Burnout to breakthrough: Third Sector Leaders Forum to help NFPs forge adaptability and resilience

Research shows that many people and organisations in the sector have had their resilience tested. A 2024 Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) report found that more than 60 per cent of not-for-profits struggle financially. An even higher number, 80 per cent, reported facing workforce issues such as burnout, skills shortages or declining volunteer numbers.

Apparently, technology is here to save us, transforming donor engagement, service delivery and compliance, but only 35 per cent of Australian not-for-profits say they feel equipped and empowered to harness data intelligence and artificial intelligence (AI) effectively.

All these challenges are why we at the Institute of Community Directors Australia have so enthusiastically embraced the opportunity to be part of the Third Sector Leaders Forum 2025, to be held in Sydney next week, from September 17 to 19. Being reminded that you’re not alone, and learning from fellow travellers, are essential to finding a way through the issues that come with running a charity or not-for-profit.

The forum will feature more than 50 speakers across 30-plus sessions, and I’m excited to be chairing the gathering, along with ICDA’s business development lead, Maroushka Saldanha. We see it as a compelling opportunity to engage with and hear from so many sector thought-leaders about how they are overcoming challenges, including their insights into practical solutions, policies, and ways to ensure sustainable impact.

As chair, I plan to emphasise that effective leadership and governance are essentially about how we build trust – the kind of trust that comes from being transparent, from being able to say no, from being willing to change our minds. Trust is built in moments of honesty, not just harmony. Without it, governance structures will break under pressure. That’s why leadership requires listening. And that’s exactly what the Third Sector Leaders Forum delivers: real, practical strategies for listening and leading that participants can put to work straight away.

If I had to highlight one quality a third sector leader needs to thrive in 2025, I think it would be an ability to adapt in the face of constant change. Service demands, government funding, regulatory scrutiny and demands, societal and workforce shifts, and even dangers online and in the real world demand agile leadership and steady nerves.

I’m hoping at the forum to hear from my peers about how they are developing effective leadership, governance and board capability, to build resilience and capability. I want to know practical ways they are strengthening trust, transparency and public perception to ensure the community can have confidence in their work, and to ensure long-term stakeholders and fundraisers remain committed.

We live in a world where charities can no longer assume long-term grants and government funding will continue, so how are charity leaders diversifying to protect or even increase their financial sustainability, and to future proof their mission, whatever that is?

AI is a particular interest for me – it has so much potential if handled responsibly. The forum will be looking at data, technology, and digital transformations happening across the sector, and celebrating where they have been able to streamline operations and improve service delivery.

Finally, the Third Sector Forum plans to meaningfully explore workplace burnout, and development and retention of charity staff, including ways to attract top talent and sustain high-performance teams.

C-level executives from charities, not-for-profits, NGOs, social enterprises, philanthropy and government will all be at the forum, spread across workshops, panels, case studies and learning streams. Don’t miss it – I’d love to meet you there.

More information

To learn more about the Third Sector Leaders Forum, click here