Core Governance Training and Specialist Sector Overlays
Practical, legally grounded governance training for directors, committee members, CEOs and senior leaders of Australian charities and not-for-profit organisations.
Sibenco’s NFP director training is structured to give directors a strong foundation in their core governance responsibilities and then allow them to build on that foundation with additional training relevant to the sector in which their organisation operates.
The training pathway has two parts:
Director Essentials for Not-for-Profits provides the core governance foundation for NFP directors and committee members.
Specialist Sector Overlays build on that foundation by examining the additional regulatory, governance, risk and assurance issues arising in particular NFP sectors.
Complete the core course first, then select one or more Specialist Overlays relevant to your organisation or board role.
Step 1: Director Essentials for Not-for-Profits
The core governance course for not-for-profit directors, committee members, CEOs and senior leaders.
Not-for-profit directors face increasing expectations around governance, risk, financial stewardship, privacy, cybersecurity, records, technology use, AI governance, culture and regulatory accountability.
Director Essentials for Not-for-Profits provides a practical foundation for directors and senior leaders who need to understand their role, ask better questions, oversee risk and support sound board decision-making.
Designed specifically for the Australian not-for-profit context, the course covers directors’ duties, the ACNC and regulatory framework, board responsibilities and boardroom practice, delegations, financial oversight, risk management, compliance, information governance, privacy, cybersecurity, data and technology risks, AI and automated decision-making, and crisis governance.
Across four self-paced modules, participants learn not only what the law and governance frameworks require, but what directors need to recognise, what questions they should ask, when matters should be escalated, what should be documented and how boards can demonstrate informed and responsible oversight.
Duration: Approximately 12 hours
Format: Online and self-paced
Standard registration: $795 + GST
Eligible small charities: $495 + GST
Level: Foundational to intermediate
Certificate: Certificate of Completion issued by Sibenco Governance
Includes: Four modules, downloadable resource pack, knowledge reviews and 12 months access
Step 2: Sector Specific Overlays
Build on your core governance knowledge with focused training for the sector in which your organisation operates.
Different NFP sectors operate within different regulatory frameworks and face different governance risks. A director of an aged care provider, school, sporting organisation or NDIS provider needs the same sound grounding in directors’ duties and board governance, but must also understand the particular regulatory, safeguarding, financial, operational and stakeholder issues relevant to that sector.
The Specialist Sector Overlays for NFP Directors have therefore been developed as the second stage of the Sibenco NFP director training pathway.
Each Overlay builds on Director Essentials for Not-for-Profits rather than repeating the core material. It concentrates on the sector-specific matters directors need to recognise, oversee and ask questions about at board level.
*Completion of Director Essentials for Not-for-Profits is required before commencing a Specialist Overlay.
This approach ensures that participants first have a common grounding in directors’ duties, the Australian NFP regulatory framework, board practice, financial oversight, risk and contemporary governance issues. The Specialist Overlay can then concentrate on what is distinctive about the relevant sector.
Directors may complete one or more Overlays where their responsibilities extend across different sectors.
Duration: Approximately 75–100 minutes per Overlay
Format: Online and self-paced
Standard registration: $145 + GST per Overlay
Eligible small charities: $95 + GST per Overlay
Prerequisite: Director Essentials for Not-for-Profits
Certificate: Specialist Overlay Certificate of Completion issued by Sibenco Governance
Includes: Sector-specific learning, knowledge review and practical board assurance resources
Current Specialist Overlays
Aged Care Organisations
For directors and senior leaders of not-for-profit aged care organisations.
Examines the additional governance responsibilities arising from the aged care regulatory environment, including quality and safety, prudential governance, financial oversight, workforce and operational risk, regulatory accountability and board assurance.
Arts & Culture Organisations
For directors, committee members and senior leaders of arts and cultural organisations.
Examines governance in the arts and cultural sector, including regulatory and financial oversight, funding and stakeholder responsibilities, intellectual property and cultural considerations, operational risk and the practical governance challenges facing arts organisations.
Explore the Arts & Culture Overlay
Disability and NDIS Organisations
For directors and senior leaders of disability service and NDIS organisations.
Examines the NDIS regulatory perimeter, Practice Standards, safeguarding, integrity and conflicts, financial and operational governance, quality and risk oversight, and the information boards need to obtain to oversee organisational performance and regulatory obligations.
Explore the Disability and NDIS Overlay
Education K–12 Non-Government Schools
For directors, governing bodies and senior leaders of Australian not-government schools from K/Prep to Year 12, including faith-based schools.
Examines the additional governance, regulatory, child safety, privacy, financial and operational responsibilities arising in the school environment and the assurance information governing bodies should receive.
Explore the Education K–12 Overlay
Sports & Recreation Organisations
For directors, committee members and senior leaders of national, state, regional and community sporting and recreation organisations.
Examines governance, integrity, participant protection and safeguarding, events, insurance, financial and operational oversight, regulatory responsibilities and other governance risks arising in the Australian sporting environment.
Explore the Sports & Recreation Overlay
A Structured NFP Director Learning Pathway
The Sibenco NFP training suite is designed as a progressive learning pathway.
Start with the foundation
Complete Director Essentials for Not-for-Profits to establish a practical grounding in directors’ duties, the NFP regulatory environment, boardroom practice, financial oversight, risk and contemporary governance.
Add your sector
Complete the Specialist Overlay relevant to your organisation to understand the additional governance and regulatory issues directors need to oversee in that sector.
Apply it in the boardroom
Use the practical tools, checklists, board assurance resources and questions provided throughout the training to support board induction, continuing director development and stronger governance practice.
For organisations seeking to establish a common governance baseline across the whole board, group access and facilitated board training are also available.