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Key information
Who's it for?
Senior leaders in the non-profit sector
Duration
4 days In-person and 5 Online workshops across 6 months.
Cost
FREE. Places are fully funded.
Format
Online and In-person
In-person Dates
EMEA and UK: 23-26 June 2026
Asia Pacific: 10-13 November 2026
The Americas: 2027 to be confirmed
EMEA and UK: 2027 to be confirmed
Application Deadlines
EMEA: 2026 applications closed
Asia Pacific: 13 July 2026
The Americas: 2027 applications open
EMEA and UK: 2027 applications open
Brought to you by:
Strategic partners:
For more than a decade, the American Express Leadership Academy has strengthened the non-profit sector by investing in the people who lead it.
Why now?
Today, non-profit leaders are navigating rapid technological change, shifting funding landscapes, and rising community need. Leadership is no longer only about responding to complexity, but about working differently within it, across boundaries, perspectives, and systems that are increasingly interconnected. The challenge is not simply adopting innovation, but doing so in ways that strengthen trust, relationships, and human connection.
What is the American Express Leadership Academy?
Transformative by design, the Academy brings together senior non-profit leaders from a wide range of organizations and disciplines for a shared learning experience grounded in real-world leadership challenges. It is built on the belief that leadership today is strengthened through exposure to difference - across sectors, geographies, and lived experience - and through the relationships formed in those encounters. Participants learn directly from peers and senior leaders across the social, public, and private sectors, while exploring the forces reshaping their work.
Who is it for?
Designed for senior leaders in the non-profit sector who are operating in complexity and leading through change.
Live from the Academy
Hear directly from some of the extraordinary leaders featured in the Academy. From global innovators to creative visionaries and social changemakers, explore some of the ideas, insights, and perspectives participants gain access to throughout the programme.
How it works
The Learning Journey:
What you can expect on the programme:
Learn by doing: Interactive, experiential sessions where leadership is practised, not just discussed.
Real-world focus: Grounded in live leadership challenges and real examples from practice.
Learn with others: A diverse cohort experience that builds insight, challenge, and lasting peer connection.
Practical application: Tools, mindsets, and approaches – based on our COMPASS approach to leadership - you can immediately apply in your role.
Join a series of online connection sessions to prepare you for your learning journey and a workshop around utlising storytelling for impact.
You will undertake a 360-degree feedback process designed around the Connected Changemaker model, gathering insights from yourself and colleagues to build a holistic view of your leadership strengths and development areas. This process deepens self-awareness and supports your ongoing leadership growth.
Building Collaboration and Partnerships
On day one, participants explore the art of effective collaboration and learn how to build partnerships that expand their organization’s reach and impact. Through practical tools and courageous, purpose-driven conversations, leaders strengthen their ability to engage others around shared goals.
Embracing an Innovative Mindset
On day two, participants develop an innovative mindset that helps them identify emerging opportunities, respond to change, and communicate bold ideas with clarity. Through immersive experiences and storytelling, leaders learn how to turn vision into action and inspire others to come with them.
Broadening and Deepening Connections
Day three focuses on building trust-based relationships that strengthen ideas, solve problems, and open new opportunities. Participants exchange lived experiences, deepen their networks, and enhance their ability to influence a wide range of stakeholders. They leave with practical tools to communicate more effectively and build lasting support for their work.
Leading in an Evolving World
The final day brings the learning together and focuses on translating insight into action. Through peer coaching, masterclasses, and strategic reflection, participants develop practical, forward-looking plans for their organizations. Leaders leave with greater clarity, confidence, and a stronger sense of how to navigate complexity and shape the future with intention.
Continue your learning online with reflective workshops and practices to coniue to grow within your leadership journey, your sector and your network.
Access two one-on-one coaching sessions to refine your personal leadership journey experience.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the Academy, participants will strengthen:
Enhancing self-awareness, understanding, and confidence in your role as a leader
Cultivating your innovative mindset that can better spot opportunities to maximize human potential and embrace technological advancements
Increasing your ability to better connect and communicate with others including through storytelling
Translating insights into practical action
160k+
alumni worldwide
98%
would recommend the Academy to a colleague or friend
92%
feel greater confidence in their role as a leader
95%
improved their self-awareness
Leadership Conversations in Action
Candid conversations with past participants reveal the ideas and commitments that emerged from their Academy journey.
