AFP Chapter Spotlight: AFP Interior BC: Daring to Dream Big Conference

In this chapter spotlight, we interviewed AFP Interior BC Chapter (formerly Okanagan Chapter) leaders to learn more about their Daring to Dream Big conference. The event featured inspiring keynotes, networking opportunities, breakout sessions, and a thought-provoking screening of the film "Uncharitable". 

Interested in putting on a similar event? Download our Share & Reapply form for an easy guide on replicating their success. 

Q: What is the Daring to Dream Big conference? 
A: The Daring to Dream Big conference was an in-person, one-day event, which was held this year at a nearby university. We kicked things off with a welcome reception, which included coffee, breakfast, and the chance to mingle and connect. Our esteemed keynote speaker, Jeff Sodowsky, VP of Global Philanthropic, then took the stage to set an inspiring tone for the day.

The program included several breakout sessions as well, with notable figures such as Vincent Duckworth from the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada, and local experts including Matt Stewart, an inclusive leadership facilitator and TEDx speaker, and Andrew Greer and Jude Brunt from Purrpl (a local organization, based out of Kelowna). 

A highlight of the day was the thought-provoking screening of "Uncharitable", a powerful documentary that exposes the challenges within philanthropy and advocates for transformative change in charitable practices. Attendees were invited to watch the film in the afternoon, with complimentary popcorn and a small open conversation afterward. Our post-event survey indicated that this was a major highlight for many participants! The day concluded with a celebratory social, allowing attendees to reflect on their new insights and connect with like-minded peers. 

Q: How did you come up with the idea for the event? 
A: Our main goal was to decide on a theme that would inspire attendees to join, but more importantly, would allow them to learn something meaningful. One of our team members suggested an AFP global trends article by Vincent Emile Duckworth, recognizing its potential value for our audience. We grew this idea and decided to call the conference, ‘Daring to Dream Big’ to reflect what we had hoped our attendees would be inspired to do. With the nonprofit sector undergoing significant changes in recent years, we wanted to provide something relevant, but also something out of the box that would inspire and motivate everyone involved! 

Q: Who was responsible for planning? 
A: We had a small planning committee (consisting of three AFP Interior BC board members) that met on a regular basis. Any major decisions were also shared with our board of directors during our monthly board meetings to ensure we were offering the best possible outcomes.

Q: Can you tell us more about the speakers and educational content?  
A: It was an obvious choice to invite Vincent Emile Duckworth (President and CEO of ViTreo and Chair of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada) as one of our esteemed speakers, given that our theme originated from his article. Our next goal was to find a keynote speaker that would attract attendees. After one of our board members returned from AFP ICON and suggested Jeff Sodowsky (VP, Global Philanthropic) as a potential speaker, we extended an invitation to him as well. With both of them on board, we sought to include local representation to ensure diverse and relevant content for our audience. Something of note: None of the speakers charged any speaking fees, which allowed us to focus our resources elsewhere! 

In addition to our speakers, we aimed to provide extra value by ensuring ample food and beverages were readily available. Guests enjoyed a breakfast reception, coffee and pastry breaks, and an optional social gathering. The balance of speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities was well-received and appreciated by attendees. 

Q: Inclusivity was a big concern for your chapter when planning this event. What steps were taken to ensure that this event was as accessible as possible for your attendees? 
A: Accessibility was a major consideration throughout the planning of the event, from the selection of the venue, to the timing, to the cost. Given that our chapter has members all over the Interior of British Columbia, Canada (with the largest member base in Kelowna), we needed to hold the event in a location that was readily accessible for all. We therefore decided to hold the conference at the Kelowna University of BC Okanagan campus (which is located at the North end of Kelowna) making it easy for attendees from nearby towns to join us.  

Timing of the event was also very important to us. We know that time is of value, so we scheduled the event to be long enough to provide valuable insights and short enough to avoid interrupting their work lives 

Ensuring that registration fees were affordable was also a big concern for us. We didn’t want anyone to miss out due to costs, so we invited anyone with any financial barriers to reach out to us in confidence. Securing several key sponsors and in-kind partners also allowed us to keep our costs down. 

Q: Did you encounter any challenges while planning or hosting this event? 
A: One of our primary challenges was ensuring we secured notable speakers. Both Vincent Emile Duckworth and Jeff Sodowsky have demanding travel plans and work schedules, but we remained patient and flexible, coordinating with them to ensure their participation in our conference. 

In addition, AV logistics was a secondary concern. Given past difficulties with the UBCO campus AV network, two of our planning committee members conducted site visits in advance of the event to review the setup. We also booked a dedicated tech for the screening of "Uncharitable" to ensure that portion of the event ran smoothly. Furthermore, we asked all our speakers to arrive early to ensure they were set up and ready for their presentations on time. We asked all our planning members and board members to be available for any speaker and day-of support, which turned the event into a true team effort! 

Q: Was the event a success for your chapter? 
A: We were incredibly pleased with the outcome of this Daring to Dream Big conference. We had hoped to invite 50 attendees and ended up with almost 70 attendees including speakers. 

Our post-event survey indicated that guests really enjoyed themselves and found great value in the educational opportunities, which was our hope from the very beginning. Given that we have a fairly small chapter and a small planning committee, we were really touched by feedback from participants. Guests left the day feeling empowered, inspired, and hopefully having made a few new connections! 

We have even been approached by a larger AFP chapter to perhaps consider co-hosting a larger conference next year and we’re thrilled at the chance of making this a reality!