NSW Council of Social Service

What NSW Council of Social Service does

NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) is a non-profit peak body founded in 1935 during the Great Depression and headquartered in Darlinghurst, Sydney. The organisation represents more than 350 member organisations working across women's safety, disability support, social housing and homelessness, children's and youth services, aged care, family and domestic violence, First Nations communities, and legal and migrant services in New South Wales, Australia. Its core function is sector-wide advocacy to NSW and Australian governments, combined with research, policy submissions, and capacity-building services for community organisations.

NCOSS operates a portfolio of advocacy, research, and community-support services rather than a unified technology platform. Core offerings include a Resources Hub for sector capacity building, an interactive Data Dashboard and RiVA Mapping Tool that visualise regional poverty rates, cost-of-living, healthcare access, and disaster-risk/socio-economic vulnerability, and the Community Jobs Board connecting NSW community-sector organisations with jobseekers (reaching 2,800+ weekly subscribers). Additional services include the School Gateway Project (Mirrung Wellbeing Hub at Ashcroft Public School), NCOSS Forums, publications and Regional Factsheets across every SA4 region, the CODA disaster-resilience initiative, the Harrison-Church Women's Leadership Scholarship, and annual events such as the Post Budget Breakfast at NSW Parliament House.

The business model is non-profit and diversified across recurring membership fees from 350+ member organisations, project-based Australian and NSW Government grants (notably the Disaster Ready Fund–backed CODA Project), pay-as-you-go events and jobs-board advertising credits, and in-kind research partnerships with consulting firms such as 89 Degrees East, Mandala Partners, and Social Outcomes. The organisation is governed by a board chaired by John Robertson, with Cara Varian as Chief Executive Officer, and operates with a small staff complement within the 11–50 range. NCOSS has formal convening relationships with major sector organisations including Mission Australia, Uniting NSW/ACT, Wesley Mission, Shelter NSW, Relationships Australia NSW, and St Vincent de Paul Society NSW, and participates in joint federal advocacy with ACOSS.

Name

NSW Council of Social Service

Legal name

NSW Council of Social Service

Website

https://ncoss.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS) is a non-profit peak body, founded in 1935, representing 350+ member organisations across the NSW social services sector and advocating to government on poverty, housing, and disadvantage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services Advocacy

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Individual and Family Services (6241), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD), Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment (BPAGABAF), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Social services advocacy
• Community sector peak body
• Policy research publications
• Sector capacity building
• Disaster resilience programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Darlinghurst

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: NCOSS generates revenue through membership fees from over 350 member organisations in the NSW social services sector. Membership provides access to resources, forums, training, and advocacy representation.
2. Government Funding and Grants: NCOSS receives government funding for specific projects and initiatives, including the CODA Project funded by Australian and NSW Governments through the Disaster Ready Fund, and Department of Social Services funding for various programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NCOSS is the peak body for the social services sector in NSW, representing over 350 member organisations working in women's safety, disability, housing, homelessness, youth, aged care, family violence, First Nations, and migrant services. It delivers coordinated advocacy to government, policy research and publications, sector capacity building, disaster resilience programs (such as the CODA Project), the Community Jobs Board, and leadership development through initiatives like the Harrison-Church Women's Leadership Scholarship.

Product overview

NCOSS (NSW Council of Social Service) is the peak body for the social services sector in NSW, serving over 350 member organisations. Rather than a unified technology platform, it offers a portfolio of advocacy, research, and community support services. The core offerings include a Resources Hub for sector capacity building, a Data Dashboard for poverty and cost-of-living data, the Community Jobs Board for employment placement, the School Gateway Project (Mirrung Wellbeing Hub) for integrated child and family support, and NCOSS Forums for sector networking. Additional services include publications (reports, submissions, Regional Factsheets), disaster resilience programs (CODA Project, Flood & Storm Resources, Heat Resources), the annual Post Budget Breakfast event, and the Harrison-Church Women's Leadership Scholarship. The RiVA Mapping Tool provides data visualisation for disaster risk and vulnerability analysis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Resources Hub An online library of resources grouped by topic to help guide NSW community organisations, covering sector support, fuel security, flood and storm resources, and disaster support.
• Data Dashboard An interactive data tool allowing users to explore regional poverty rates, healthcare wait times, and cost of living data across NSW.
• School Gateway Project (Mirrung Wellbeing Hub) A wellbeing hub at Ashcroft Public School that supports children and families through integrated educational, health, and social support services from a single location.
• NCOSS Community Jobs Board A job board connecting the NSW community sector with jobseekers, featuring a weekly bulletin sent to over 2,800 subscribers.
• NCOSS Forums Events and forums for members and the broader community to consult, collaborate, and engage on social service sector issues.
• NCOSS Publications Reports, submissions, and policy publications covering poverty, housing, youth justice, community safety, dental health, disaster adaptation, and budget analysis.
• NCOSS Post Budget Breakfast
• Regional Factsheets A collection of factsheets providing snapshots of key issues across every SA4 region in NSW, drawing on NCOSS research to illustrate community need.
• Harrison-Church Women's Leadership Scholarship
• Community Organisations Disaster Adaptation (CODA) Project
• Risks, Vulnerability, Assets (RiVA) Mapping Tool & Data Dashboard