"Common Purpose is delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with American Express, in designing and delivering a re-shaped and re-imagined leadership experience for the non-profit sector. One that will not only strengthen the sector, by building the capacity of its leaders, but also inspire Connected Changemakers to address some of the sector’s most complex challenges."
"Non-profits are facing high leadership turnover and burnout at a time when their services are needed the most. We transformed the Leadership Academy to help non-profit leaders accelerate their development and build new skills to meet the unique challenges of this moment."
Next steps
Start your journey
Apply
Applications are now open
| Location | Date | Application deadline |
|---|---|---|
| EMEA and UK 2026: London, England | 23-26 June 2026 | Applications closed for 2026 |
| Asia-Pacific 2026 | 10-13 November 2026 | 13 July 2026 |
| The Americas 2027 | Dates TBC | Applications now open |
| EMEA and UK 2027 | Dates TBC | Applications now open |
Eligibility:
- Senior leaders, currently in or identified for executive roles in future
- Works for a registered non-profit
- In roles that require them to accelerate their ability to influence inside and outside their organizations
- With a track record of innovation, embraces change, and want to transform their team, organization and community
Please note that eligibility for this programme is limited to applicants within the specified region. Kindly ensure that you are applying for the programme available in the region in which you reside.
Nominate a non-profit leader
Have a non-profit leader or organization in your network who would be a perfect fit for the Academy?
Get in touch
How can we help?
Get in touch with one of our learning experts to discuss your development goals.
Important information
If you require adjustments to take part in the application process or to participate in the programme due to a disability, neurodiversity, caring responsibilities, or any other reason, you will be able to provide details in the application form or contact us by phone or email to discuss further.
This site is managed by Common Purpose, not American Express. Information entered will be subject to Common Purpose privacy policy and terms.
Funding for the American Express Leadership Academy is provided by American Express. Common Purpose is responsible for the overall programme including curriculum design and content, delivery and administration of the American Express Leadership Academy
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you have any further questions or would just like to discuss the programme in more detail, please reach out to a member of our team in your specific location who would be delighted to help.
We are a global not-for-profit leadership development organization on a mission to develop people who can cross cultural, social, and institutional boundaries. We work passionately with people to help push the boundaries of what is possible, all so that they can become those who can help us to work better together, be the connectors of our unique lived experiences and lead, with a difference.
Yes! The Common Purpose Charitable Trust was established as a charity in 1989. It is registered with the Charity Commission under the Registered Charity number 1023384.
The benefits of Common Purpose leadership programmes include gaining increased:
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Agility in adapting to changing circumstances and environments.
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Empathy to what other people feel, think and need. Seeing things from their point of view.
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Influence in leading change with limited decision-making power.
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Openness to new ideas, possibilities and perspectives, including views they might deeply disagree with.
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Purposefulness in leading with intentionality, determination, commitment and resilience.
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Self-awareness to their behaviours and outlook, and how they interpret and respond to situations.
When it comes to learning, there is no substitute for the power of real experience and fresh perspective. Our approach uses a robust behaviour and mindset change philosophy rooted in real life leadership challenges and experiences. To turn those experiences into real learning we follow five tried and tested steps that lead to habitual change in how people think, feel and act.
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Experience: Being presented with new experiences. Engaging with leaders across multiple boundaries and being immersed in new environments.
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Reflection: Learning activities to gain a deeper and more personalized understanding of the learning.
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Translate: Exploring how to relate new ideas and thought processes back into the learner’s role or context.
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Practice: Developing a set of leadership practices that can be used to turn new behaviours into habits.
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Assess: Embedding numerous assessments to help learners track their progress pre, during and even beyond the programme.
Experiential learning is a core component of our programmes.
Our programmes create a carefully constructed microclimate to explore real-life leadership challenges in a safe environment, often leading to the types of purpose-driven conversations needed to achieve transformative change.
We also focus on the importance of active learning, by getting people out of their comfort zones and into the world, seeing things, meeting people, taking part, and taking advantage of processes that stimulate multiple neural connections in the brain and promote memory.
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