

4:30 Navigating trends and predictions for the future of nonprofits in Australia 

Exploring emerging models of nonprofit governance, funding, and collaboration shaping the next decade
Anticipating shifts in workforce, technology, and policy to stay ahead of disruption
Positioning your organisation strategically to thrive in a values-driven, impact-focused, and tech-enabled sector

Agenda

Leanne Warner

Kate Mills

Carmel Molloy

Networking luncheon

Joyce Low

Adele Stowe-Lindner

Cate Bennett

Moderator:

Russell D’Costa

Panellists:

Morgana Ryan

Margaret Sheehan

Louise Hardy

Morgana Ryan

Andrew Coleman

Morning refreshments

Strengthening trust, transparency and public perception

Chair:

Christina Chun

Ensuring financial sustainability and diversified funding

Chair:

Josh Hickford

Corinne Habel

Margaret Sheehan

Jane Thorpe

Liz Cameron-Smith

Corin Moffatt

Interviewed by:

Tamara Pararajasingham

Alexandra Ryan

Heather Little

Emily Singh

Chair:

Josh Hickford

Panellists:

Kylie Daniels

Mimi Cullen

Jay Crangle

Moderator:

Thomas Allsop

Panellist:

Christina Chun

Jamie Crosby

John Patterson

Dr Lyndsey McKee

Jamie Crosby

Russell D’Costa

Karen Robertson

Ryan Ginard

Amira Shahin

Strengthening trust, transparency and public perception

Chair:

Christina Chun

Corinne Habel

Margaret Sheehan

Jane Thorpe

Liz Cameron-Smith

Corin Moffatt

Interviewed by:

Tamara Pararajasingham

Networking luncheon

Moderator:

Thomas Allsop

Panellist:

Christina Chun

Jamie Crosby

John Patterson

Dr Lyndsey McKee

Jamie Crosby

Ensuring financial sustainability and diversified funding

Chair:

Josh Hickford

Alexandra Ryan

Heather Little

Emily Singh

Chair:

Josh Hickford

Panellists:

Kylie Daniels

Strengthening trust, transparency and public perception 

Ensuring financial sustainability and diversified funding 

Strengthening trust, transparency and public perception 

Ensuring financial sustainability and diversified funding 

Addressing workforce burnout, development and retention  

Addressing workforce burnout, development and retention  