The Weekly
On Monday, I had the privilege of hosting a session with the Minister for International Development, Dr Anne Aly, and our Melbourne-based CEOs (see picture below). It was a good opportunity for Min Aly to connect with the wider membership and continue to build on the strong partnership between our members and the government. We are hoping to do a similar event in Sydney in the coming couple of months.
I am pleased to announce an upcoming ACFID Connect on the 23rd of October (see info below to register), which will be a chance for DFAT Deputy Secretary Jamie Isbister to meet with CEOs (or their delegates) from across the ACFID Membership. During this online event, Jamie Isbister will discuss the Government’s priorities for Australia’s international development cooperation and provide insights into how DFAT is responding to global development disruption and what this means for the role of NGOs in Australia’s development landscape.
Finally, if you have not yet registered for the ACFID Conference… now is the time! Registration details are here​.
To Attend
ACFID Connect Session: International Development and the future of DFAT / NGO partnerships
Event Details – October 23rd at 2 PM
Join fellow ACFID member CEOs to hear DFAT Deputy Secretary Jamie Isbister speak on the Government’s priorities for Australia’s international development cooperation.
Jamie will provide timely and strategic insights into how DFAT is responding to global development disruption and what this means for the role of NGOs in Australia’s development landscape.
There will be space for Q&A during the one-hour online event.
Presenter Details:Â Jamie Isbister, Deputy Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Calendar details: Online meeting, 23 October from 2 – 3 PM
To Attend
ACFID 2026 – 2031 Strategic Planning: CEO Engagement Sessions
ACFID is developing its new 5 year strategic plan and we want all of our members to add your voice to shape our priorities.
We will be doing this as part of our CEO networking events in November. Two of these will be in-person meetings and one will be online. We are hoping that CEOs will be able to attend one of these three events.
Please hold the following dates in your diaries:
- Melbourne Member CEOs: 24 November 6PM – 8PM (venue TBD)
- Sydney Member CEOs: 20 November 6PM – 8 PM (venue TBD)
- Online option for all CEOs: 21 November 10 AM – 12 PM (Teams meeting)
We will send more details in near future but please mark your diaries now!
To Attend
ACFID National Conference 2025 – Registrations close 24 October!
Less than four weeks until the conference and two weeks until registrations close! Make sure to get your tickets and check out the program via the conference website:Â Official ACFID Conference website 2025.
Two further concurrent sessions have been announced this week:
- Integrating Peacebuilding: From Theory to Practice in Humanitarian, Development & Peacebuilding (HDP) Programming
Hosted by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) - Blended Finance: a pathway to impact, or a risk to rights?
Hosted by Plan International Australia and Good Return
To Attend
HOM Briefing with the High Commissioner-designate for Pakistan – Monday 13th October 3pm
Australia’s ingoing High Commissioner to Pakistan, has requested a briefing from ACFID members via Teams. If you are interested in taking part in the briefing, please register your interest here.
Please note that we will set up a coordination meeting with members prior to the briefing to agree key messages and finalise a meeting agenda.
The High Commissioner’s responsibilities at Post will include responsibility for Australia’s aid program in Pakistan, aligned with both Australia’s International Development Policy and Pakistan’s Vision 2025.
Key focus areas include:
- Climate change adaptation and community resilience.
- Equitable access to essential services, especially for women and children.
- Humanitarian assistance, including disaster response.
- Capacity building and knowledge exchange, leveraging Australian expertise.
The High Commissioner has expressed interest in hearing from members on relevant development issues in the region. The High Commissioner may also be interested in an assessment of, and updates on, aid delivery and programming in the region in the wake of USAID and other donor ODA cuts.
To Attend
ACFID New Member Webinar
21 October 2025, 2:00-3:30pm AEDT
Know an organisation interested in joining ACFID? We’re hosting an information session for new membership applicants. Feel free to share the webinar link with your networks to help spread the word.
Register here: Event registration form
If you have any questions, reach out to Tamara at [email protected]
To Attend
ACFID Code of Conduct Drop-In
The Code team will be hosting it’s online drop-in session again on Tuesday 28 October 2025!
The session will be 1-2pm (AEDT) on Tuesday 28 October 2025. This session will not be recorded and aims to offer an informal space to talk about anything ACFID Code related!
Please come and drop by to meet Whitney and Marvin from the Code team and give feedback or ask your compliance questions.
