October 23, 2025 | Omni King Edward Hotel | Toronto, ON
Where Canada’s Fundraising Community Gathers to Learn, Connect, and Empower.
A day to hear new speakers, master new skills, be inspired by unique ideas, discuss and get solutions to tough problems, offer your personal insights, connect with fellow fundraisers, discuss actionable strategies and so much more. From campaign strategy to community building, you will leave with tools and inspiration to elevate your work—and boost your impact immediately in brand new ways.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
OPENING KEYNOTE SESSION:
Phil Nichols, CAWA, RVT, CEO, Toronto Humane Society. Phil Nichols, CAWA, RVT | CEO | Toronto Humane Society. Building A Thriving Organization: “Together we are not just combating a crisis; we are nurturing a community where compassion knows no bounds. As always, our mission remains rooted in compassion: to improve the lives of animals. Our approach is holistic—centered around care, education, advocacy, and support—because animal welfare isn’t just about what happens within our shelter walls. It’s about meeting people where they are, removing barriers, and building a future where every animal has the chance to thrive.”
CLOSING KEYNOTE SESSION:
Russell James, PhD, Professor, Author & Advisor, Texas Tech University. Socratic Wealth Conversations: How to Inspire Transformational Gifts of Assets. Fundraising success comes from asking the right questions, especially when guiding donors to consider major gifts from their wealth rather than cash alone. Professor James presents the science and real-world application of using appreciative inquiry and asset-focused conversations to lead donors to their own reasons for transformational generosity. Attendees will learn specific, stress-free questions to use throughout the donor relationship to unlock significant gifts of assets such as stocks, real estate, and RRSPs.
Russell James, PhD | Professor | Texas Tech University. James leads this intensive, hands-on workshop available to only a limited group of delegates, so sign up early. Delegates can attend Prof. James’ workshop and closing plenary session or may add this learning experience to their full conference attendance. Ensure you sign up early to guarantee your place at an in-person class with one of the world’s most respected and sought-after thinkers and teachers.
LUNCHEON KEYNOTE SESSION:
Rachel Hunnybun, VP Donor Experience, Blakely. From Stewardship to Strategy: Donor Experience as a Growth Engine. In a world where attention is scarce and trust is earned moment by moment, donor experience has emerged as one of the most powerful—and untapped—drivers of growth. This keynote challenges the traditional boundaries of stewardship and reframes donor experience in a way that drives loyalty, amplifies your message, and fuels sustainable growth. Drawing on fresh research and real-world insights, we’ll explore how word of mouth is reshaping acquisition, why retention is your most underleveraged asset, how values-driven donors are reshaping the expectations of engagement. You’ll hear bold ideas and fresh thinking that challenge the status quo and give a new lens on donor experience—not as a series of touch points, but as a philosophy that, when applied strategically, will transform your fundraising strategy. This is not a how-to. It’s a call to elevate donor experience from a department to a mindset, from a function to a force and will leave you inspired to lead your organization into a future where donor experience isn’t just part of the strategy—it is the strategy.
With more than 17 years of experience in the sector, Rachel is a seasoned strategist dedicated to helping charities strengthen donor retention through long-term, insight-driven approaches. As VP of Donor Experience at Blakely, she leads the development of value propositions, donor journeys, and strategic frameworks that not only drive income but also deepen the donor experience. Rachel’s foundation in direct marketing, combined with her relentless curiosity in behavioural economics, psychology, and data insight, equips her with a powerful toolkit for solving complex challenges.
SESSION SPEAKERS
Each Session is 60 minutes, including a short time for Q&A and Discussion.
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS TRACK (sponsored by BNP Inspire) 
(9:45am – 10:45am | 11:00am – 12:00pm | 1:30pm – 2:30pm | 2:50pm – 3:50pm)
SESSION: Inside the Story—How SickKids Foundation Built a Brand & Maximize Engagement
–Heather Clark, Chief Marketing Officer, SickKids Foundation
SESSION: What’s Keeping You Awake at Night? Nonprofit leaders are increasingly kept awake by financial instability, rising demands, and staff burnout, with increasingly unpredictable…
–Richard Plummer, Senior Consultant, BNP Inspire. Karen Milligan, Executive Director, Ontario 211 Services.
SESSION: The Power of Leaders to Evoke Mission in Fundraising: My Real-World Experience.
