Social Impact Leadership Australia leadership program returns, bringing fully-funded development for NSW/ACT for-purpose CEOs
Australia’s leading leadership program for the for-purpose sector, Social Impact Leadership Australia (SILA), will return in 2025, offering fully-funded professional development to CEOs in NSW and the ACT. The program, created by the Centre for Social Impact (CSI) and supported by philanthropy, empowers leaders to enhance their capabilities and drive greater impact for their organisations.
“At a time when organisations are often under-resourced and facing complex issues, SILA equips leaders with the tools to adapt and guide systems change, drive social impact and feel confident that they can face any challenges ahead of them,” said Arminé Nalbandian, CEO of CSI.
This year, the Snow Foundation joins existing funders The Myer Foundation, the Sidney Myer Fund, the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, and the Paul Ramsay Foundation, bringing the total commitment to $9.8 million over five years. “We’re thrilled to partner… to grow the capacity of social change leaders across Australia to drive meaningful social change,” said Georgina Byron AM, CEO of the Snow Foundation. “We know there is a huge need, and we have witnessed the transformative impact of the SILA program on our partners who have participated.”
The 10-month program offers an immersive educational experience at no cost to participants, providing them with the tools and networks to maximise their impact. Nearly 100 for-purpose CEOs from across Australia have already benefited from the program. External evaluation by Nous Group has demonstrated its positive impact, with 100% of participants since 2021 reporting they gained clear ideas on applying their new skills and that the program has made a difference in their organisation. The program boasts exceptional net promoter scores, further highlighting its effectiveness. “These CEOs and their organisations are doing incredible work… I am proud that PRF is supporting this program for a stronger for-purpose sector, and better outcomes for people across the country,” said Professor Kristy Muir, CEO of the Paul Ramsay Foundation and Program Lead.
SILA graduate Negaya Chorley, CEO of Results International (Australia), described the program as exceeding her expectations. “The SILA program afforded me the space to think differently about how our organisation achieves its mission to end global poverty,” she explained. She highlighted how the program helped her organisation think more strategically about achieving impact at scale, citing their work on tuberculosis (TB) as an example. “As a result of the SILA program we were able to deepen our partnerships and sharpen our influencing strategy all with the aim of convincing the Federal Government to step-up investment in TB.” She noted the government’s subsequent $17 million investment in TB programs for the Asia Pacific region as a direct result of their advocacy efforts.
“The impact of SILA has and continues to be far-reaching,” Nalbandian added, “as these organisations grow from the learning and development of their leaders, and offer crucial services to communities around Australia.”
Applications for leaders based in NSW and the ACT are open from 3 March to 13 April 2025. For more information, visit
Also read: Australian initiative wins UN-backed award to end homelessness
Milton writes as both an occupation and a hazard. He also works on the newsletters you see on Tuesday and Thursday with articles you should find interesting.
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