Log into your MY ACFID account and register your interest here
If you have any questions, please email the Code team at [email protected]
To Watch
AI Learning Pathways Webinar – Resources Now Available
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the recent webinar exploring Infoxchange’s new AI Resource Hub and broader opportunities for AI engagement across the ACFID membership.
If you missed the session or would like to revisit the discussion, you can now access the full recording and explore the Resource Hub at your convenience.
- Access a recording of the webinar here
- Explore the Infoxchange resource hub hereÂ
- Express Interest in free, online training on Safe, Responsible and Effective Use of AIÂ here
To Attend
AI Discussion Group within Data Governance CoP
A new AI Discussion Group will be starting up as a sub-group of the Data Governance CoP. This group will be a space for knowledge exchange around the use of AI in organisations and sharing AI adoption successes and challenges, sharing resources and support for each other on our organisations’ AI journeys.
First meeting: 22nd October 2025
To join: Join the ACFID Data Governance CoP by following the instructions available here.
To Attend
Philanthropy and International Development
With aid budgets being cut globally, there is new impetus to mobilise development financing from all sources, recognising the comparative advantages of public and private finance. Philanthropy isn’t a panacea, but it can play a catalytic role in sustainable development, as recognised at the recent United Nations Finance for Development conference in Seville.
Join us for this timely discussion and hear from a distinguished panel on how philanthropy can boost collective investment and grow pipelines of country-led, sustainable initiatives.
Speakers include:
- NainaSubberwal Batra, CEO of Asian Venture Philanthropy Association (AVPN)
- Anita Toy, Executive Director of Myriad Australia
- Taholo Kami, CEO and Principle Partner, Kami Pasifiki
Who:Â Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D)
Date:Â Thursday 23 October
Time:Â 2:00-3:00pm (Canberra time)
Register:Â via Zoom here.
To Attend
Sector Event: Educating the Future’s 10-year Anniversary Gala Dinner
Educating The Future’s CEO, Adam Hegedus, warmly invites supporters to attend the organisation’s 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner in Sydney on Saturday, 29 November 2025. Over the past decade, Educating The Future has provided early childhood education to more than 2,000 Timorese children and empowered young people in Timor-Leste as a youth-led, locally-driven organisation. Join keynote speaker and former First Lady of Timor-Leste, Kirsty Sword Gusmão, for an evening of Timorese entertainment, inspiring speeches, fundraising and celebration – now less than two months away.
Tickets to Educating The Future’s 10 Year Anniversary Gala available here
Consultants – String Theory
Skills: Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning
We work alongside organisations and communities to understand what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve.
We simplify the monitoring and evaluation process so everyone can be part of it.
We seek the views of multiple groups to ensure that as many as possible have a voice.
We don’t just deliver data; we use creative ways to tell the story of a program to ensure findings are meaningful for the intended audiences.
We have decades of experience and have managed over 100 monitoring and evaluation projects across 19 countries. Visit our website to learn more.
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:
• Reduce admin time and streamline meeting preparation
• Strengthen governance and compliance
• Provide directors with tools like digital voting, annotations, conflict registers, and offline access
Upgrade your governance with a platform your board will actually enjoy using. Read more here
JobsÂ
Director of Impact | Adara Group | Read more here.
Upcoming Events
|
Date |
Event |
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13 October |
HOM Briefing with the High Commissioner-designate for Islamabad |
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21 October |
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22 October |
AI Discussion Group within Data Governance CoP |
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23 October |
|
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28 October |
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5 & 6 November |
Parliamentary ACFID CEOs Lobbying Round, 2025 (contact Naomi at [email protected]) |
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5 & 6 November |
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11 & 13 November |
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20 – 21- 24 November |
ACFID 2026 – 2031 Strategic Planning: CEO Engagement Sessions (save the dates) |
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29 November |
Food for Thought
Ottawa Convention landmine treaty is illustrative of how Russian hostility is forcing choices that undermine global norms.
“Aside from the devastation it has wrought in Ukraine, Russia’s belligerence has planted this insidious worm of distrust within Europe, one that eats away at the international conventions designed to build mutually beneficial norms and practices. This is creating a far less rules-bound world. One where states start retreating from cooperation and feel the need to re-enlist previously renounced weapons like landmines – whose deterrence is built on their indiscriminate nature.”
The return of landmines marks a darker era for Europe – and the world