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 995,600 people living below poverty line in NSW identified and represented through advocacy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 89 Degrees EastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Research partnership for the Affordability Crisis Snapshot and Voices of Poverty research project. 89 Degrees East conducted research beyond data analysis to understand day-to-day reality of poverty in NSW.
• Community Legal Centres NSW (CLCNSW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Research partner in the Voices of Poverty research project, contributing expertise on legal issues faced by people experiencing financial hardship and poverty.
• Chief Executive Women (CEW)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2025Collaboration for NCOSS's Harrison-Church Women's Leadership Scholarship, providing 15 places over three years in CEW's Leaders Program for women in sector leadership roles. First intake June/July 2026.
• Mission AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing data and insights on homelessness, early intervention services, and support for people experiencing disadvantage in NSW.
• Relationships Australia NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing to the Voices of Poverty project, providing expertise on family and relationship services.
• St Vincent de Paul Society NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in poverty research, bringing expertise from frontline community support and emergency assistance services.
• Settlement Services International (SSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing expertise on settlement services, multicultural communities, and support for migrants and refugees.
• Shelter NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing expertise on housing instability, rental stress, and housing policy affecting people in poverty.
• Tenants Union of NSWcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing expertise on tenancy rights, rental issues, and housing stress affecting low-income households.
• Uniting NSW/ACTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner bringing expertise from community services, aged care, and disability support sectors.
• Wesley MissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner contributing expertise from community services, homelessness support, and social welfare programs.
• Social OutcomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrepared the Mirrung Impact Report 2025 documenting achievements after three years of operation at Ashcroft Public School.
• Mandala PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned research on dental hospitalisations in NSW, finding dental conditions as leading cause of preventable hospitalisations costing $147 million per year.
• NSW Mental Health CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCOSS and NSW Mental Health Commission produced guides and workbooks for community-based organisations on disaster recovery and resilience roles.
• ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCOSS endorsed ACOSS submission on federal reform for families and children and participates in joint advocacy including national network of Councils of Social Service.
• ACWA and FamsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCOSS endorsed joint submission by ACWA and Fams on federal reform for families and children.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• TasCOSS (Tasmania Council of Social Service): Tasmanian state peak body for the social services sector, operating the same peak-body advocacy and member representation model as NCOSS in a smaller jurisdiction.
• SACOSS (South Australian Council of Social Service): South Australian state peak body for the community sector, performing the same advocacy, research and member representation function as NCOSS in a different jurisdiction.
• Shelter NSW: NSW peak body for housing and homelessness, and a current NCOSS research partner on the Voices of Poverty project. Directly comparable as a NSW-based advocacy and policy peak body representing community organisations in a specific sub-sector.
• WACOSS (Western Australian Council of Social Service): Western Australian peak body for the community sector. A directly comparable state-level peak body performing the same functions as NCOSS across advocacy, research and member services.
• QCOSS (Queensland Council of Social Service): Queensland's state peak body for the social services sector. Mirrors NCOSS's role of coordinating advocacy, research and member support for community organisations, providing a directly comparable state-level peer.
• VCOSS (Victorian Council of Social Service): State-level Council of Social Service for Victoria with an identical peak-body mandate of advocacy, policy research, and member representation for community service organisations. The closest structural peer to NCOSS operating in a different state.
• Homelessness NSW: NSW peak body for homelessness services and a specialist advocate on housing instability. Comparable to NCOSS as a state-level peak body focused on a vertical that NCOSS explicitly represents within its 350+ membership base.

Broad incumbents

• ACOSS (Australian Council of Social Service): National peak body for the community sector and primary federal-level advocacy counterpart to NCOSS. NCOSS already partners with ACOSS on joint submissions, making ACOSS the most directly comparable organization, though it operates federally rather than at the state level.
• The Smith Family: Large national anti-poverty nonprofit focused on children's education and family economic disadvantage. Overlaps with NCOSS's poverty alleviation and family/children sub-sectors but operates as a direct service provider rather than an advocacy peak body.
• Mission Australia: One of Australia's largest community service NGOs and a current NCOSS research partner. Overlaps significantly with NCOSS's homelessness, family services and disadvantage focus, but operates at national scale and as a direct service provider rather than as an advocacy peak body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_ncoss_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=3c42xSEVcuw
• Facebookfacebook.com/NSWCouncilofSocialService
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ncoss

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NSW Council of Social Service