Time hasn’t been kind to this incredibly giving sector, and Australia’s not-for-profit sector have been busy innovating new ways to reach goals and missions within an oversaturated market.  

The NFP sector, along with other sectors, has been slowly recovering despite improvements in the post-pandemic world. But even with a growing number of volunteers totalling 6 million annually, the sector still faces shortages in workforce and funding.  

At Third Sector Live, NFP leaders and professionals gathered to discuss how not-for-profit organisations can collectively move forward and overcome barriers.  

Akolade’s 2-day conference, which was held on 1 –2 September at Mercure, Sydney, provided delegates new ways to build partnerships and financial strength while amplifying purpose and mission through proven marketing strategies.  

“I came here hoping to get insight into how to run an NGO and I have to say I’ve not been disappointed one bit,” OCI Foundation CEO Dr Chris Onyebuchi Ifediora said.  

“Every minute spent, every second spent, every day spent has been very insightful.”  

In her opening keynote, Oxfam Australia CEO Lyn Morgain shared how NFP leaders can develop and identify strategies that will effectively achieve, track and measure organisational goals.   

She stated that an organisation can be more inclusive and expansive if they support progress on justice and equality.   

Australian Ethical Investment’s Head of Client Relationships Leah Willis discussed how ethical investing contributes to a more sustainable and equitable future. She further placed emphasis on the importance of identifying companies and organisations with similar values to create a more purposeful impact for the future.  

Panelists NSW CEO Steve Coleman, Connections Australia Founder and CEO Rinku Razdan and Oxfam Australia CEO Lyn Morgain also exchanged observations on the ongoing digital disruption in the NFP sector.  

While digital disruption has caused a big setback for some NFPs, the panel discussed how data, technology, digital strategies and tech tools can be beneficial and useful in terms of organisational growth.  

PetRescue Managing Director Patima Tantiprasut said that conferences like Third Sector Live are important for growth.  

“Every organisation is going to have their unique challenges, they are going to have their unique journeys that will be able to contribute to us being able to learn from each other and be inspired by each other in different ways,” she said.   

WWF Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman also talked about building a purpose-driven community by embracing change, discussing organisational restructuring and strategies to prioritise mission and goals.  

According to O’Gorman, there isn’t a specific strategy that will collectively work for all organisations. As such, purposeful strategies that keep the organisation’s mission and values in mind may be the key to creating a positive change.  

Saroni Roy Foundation CEO Saroni Roy, First Nation Foundation CEO Phil Usher, The Smith Family CEO Doug Taylor, UNICEF Australia CEO Tony Stuart and, Camp Quality CEO Deborah Thomas also discussed how important it was for NFP leaders to understand how to work towards a common cause that goes beyond money.   

In that panel, they stated that collaboration and partnership within the sector are important now more than ever. With funding cutbacks, workforce shortages and the post-pandemic digital disruption, they highlighted the NFP sector’s need to join forces and forge collaborative partnerships.  

Third Sector Live has provided delegates with achievable solutions to problems that many NFP organisations face regardless of their size and reach.   

“The take-home message is, we came down with the ideas of diversifying the funds but we didn’t know how to do that. And just looking and listening to all the funder, major donors that are here and also peoples lived experiences, and businesses,” Mura Kosker Sorority President Regina Turner said.   

“It’s been good to hear those stories and give us courage to be able to get out there and not just rely on government funding. It’s a change of culture, it’s a culture shift.” 

Not-for-profit organisations will always face challenges, and NFP leaders and professionals learned that adaptability, flexibility, partnerships and inclusion within the sector are the right keys to turning obstacles they face into opportunities they can grow from.   

To learn more about Third Sector events, visit our events listing page.