AFP Ottawa Chapter “Seizes the Future” at Fundraising Day 2026
Education. Networking. Laughter.
On May 20th, AFP Ottawa hosted the latest edition of its Fundraising Day, featuring a packed agenda -- with a twist.
In addition to an impressive line-up of speakers and panel discussions, more than 200 attendees were treated to a stand-up comedy performance. With the lights down low, fundraisers started the day with a laugh and a fizzy mocktail.
This year’s theme – Seize the Future: For Charities, Impact and Canada – touched on technologies of the future and how they continue to influence the fundraising landscape. In a world dominated by AI, what does the next generation of fundraising look like? Most importantly, what does it look like for Canadians?
The day also featured practical, boilerplate sessions on topics such as major gifts, grant writing, and more.
Throughout the day, attendees even had the opportunity to slip into a devoted health and wellness room, led by Rebecca Wilson of Arborvida.
AFP Ottawa’s closing plenary included a powerhouse panel of speakers on the future of philanthropy and how innovation and AI will transform the sector, including Duke Chang, President and CEO of CanadaHelps, Mary Barroll, President and General Counsel for Charity Village, and Jason Shim, Chief Digital Officer for the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience.
“Seize the Future had a little bit of everything,” noted Fundraising Day 2026 co-chair Jeff Todd. “We're exhausted but we're also exhilarated. It was so much fun.”
The Ottawa chapter’s time-honoured gathering gave members a moment to learn and network, while also stepping back, recharging and reflecting on the hard work we all put in as fundraisers.
Richard Plummer, fellow Fundraising Day 2026 co-chair, shared his colleague’s enthusiasm: “We challenged everybody to share a thought that you've had on your mind for years and haven't had the safe place to share it. This was the spot to do that. We're going to continue to build on this and make the next event even better.”
Watch the wrap-up video on Facebook.
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