The New Rules of Giving: Strategy Meets Social Change
A New Kind of Conference Where Peer-Driven Insights Combine
with Real World Fundraising & Sector Marketing Programs.
Media Partners & Conference Organizers
2025 LEAD SPONSOR & MARKETING PARTNER
CNFC 2025 delivers high-level learning and actionable insights at the conference, with powerful keynotes, special Leadership Insights Sessions, Five Featured Topic Tracks and an optional Half-Day Workshop. Plus your organization benefits with a range of bonuses.
Registering as a delegate from a nonprofit or charity means your organization is entitled to free fundraising and donor appeal advertising to a national audience of high-value donors in the 2025 Canadian Giving Guide. The more delegates you send, the larger your engagement in the guide, up to a full double-page spread.
If you are a for-profit business, registering as a delegate means you are entitled to free bonus advertising and marketing in 
Foundation Magazine. This includes ads, digital and online banners, and more. And the more delegates you register, the more advertising you are able to leverage throughout editions of Foundation Magazine and on the website.
The Canadian National Fundraising Conference is “Where Canada’s fundraising community gathers to grow, connect, and lead”. Join fellow mission-driven professionals from across the nonprofit landscape for a full day of learning, networking, and actionable insight. From campaign strategy to community building, CNFC 2025 delivers the tools and inspiration to help you elevate your work—and your impact.
Why Attend
Real Conversations. Practical Strategies. A Community That Gets It.
The Canadian National Fundraising Conference is more than an event—it’s a shared space for people who care about the power of philanthropy to change lives. Together, we’ll explore what’s working, what’s next, and how to lead with heart and clarity in today’s evolving landscape.
You’ll leave with:
• Smart, strategic takeaways for your next campaign
• New ideas on donor engagement, digital fundraising, and more
• Peer perspectives on what’s working across Canada
• A network of colleagues, collaborators, and champions
Who should attend?
Fundraisers, nonprofit and foundation leaders, donor engagement pros, campaign managers, and anyone passionate about creating change through giving.
Meet the Changemakers: Our Keynote Speakers
Professor Russell James, Author, Teacher, Leader, Texas Tech University. Closing Plenary Speaker & Workshop Leader
Phil Nichols, CEO, Toronto Humane Society. Opening Keynote Speaker
Rachel Hunnybun, VP Donor Experience, Blakely. Luncheon Keynote Speaker
The Second Canadian National Fundraising Conference is the Executive Forum where leaders of major charities, nonprofits and foundations exchange new insights, hear from their peers, discuss their challenges, and get deep dives which help resolve their most fundamental challenges in fundraising as an organizational team. All fundraising experts in the philanthropic sector will benefit by attending, particularly teams which are responsible for marketing, donor outreach, gift planning, legacy giving and corporate engagement.
Our speakers examine the state of fundraising to reveal new ways of building teams and implementing philosophical approaches through collaboration. We’ll explore trends, outline proven strategic approaches, detail how to implement rapidly escalating technology, and show how to build your team of fundraising and donor experts. Speakers represent a national collective of individuals from every Canadian province and territory, including speakers from Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Discover insights from fundraising voices which represent challenges and solutions that are uniquely Canadian.
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS SUPER SESSION TRACK
The Power of Mission in Fundraising.
Insights and Personal Talks from Executive Directors, CEOs and CMOs at Major Organizations. Leadership Speakers Include (more to be announced shortly):
Heather Clark, CMO, SickKids Foundation. Heather Clark joined SickKids Foundation in January 2016. In her role as Chief Marketing Officer, Heather is responsible for driving innovation and growing the direct and digital marketing portfolio to increase fundraising revenue.
Heather is an accomplished senior marketer with experience in B2B and B2C marketing, including brand strategy, mass media advertising, digital marketing and direct marketing. She has a proven track record of developing and implementing customer-centric solutions with ROI-driven business models for some of the world’s biggest brands, such as Chatelaine, Coca-Cola, FedEx, Joe Fresh, Maclean’s, Tim Hortons and Today’s Parent.
GENERAL SESSION TRACK THEMES
1. Reimagining Fundraising: Strategy, Tactics & Technology in Turbulent Times
2. National Voices: Fundraisers from Across Canada’s Provinces & Territories Share Their Stories
3. Why Traditional Media Still Matter: How Mail, Adverting, Radio, TV & Events Build Loyal, High-Value Donors
4. Fundraising for Member-Powered Nonprofits: Ideas for museums, galleries, cultural centres, and other member- and visitor-driven institutions.
5. The Science of Donor Analytics: Inside the toolboxes of Canada’s best fundraisers
Also plan to attend the optional HALF-DAY WORKSHOP with closing plenary keynoter Professor Russell James. Find out more about Socratic Fundraising: Using Questions to Advance the Donor Journey. Find out more about the workshop.
Session Speakers Include
Marla Smith, CFRE, Director, Foundations & Communications, Pathstone Foundation, Ontario
Melissa Cameron, Executive Director, Island Nature Trust, PEI
Megan Kelly, Director of Brand and Donor Engagement, CAMH, Ontario
Ron Vezina, VP Donor Engagement & Reputation, Canadian Blood Services, Ontario
Elena Yunusov, Founder & Executive Director, Human Feedback Foundation, Ontario
Judi Steadman, Director, Corporate & Community Partnerships, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, Ontario
Jess Brayne, Senior Manager, Community & Corporate Partnerships, Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, Ontario
Jayne Hunter, Executive Director, Literacy Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia
Leigh Sandison, Managing Director, Real Path, Ontario
…plus more speakers are revealed every day…check back…a total of more than 30 great sessions in total with top-level speakers…
Sign Up Today
Join us on October 23, 2025 and connect with a highly-experienced, well-respected group of speakers and advisors whom you can trust to show you what you need to know now to succeed in all aspects of fundraising strategy. Our faculty understands philosophical commitments, hidden perils, AI growth, media channels and all the paths that deliver new funding and more. Listen, learn, comment, participate and see what actual organizations are doing to grow and keep donors, expand their funding streams and collaborate across the full extent and power of your organization.
NonProfit/Charity Delegate: $495.00 p.p.
ForProfit/Business Delegate: $695.00 p.p.
Workshop Only Delegate: $325.00 p.p.
How Does Registration Work for CNFC2025? This year’s conference features a unique and powerful registration structure which provides significant value not just for a conference filled with high-level, unique and actionable sessions, but with ongoing support for your fundraising or marketing campaigns.
Foundation Magazine and the 2025 Canadian Giving Guide will provide every delegate ‘s organization a free bonus to leverage the national readerships in the sector and the donor world in Canada. Find out more. Your registration includes free donor appeal advertising in the Giving Guide (for nonprofit delegates) or free marketing advertising in Foundation Magazine (for businesses and vendors).