The $70 million Campaign for Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) is crucial to the future and Heighway has been front-and-centre as the voice…
–Lesley Heighway, President & CEO, Peterborough Region Health Centre Foundation
SESSION: The Current State of the Social Media Landscape and Its Impact on Organizations. In this captivating presentation, Mike provides a comprehensive overview of the ever-evolving social media landscape and its profound…
–Mike Kujawaski, Managing Partner of the Centre of Excellence for Public Sector Marketing (CEPSM).
REIMAGING FUNDRAISING TRACK (sponsored by NextAfter)
(9:45am – 10:45am | 11:00am – 12:00pm | 1:30pm – 2:30pm | 2:50pm – 3:50pm)
SESSION: What’s Working in Recurring Giving: How to generate more monthly donors than ever. In this talk, Ben Smithee from NextAfter will walk you through a recently released research study where we took a look at 138 large national Nonprofits and what the experience was like from the donor’s perspective when they decided to give multiple gifts to these organizations. Every communication, or lack thereof, was collected, categorized, and analyzed. Ben will walk you through the highlights and lowlights from the study and share ways you can improve your recurring giving program.
–Ben Smithee, Chief Relationship Officer, NextAfter
Session: Ethical Fundraising in Real Life: Navigating the Gray Areas with Confidence. Fundraising is rooted in trust—but real-life ethical decisions are rarely…
–Marla Smith, CFRE, ACFRE Candidate, Director, Foundation & Communications, Pathstone Foundation
SESSION: Reimagining Fundraising: Building Awareness and Inspiring Action Through Brand Marketing.
–Meghan Kelly, Director of Brand & Donor Engagement, CAMH Foundation
SESSION: Assumption to Insight: How Real Donor Journeys Lead to Lasting Generosity. This session introduces a new standard for insight-led fundraising…
–Leigh Sandison, Founding Partner, Real Path. Amanda Braet, Director of Development, Birchway Niagara
NATIONAL VOICES TRACK
(9:45am – 10:45am | 11:00am – 12:00pm | 1:30pm – 2:30pm | 2:50pm – 3:50pm)
Session: Empowering Your Brand: Building Living Narratives That Drive Connection. More than a logo and colours, your brand story is already being written…
–-Fred Reibin, Stakeholder Engagement & Brand Manager, Saskatoon Community Foundation
SESSION: From City to Countryside – Enhancing skills for fundraisers: the Case of Nova Scotia. Why do some skills need to be learnt—and others are inherent and needing…
–Kathleen A. Provost, CFRE,MAdEd, Vice President, Philanthropy & United for Literacy
SESSION: Voices That Matter & Fundraising in Communities (TBC)
–Taya Tootoo, Executive Director, Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.
SESSION: A Community Fundraising Challenge—a Story in Progress
–Anthony Grey, BA, MBA, President, Tropicana Community Services & Daniel Anckle, Executive Director, Tropicana Community Services
TRADITIONAL MEDIA TRACK (sponsored by Engage Fundraising)
(9:45am – 10:45am | 11:00am – 12:00pm | 1:30pm – 2:30pm | 2:50pm – 3:50pm)
SESSION: Mastering New Donor Acquisition – A Panel Discussion
— Doug Earle President & CEO, West Park Healthcare Centre Foundation & Sandra Colburn, Director of Client Services, Engage Fundraising
SESSION: Engaging Corporate Partners and Sponsors through Events & Campaigns. How do you create long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with corporate sponsors? This session will explore …
–Judi Steadman, Director, Corporate & Community Partnerships and jess Brayne, Senior Manager, Community & Corporate Partnerships, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada.
SESSION: Fundraising in Cultural Institutions, How to Build Membership Donations
–Dr. Zainub Verjee, Executive Director, Galeries Ontario/Ontario Galleries (GOG).
SCIENCE OF MARKETING TRACK (sponsored by CanadaHelps)
(9:45am – 10:45am | 11:00am – 12:00pm | 1:30pm – 2:30pm | 2:50pm – 3:50pm)
SESSION: How to Maximize Your Fundraising Results
–Nicole Danesi, Senior Manager, Communication & Brand, CanadaHelps
SESSION: THE MAGIC MATRIX. How nonprofit organizations can master the science of discovering what really motivates people to become involved. What explains why certain people are more inclined to give than…
–Stephen Shaw, Chief Strategy Officer, Kenna. As Chief Strategy Officer at Kenna.
