Aboriginal non-profit leader and Fulbright Scholar, Adam Davids, offers insights for Indigenous not-for-profits by drawing on the experience of successful racial minority-serving institutions in the USA.

Following research as part of his Fulbright scholarship, Adam Davids has identified six attributes common across those non-government organisations that have demonstrated longevity and high impact.

The six attributes: genuine leadership, local ownership, purposeful partnership, robust business, leverages decision makers, and simple program can help develop more sustainable and higher impact NFPs for Indigenous Australians.

Genuine leadership is a foundational quality that must be embedded across the organisation, its decisions and behaviours.

Davids provides details on what each attribute is, and the types of behaviours or initiatives that they show up as, including drawing on examples from his research.

These attributes can be tested by Australian NFPs within the organisation, with their boards and key stakeholders. 

Davids also addresses how to overcome sponsor (or funder) dependancy, including dependancy on government funding in the Australian context.