The Weekly

This week, I was pleased to be in Melbourne for the meeting between the ACFID Humanitarian Reference Group (HRG) CEOs and Steve Scott (the First Assistant Secretary for the Humanitarian and Civil Society Division of DFAT). Discussions focused on the priorities for humanitarian action and opportunities for deeper collaboration in 2026. Any ACFID members interested in learning more about the HRG and potentially joining please contact ​​Naomi Brooks​​ to learn more. 

ACFID also hosted a briefing for the High Commissioner-designate to Solomon Islands – which was a great opportunity for the many ACFID agencies working in the Solomon Islands to discuss the country’s Development Partnership Plan, share about their work and lay the groundwork for future engagement. Given the importance of DFAT’s post in making decisions about funding priorities and partners, we encourage members to join these events. The next opportunity will be with the Ambassador-designate to Nepal next week.

ACFID also published our new Gender Policy Brief, which outlines key recommendations to ensure gender equality remains central to Australia’s development program. Members can access the full policy brief through the link provided below.

Finally, following the creation of a vacancy on the ACFID Board after the December meeting, ACFID will hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) in February to elect one Director. A call for nominations will go to member CEOs next week with further information – please ​email me​ if you want to discuss this opportunity to serve the sector on the ACFID Board.

To Attend

HOM Briefing with the Ambassador- designate to Nepal 

Australia’s incoming Ambassador to Nepal has requested a briefing from ACFID members, online via Teams to hear from members on relevant development issues in the region. Several ACFID members have active projects in Nepal.

The Ambassador’s responsibilities at Post will include Australia’s aid program in Nepal,  as aligned with Australia’s International Development Policy, Nepal’s Sixteenth Plan 2024/25–2028/29, and the Australia-South Asia (Regional) Development Partnership Plan 2024–2029.

Date: 15 December

Time: 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM (AEDT )

Please register ​here​.

To Attend

ACFID Connect Session: Doing Business with DFAT and Understanding DFAT Tender Requirements

The Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will join us to delve into their procurement process. In 2024-25, NGOs accounted for only 9% of all DFAT procurement tenders, down from 13% in 2023-24. More importantly, none of these bids were won by NGOs in either of these years. NGOs are typically 10% of attendees at procurement-related events and industry briefings, and participation could be higher. Knowledge gaps are among the factors that limit NGO participation in DFAT procurement tenders.

To address the gaps that limit NGO participation in DFAT procurement, this session will provide an overview of DFAT’s policy environment, and information on where to find relevant policy information and business opportunities. It will also cover DFAT’s Risk Management Policy, and provide an overview of the DFAT procurement process, the format of DFAT procurement documents, and Do’s and Don’ts when compiling a response to an approach to market.

Date:  18 December 2025

Time: 1:00PM – 2:30PM (AEDT)

Venue: Online

Register ​here​.

To Read

Gender Policy

This week, ACFID published our latest Policy Brief: Advancing Gender Equality in Australia’s International Development Program.

Developed with contributions from the ACFID Gender Community of Practice, this policy brief builds on the ambitious goals outlined in Australia’s International Gender Equality Strategy (IGES) earlier this year. It focuses on supporting and catalysing best-practice approaches across priority areas such as sexual and reproductive health, peace and security, climate and humanitarian assistance, economic equality, and locally led leadership.

​​Read the full brief ​here.

To Attend

Round 2 for Training of the Trainer program enhancing skills in AI

Plan International Australia (PIA) is partnering with the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) to offer another round of the free Training of the Trainer (ToT) program aimed at enhancing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) skills of ANGOs based in Australia, including modules on Intro to AI, Maximising Productivity with AI Tools, Using AI Responsibly, and Staying Ahead of the Curve.  Participants must be available for 5×3-hour training sessions, and able to train between 50-120 Australian based staff and volunteers within their organisations after concluding the training. This could be through your organisation’s own networks or could be as a trainer for an ACFID-facilitated training. 

The two sessions this year will be run on:

15 December 2025 | 1:00PM – 3:00PM

17 December 2025 | 1:00PM – 3:00PM

There are a few spots remaining, so if you are interested in attending please get in contact with Cecille at

​c​[email protected]

To Attend

Exclusive Training Discounts for the ACFID Network

Build Your Expertise with 15% Off Training: Looking for ways to strengthen your skills in evaluation, strategy, and impact measurement?

Clear Horizon is offering a 15% discount to the ACFID network on five expert-led training courses designed for the international development sector. ​Check them out here.​

Upcoming courses include:
✔ ​Systems Transformation – Strategy and Evaluation​ – For changemakers and evaluators who are working to transform complex societal systems. (commences 13 March 2026)

✔ ​Developmental Education​ – designed to empower evaluators and designers to navigate complex and evolving environments. (commences 24 April 2026)
✔ ​Measurement, Evaluation & Learning (MEL)​ – A deep dive into MEL frameworks and their application. (commences 27 March 2026)

Why take part?

– Gain practical, sector-relevant knowledge from experts.

– Learn proven methodologies to strengthen your organisation’s impact.

– Apply learnings immediately to enhance your development work.​

To Join

Parliamentary Inquiries

ACFID has started the process of consultation for submissions with members in relation to the following  inquiries; 

​Inquiry into the role of Australia’s international development program in preventing conflict​ and ​Inquiry into gender equality as a national security and economic security imperative​, and the ​inquiry into the state of democracy in Myanmar​. A reference group has been set up for the Conflict Prevention-focused inquiry. 

For more information, please contact Imogen Harper at ​[email protected]​ 

To Attend

ANCP CoP Final Meeting of 2025

Join with colleagues in ANCP’s final meeting of the year.

Date: 18 December 2025

Time: 2:00PM -3:00PM (AEDT)

To join: details in Communities Platform

Consultants – Clear Horizon 15% off MEL Courses

Clear Horizon is a values-driven, B-Corp certified, women-led company. We support teams and organisations to monitor, evaluate, learn and ultimately to improve the impact of their strategies, programs and initiatives. We have nearly 20 years of experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) across the international development sector, including working with DFAT, MFAT, World Bank, United Nations, INGOs and managing contractors. We work across a range of sectors including social and economic development, gender equality, disability inclusion, democracy and civil society strengthening, health, education, infrastructure, climate change and disaster resilience, and agriculture.

​​We are currently offering the ACFID Network 15% off the cost of five courses commencing in 2026. ​Check them out here!

Consultants – Athena Board

Exclusive Offer – Transform Your Board & Committee Governance

Athena Board is proud to partner with ACFID to help not-for-profits save time, secure documents,and improve governance.

Trusted by charities, international aid agencies, and community organisations across Australia,Athena Board’s secure platform makes it easy to collate, produce, and share board materials while protecting sensitive information. ISO27001 certified and fully encrypted, it’s built to meet the highest standards of security – at a price designed for the NFP sector.ACFID members receive 10% off Athena Board’s already low NFP rates, giving you a high-performing,low-cost solution to:

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Upgrade your governance with a platform your board will actually enjoy using. Read more here

Jobs

Director of Policy and Advocacy | ACFID | Read more ​here. 

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