SESSION:
Lisa Smith, Director of Operations, Keys Marketing Group and Karri LaJeunesse, Senior Consultant, Harvey McKinnon Associates
SESSION: TBA
–Elena Yunusov, Founder & Executive Director of the Human Feedback Foundation (HFF).
WORKSHOP OPTIONS
HALF-DAY WORKSHOP (sponsored by Keys Marketing Group)
1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
Socratic Wealth Conversations: How to Inspire Transformational Gifts of Assets. Fundraising success comes from asking the right questions, especially when guiding donors to consider major gifts from their wealth rather than cash alone. Professor James presents the science and real-world application of using appreciative inquiry and asset-focused conversations to lead donors to their own reasons for transformational generosity. Attendees will learn specific, stress-free questions to use throughout the donor relationship to unlock significant gifts of assets such as stocks, real estate, and RRSPs.
SESSION LEADER: Russell James, PhD | Professor | Texas Tech University. James leads this intensive, hands-on workshop available to only a limited group of delegates, so sign up early. Delegates can attend Prof. James’ workshop and closing plenary session or may add this learning experience to their full conference attendance. Ensure you sign up early to guarantee your place at an in-person class with one of the world’s most respected and sought-after thinkers and teachers.
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FULL-DAY WORKSHOP
10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Practical Leadership Skills for Nonprofit Leaders with Mikhael Bornstein. Discover, examine and learn the key aspects of the five most important practical skills that can help take your leadership (or the leadership skills of anyone on your team) to the next level. The research is clear, leaders who have mastered these five skills have staff who are more engaged, produce better results, and have less burnout. In this full-day interactive workshop you will learn the five essential skills that all nonprofit leaders need to master.
- Building trust in the workplace
2. Having difficult conversations
3. Conducting effective one-on-one meetings
4. Coaching and mentoring
5. Building effective teams
Over the course of the day, you will spend an hour learning each skill. This will include both presentation and practical skill building exercises. You will leave the workshop with a practical skill that you can take back to your workplace and use immediately.
This session is aimed at experienced leaders who want to add practical tools to their leadership toolbox. But, leaders and managers at all levels with find valuable content in this workshop.
Includes a Free Leadership Workshop Handbook. In addition to the day-long workshop, you will receive copies of all the slides and a 30-page resource book with more tips, templates, exercises, and tools.
Module Descriptions
> Building trust in the workplace
Trust is the foundation of all good leadership, management, and team building. But what is trust and how can we build it in our workplaces? In this module, you will learn a four-factor framework that you can use to better understand trust, diagnose trust issues, and build trust in your workplace.
> Having difficult conversations
As a leader, you must have difficult conversations. Whether you are dealing with underperformance, inappropriate behaviour, or an uncooperative colleague you must have hard discussions about hard topics. In this module, you will learn a practical framework that will empower you to have difficult conversations that deescalate tensions and achieve productive outcomes.
>Conducting effective one-on-one meetings
While regular one-on-one meetings with staff can be the most effective way to build employee engagement, team morale, and improve performance they often devolve into ineffective “update” meetings. In this module, you will learn the five practices that drive effective one-on-ones and build engaged and productive employees.
> Coaching and mentoring
Effective coaching and mentoring are critical to driving employee engagement and organizational performance. But as a nonprofit leader, coaching and mentoring can often seem to be a daunting and esoteric practice. In this module you will learn the four practices that drive effective coaching and mentoring in the workplace.
> Building effective teams
In a world of remote work and quiet quitting, building effective teams is one of the greatest challenges that nonprofit leaders face. But, to be successful, it is a challenge that nonprofit leaders must overcome. In this module, you will learn the five principles of effective team building and how to apply them in your workplace.
About the Workshop Instructor
Having worked in the arts, health, social service, and education sectors, Mikhael Bornstein has more than twenty years of experience as a professional fundraiser and nonprofit leader. Mikhael is an AFP Master Trainer and a frequent speaker at conferences across North America. He teaches at George Brown College, Fleming College Toronto, and Toronto Metropolitan University. Mikhael has a Master in Arts in Leadership Studies from Royal Roads University. To learn more about Mikhael and his work, please visit his website www.thephilanthropicleader.com