NFP Leadership Certificate
NFP Leadership Certificate
Hone your leadership skills, access great tools and connect with other leaders
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 Wednesday 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.
Leaders will be invited to use the program to challenge themselves between each of the sessions, immediately strengthening their leadership capabilities with an opportunity to debrief with their peers and ICDA's expert training team.
Participants will work alongside other leaders and have the opportunity to connect with professionals in their sector.
You'll also explore the changing role of leaders, including how to approach emerging technologies such as AI with confidence, curiosity and good judgement.
The course includes a personality test, leadership materials, a 45-minute one-on-one debrief with a career development coach who will help you to absorb the information you've learned and to make plans to put your new knowledge into action. Participants will leave the program with a set of tools to help them lead into the future. Those who complete the course will receive the NFP Leadership Certificate, recognising their completion of this program.
This Certificate is administered by the Institute of Community Directors Australia. It is not a formal AQF qualification.
2026 Dates
March cohort
Session 1: Wednesday, 4 March 2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.
Session 2: Wednesday, 11 March 2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.
Session 3: Wednesday, 18 March 2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.
Session 4: Wednesday, 25 March 2026. 9am-Midday AEDT.
July cohort
Session 1: Thursday, 16 July 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
Session 2: Thursday, 23 July 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
Session 3: Thursday, 30 July 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
Session 4: Thursday, 6 August 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
November cohort
Session 1: Thursday, 5 November 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
Session 2: Thursday, 12 November 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
Session 3: Thursday, 19 November 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
Session 4: Thursday, 26 November 2026. 9am-Midday AEST.
Program details
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meet your fellow leaders | Leadership and management | Leadership through strategy | Leadership and yourself |
| Leadership and governance | Effectively working with a team | Leadership through culture | Self-care and change management |
Price and inclusions
Registration costs $999.00. This includes access to the entire four days of learning, all learning materials, a personality test, and a 45-minute one-on-one debrief with a leadership coach.
Group booking discount available. Groups of 3+ receive a 10% discount. Simply email training@communitydirectors.com.au and a member of our team will provide you with an invoice.
The NFP Leadership Certificate is designed for people who are leading others – or preparing to.
You'll get the most from this course if you are:
- A new or emerging manager looking to build your confidence.
- A team leader wanting practical tools to lead your team more effectively.
- A program or operations manager ready to become a more strategic leader.
- An experienced leader looking for fresh ideas and a chance to reflect on your leadership.
- Someone who wants to better support, motivate and develop the people around you.
Whether you're leading a small team or a whole organisation, this course will help you build practical leadership skills you can use every day.
Leadership isn't a destination. It's something you keep developing throughout your career.
The NFP Leadership Certificate will help you:
- Lead people with greater confidence.
- Have difficult conversations more effectively.
- Build stronger, more capable teams.
- Navigate change with confidence.
- Think more strategically.
- Develop your own leadership style.
- Prepare for your next leadership opportunity.
You'll finish the course with practical tools, greater confidence and a network of leaders from across the not-for-profit sector.
The course is the first of two NFP Leadership courses by Community Directors. Experienced leaders may wish to continue their studies with the NFP Executive Leadership Program.
What's covered?
In this module we’ll explore various leadership models and reflect on which model aligns with your leadership style or the kind of leader you aspire to be. This module will help you to understand how your team members respond to leadership and how to empower and inspire them.
This module will focus on how to keep sight of the big picture while you’re in the midst of everyday operational work, including how to work with the board. We’ll explore delegation tools and look at how you can use your leadership to motivate others and increase capacity within your organisation.
In this module we’ll look at the benefits and challenges that come with organisational change and reflect on our individual responses to change. We’ll discuss how effective leadership can support people through resistance and blockages, and explore the tools that help leaders to navigate change.
This module explores organisational culture and its impact on strategy. What is culture? How do we protect or adapt it to drive rather than block strategic plans? Participants will explore how to create a culture that supports and rewards learning and innovation.
In this module we’ll look at how to be an ethical leader and cultivate ethical practices within the team and the organisation. As leaders, we are required to make decisions that protect our people and our organisation, so how do we ensure we are also protecting our ethics? Participants will leave with a greater understanding of ethical behaviour and decision making, and increased confidence as effective and ethical leaders.
Good leadership requires good self-awareness. This module focuses on you as an individual, and as a leader. What drives you? What do others see in you? What gives you energy and how do you recognise the signs of stress so you can avoid burnout? We’ll share tips, strategies and tools to support your health along your leadership journey so you can thrive as a leader.
What people say...
"The course is great. Full of those ‘1%’ tidbits – both from the trainers and the shared knowledge in the room. Two days, but the practical tips and encouragement have already been priceless."
"The facilitators were excellent- provided lots of opportunities to participate and to genuinely reflect"
"Thank you, it was really enriching for me as an emerging leader in my small team."
"Wonderful presenters. The tech worked well. Great course content and resources."
"Peer learning and the group chats were so valuable. It’s hard when I work in such a small organisation as the only leader. I only have the board to bounce ideas from. I need to join some local community leader groups"
Meet the team
In-house training option
Want this program delivered to a tailored audience of your choice? At Community Directors, we provide the option to deliver our public courses in-house for a whole board or leadership team. Please complete the form below or email training@communitydirectors.com.au or call us on (03) 9320 6800 to talk about your needs.