Every two years, Community Foundations of Canada hosts an international conference, uniting community foundations and affiliated organizations across the country and around the world. Our biennial conference is one of the largest gatherings for philanthropy globally, and has become an important event not just for the community philanthropy network in Canada and internationally, but for a range of stakeholders and partners in philanthropy and the charitable sector more generally. Last May, at the 2019 conference, it was announced that the 2021 conference would take place in Toronto, Ontario, in collaboration with our hosts at the Toronto Foundation. 

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the suggested precautions from the World Health Organization and the Government of Canada, the 2021 conference will be moved to a special edition virtual conference. The digital approach will allow for a combination of live keynotes, interactive webinars, pre-recorded sessions, and digital storytelling experiences, all on an accessible online platform. We look forward to reconvening “in real life” May 31 – June 3, 2023, and are delighted to confirm this event will take place in Toronto, with Toronto Foundation as our official hosts. 

Since the beginning of the pandemic, CFC’s approach and outlook has confronted the crisis using the communities in crisis framework of response, recovery, and rebuild. As the community foundation movement currently works to respond to the emergency, the conference will take place at a key moment in our recovery and rebuild. In addition, our society also finds itself at a pivotal point in regards to racial justice, equity, and the dismantling of historically oppressive systems. We believe this will be an important moment for discussion and conversation as we work to create meaningful changes that will benefit communities across Canada.

While we wish we could spend time connecting in person, your health, safety, and wellbeing is our top priority. We cannot predict what the public health landscape or ongoing impacts of the pandemic may be, and as a result of this uncertainty, we have decided to postpone our in-person interactions. However, we are excited to explore this digital option and look forward to connecting in Toronto in 2023. Stay tuned for updates over the summer and into the early fall!