CLA is established for the public charitable interests of:

• promoting and developing public interest and educating the community on community leadership issues;
• assisting the development of new and existing community leadership programs;
• assisting community organizations by facilitating access to participants and alumni of community leadership programs willing to offer free advice or discounted services to community organizations;
• develop training and information to assist community leadership programs to benefit the community; and
• promote and facilitate research into community leadership in Australia.

Not all Community Leadership Programs are alike.
CLPs will reflect the communities they operate in and are servicing. There will be differences in how each CLP handles the key elements of bringing diverse people together, educating them about each other and about the community and sending them out to make their communities better places.