Governance for Social Impact
Strengthen your goverance capability with our short course tailormade for board directors of registered charities.
2027 Scholarships Open for Board Directors
Thanks to the generous support of our philanthropic partners, almost 200 fully funded scholarships are available for current charity board directors to undertake the Governance for Social Impact course.
Successful scholarship recipients will secure a place in one of 12 online short courses to be delivered this year, joining a cohort of purpose-driven board directors committed to elevating governance practice in their organisations and across the charitable sector.
Applications close 10 November.
Course snapshot
Type of course: Short course on impact-led governance
Who should attend: Not-for-profit board members
Delivery: Virtual delivery over 4 weeks
Course duration: Approximately 15 hours of learning delivered over four weeks. Includes 4 x 90 minute virtual workshops + self-paced learning
Course dates: 12 virtual cohorts will be delivered in 2027. See below for more details.
“This course is absolutely brilliant and should be mandatory for all for-purpose leaders. The content is useful, informative, interesting and critical if you lead or govern for social impact.”
Paid places
These scholarships are designed to support board directors and organisations who may not otherwise have access to this opportunity. If you or your organisation have the capacity to self-fund — or if you require a guaranteed place in a specific cohort — a small number of paid places are also available.
The Governance for Social Impact Online course fee is $2,310 (incl GST). A discount of 20% is available for small to medium not-for-profits (under $3m in revenue)
Contact us at csinational@unsw.edu.au or +61 9348 3590 to purchase your seat.
2027 Course Dates
| Cohort | Workshop Dates |
|---|---|
| Cohort 1 (March) | Tuesdays 12:00-1:30pm (AEDT) 2 March | 9 March | 16 March | 23 March |
| Cohort 2 (April) | Thursdays 9:00-10:30am (AEST) 15 April | 22 April | 29 April | 6 May |
| Cohort 3 (May) | Wednesdays 5:00-6:30pm (AEST) 5 May | 12 May | 19 May | 26 May |
| Cohort 4 (June) | Tuesdays 12:30-2:00pm (AEST) 1 June | 8 June | 15 June | 22 June |
| Cohort 5 (June/July) | Thursdays 5:30-7:00pm (AEST) 24 June | 1 July | 8 July | 15 July |
| Cohort 6 (July/August) | Wednesdays 4:30-6:00pm (AEST) 21 July | 28 July | 4 August | 11 August |
| Cohort 7 (August) | Tuesdays 6:00-7:30pm (AEST) 3 August | 10 August | 17 August | 24 August |
| Cohort 8 (August/September) | Tuesdays 12:30-2:00pm (AEST) 17 August | 24 August | 31 August | 7 September |
| Cohort 9 (September) | Mondays 4:30-6:00pm (AEST) 30 August | 6 September | 13 September | 20 September |
| Cohort 10 (September/October) | Wednesdays 4:30-6:00pm (AEST/AEDT) 15 September | 22 September | 29 September | 6 October |
| Cohort 11 (October/November) | Mondays 12:30-2:00pm (AEDT) 11 October | 18 October | 25 October | 1 November |
| Cohort 12 (November) | Mondays 4:30-6:00pm (AEDT) 8 November | 15 November | 22 November | 29 November |
Elevate your contribution as a board member
Consistently praised for its transformational impact, the Governance for Social Impact course equips not-for-profit board members with the knowledge and tools to effectively govern for deepened and scaled social impact.
This course supports you to expand your governance lens beyond fiduciary oversight, developing more systems-aware, mission-focused and beneficiary-centred approaches to leadership.
“This governance training program is world leading in equipping board members to help their organisation live its mission.
Impact & Effectiveness
+1,000
Not-for-profit Board members and leaders have attended this short course
99%
Said it made them more effective social purpose leaders World Class
We repeatedly earn Net Promotor Scores which are evaluated as world class
+1,000 | Not-for-profit Board members and leaders have attended this short course |
99% | Said it made them more effective social purpose leaders |
World Class | We repeatedly earn Net Promotor Scores which are evaluated as world class |
What you will gain
Guided by a faculty of experienced not-for-profit leaders, you will benefit from:
- a course designed specifically for not-for-profit board directors
- small group sizes with tailored content and delivery
- candid and confidential peer discussions
- practical frameworks and tools
- being part of a network of like-minded alumni
What you will learn
In this immersive short course, you will learn about:
- developing systems-awareness to more effectively govern in a complex social ecosystem
- what it means to govern with a ‘mission-first’ agenda
- the role of boards in optimising strategy for social impact
- achieving mission by measuring what matters most, for the people who matter most
Explore the course content
An expert faculty grounded in real-world governance
The Governance for Social Impact short course is facilitated by practising not-for-profit CEOs and board directors who bring deep, real-world experience to the learning environment. Drawing on their leadership across boards and organisations, they guide participants through practical scenarios and candid discussions, supporting the development of governance approaches that strengthen mission and impact.
QUESTIONS?
We’re here to help. Contact the Governance for Social Impact Program Manager at csinational@unsw.edu.au