WINGS

16/09/2026

WINGSForum 2026 is sold out!

If you would like to attend but have not yet registered, email [email protected] to join the waitlist. We will be in touch if a place becomes available.

For WINGS members joining us, we're providing a range of members-only opportunities. Our thematic and Regional Working Groups, Communities of Practice, and other member spaces will come together in various ways throughout WINGSForum 2026. Explore the full programme: https://ow.ly/X3as50ZO8Fi

Before arriving, registered participants can join WINGSForum 2026 on Whova to explore the programme, build a personal agenda, and connect with other participants ahead of the three days: https://ow.ly/j8Ka50ZO8Fh

And for anyone spending time in Montréal before or after the forum, a WINGS local has put together recommendations worth checking out: https://ow.ly/Kpqk50ZO8Fj

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada.

15/09/2026

Institutional leadership in looks different depending on where you sit, inside a corporate foundation, or building an independent one from the ground up. Two speakers joining us in Montréal bring both perspectives.

Michael Mapstone, CEO of the Anglo American Foundation, joins us at WINGSForum 2026 to bring that perspective to the conversation, shaped by two decades in civil society and international development.

Prior to joining the Anglo American Foundation, Michael held senior roles at the Charities Aid Foundation, Commonwealth Secretariat and VSO, leading global partnerships, stakeholder engagement and philanthropic initiatives across diverse international settings.

Karel Mayrand, CEO of the Trottier Family Foundation, joins the conversation alongside him, having built and led independent philanthropic institutions across Canada.

Previously, Karel was President and CEO of the Foundation of Greater Montréal, headed the David Suzuki Foundation's Quebec activities for over a decade, and chaired Al Gore's Climate Reality Project in Canada. He is a contributor to L'Actualité and La Presse, and author of several books on sustainability.

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada. Join us:

Registrations are now closed to the general public Please email [email protected] to join the waitlist.

15/09/2026

In two weeks, 400 leaders from across global philanthropy will gather in Montréal for WINGSForum 2026, under the theme (Activate, Collaborate, Transcend).

Day one brings six member-led breakout sessions built entirely around what participants bring to the table, from resourcing the connective tissue of movements and collective power, to moving money well to local organisations, to sharing power across , business, and communities. Day two adds seven more, covering data infrastructure, digital resilience, and what community-led funds are teaching the wider sector.

The forum also falls on Canada's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, marked by dedicated commemorations and a series of conversations with Dr Stanley Vollant

Evenings have their own rhythm too: a welcome reception at La Passarelle in Montréal's Vieux Port on day one, and a closing celebration on day two.

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada.

11/09/2026

Innovation in isn't just about new tools, it's about the willingness to build entirely new kinds of programmes and partnerships from the ground up.

Noorain Khan joins us at WINGSForum 2026, having built exactly this kind of institutional innovation from within.

Noorain is Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at the Ford Foundation where she drives the foundation's innovation strategy and commitment to accelerating social sector impact. She previously built Ford's first-ever discretionary program team and helped spearhead its historic $1 billion social bond during the COVID-19 crisis.

She was elected National Board President of Girl Scouts of the USA for the 2023-2026 triennium, leading its 1.8 million members, and holds a JD from Yale Law School as a PD Soros Fellow and an MPhil from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar.

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada. Join us: https://wingsforum.org/register/

09/09/2026

Intersectional, gender-informed programming grounded in Global South perspectives isn't a side conversation in , it's central to the conversations we're building toward in Montréal.

Valeria Scorza, also a WINGS board member, will be joining us at WINGSForum 2026 to bring this perspective into the room.

Valeria is the CEO of Fundación Avina bringing a strong human rights background and a commitment to intersectional, gender-informed programming that emphasises Global South perspectives and locally led initiatives. Alongside her team, she spearheads Fundación Avina's mission to build transformative partnerships and alliances with civil society, private donors, international cooperation entities, and corporations, focusing on sustainable, equity-driven solutions.

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada. Join us: https://wingsforum.org/register/

04/09/2026

Can global climate promises finally turn into real funding on the ground?

is being framed as the "COP of implementation" – a critical test of whether international pledges on climate finance, adaptation targets, gender plans, and fair energy transitions can translate into direct action.

Philanthropic organisations play a vital role in this shift: bridging policy with local communities, funding innovation, and unlocking public and private investment.

To help grantmakers navigate what lies ahead, Philea, TUSEV, and WINGS are co-hosting a dedicated briefing on 17 September: "Decoding COP31: What Matters for Philanthropy."

What we will explore:
-Navigating the Shared Presidency: How the dual structure between Türkiye and Australia/the Pacific works in practice.
-Core Policy Focuses: Key priorities taking centre stage in Türkiye and what international outcomes mean for long-term funding strategies.
-On-the-Ground Guidance: Direct, practical logistics from the UNFCCC team on what to expect in Antalya before, during, and after the summit.

Date: 17 September

Format: Online Webinar

Register here to secure your place: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tm2WlNwsRJets6TbW_IDkQ #/registration

01/09/2026

As Chair of the WINGS board, Chris Worman joins us at WINGSForum 2026, bringing nearly three decades of experience at the intersection of civil society and .

Chris is the Chief Global Strategy and Partnership Officer at GivingTuesday and has been working in civil society since 1998. He builds global alliances for technology and social change, examining the role of civil society, philanthropy and infrastructure organisations in an era of converging megatrends.

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada.

Join us: https://wingsforum.org/register/

31/08/2026

The programme is coming together!

Building on the work of past WINGSForums, this year's edition will support participants in identifying practical levers for individual and collective action, and in strengthening their ability to shape organisations, practices, and partnerships toward the change we want to see.

The programme will offer inspiration and practical tools, create space for honest dialogue, encourage concrete commitments, strengthen relationships, and advance shared priorities across three pathways: Activate, Collaborate, and Transcend.

It also includes the Garden of Experimentation, a dedicated space for participants to pause, learn, and reconnect with their own motivations and leadership journeys.

All attendees will have access to the Whova event app, which will include updates, session information, networking tools, and additional resources.

400 leaders. 28-30 September, Montréal. Registration is nearing capacity.

Register now: wingsforum.org/register

27/08/2026

Rodrigo Pipponzi will be joining us at WINGSForum 2026.

Chairman of Grupo MOL and founder and chairman of Instituto ACP and Instituto MOL, Rodrigo brings his work in social investment and philanthropy in Brazil to the conversation in Montréal this September. He is a board member of Raia Drogasil's Sustainability Committee and IDIS in Brazil, and a member of the WINGS Board of Directors.

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada.

Join us: https://wingsforum.org/register/

21/08/2026

Thousands of young Africans have been equipped with tools and platforms for leadership through Namatai Kwekweza's work. She will be joining us at WINGSForum 2026 to bring that work into the global conversation.

Founder of WELEAD Africa, a youth-led leadership and advocacy organisation operating across Southern Africa, Namatai is a human rights activist, constitutionalist, and youth empowerment advocate. Her work combines grassroots mobilisation, policy advocacy, leadership development, rights education, and digital activism. She is the recipient of the 2025 German Africa Prize and the inaugural Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize (2023).

takes place 28-30 September in Montréal, Canada.

Join us: https://wingsforum.org/register/