MFC Sessions

2026 Maritime Fundraising Conference Sessions, Monday, September 28, 2025

Morning Sessions

1A: The Change - Navigating Leadership in Changing Times
09:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Lisa Weatherhead: Director of Development, Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia

At some point, everyone will be faced with career changes, whether strategic or unplanned. Saving space to create your own path and identity can prove to be a valuable resource as you navigate your career path. In this session, participants will:

• Challenge perceptions about career advancement and choices that impact next steps for you.
• Explore their own leadership identity and style and the type of leader you want to become.
• Recognize relationships as part of your professional journey and how they impact your past, present, and future successes.

1A: Presentation Slides
(PDF 1MB)

1B: When Direct Response Does More Than Ask
09:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

Joanne Bath: Founder & CEO, Kittiwake
Mackenzie Darbyshire: Strategic Growth Director, Kittiwake
Jenna Joyce: Strategic Growth Director, Kittiwake

This session connects timeless IDR principles to real-world execution, showing how hospital foundations can align annual giving, major gifts, and planned giving around one integrated strategy. The result is appeals that feel personal, donors who feel seen, and sustainable revenue built on relevance, trust, and long-term engagement, not just a moment in the mail.

1B: Presentation Slides
(PDF 4MB)

2A: Leading Through Uncertainty
10:05 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.

Danielle Hodges - YWCA, COO
Veronica Marsman - Akoma, Property Manager
Joanne Bernard - Easter Seals, CEO

One thing we know for sure, change is inevitable. With leaders from across the sector, we’ll discuss how to lead when everything is uncertain, building sustainable support and weathering the changes of government.

2B: Cultivating Connections: The Art of Donor Visits and Stewardship
10:05 a.m. - 11:05 a.m.

Katharine Berrington, Senior Manager, Legacy Giving, Dartmouth General Hospital Foundation

Join us for an energizing session focused on the heart of fundraising: building genuine, lasting donor relationships.

Presentation Slides
(PDF 1015KB)

3A: Beyond the Ask: Building a Successful Major Gift Program
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Moncef Lakouas,Vice President of Business Growth and Finance Vice President, Atlantic, BNP Inspire
Glenn Massad, Consultant, BNP Inspire

Major gifts have the power to transform an organization's impact and long-term sustainability. In this session, participants will explore the key elements of a successful major gifts program, from identifying and engaging prospective donors to solicitation, stewardship, and recognition. Through practical strategies and proven approaches, attendees will learn how to build meaningful donor relationships, inspire transformational philanthropy, and create a sustainable source of funding for their organization's mission.

Presenation Slides
(PDF 2MB)

3B: Donor Advised Funds: Your Key to Unlocking Larger Donor Gifts
11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Glenn Stewardson: Financial Planning Advisor, The Donor Motivation Program

Donors are changing how they give, and Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) are becoming an increasingly important part of philanthropic planning. Financial advisors and investment firms are actively introducing DAFs to their clients as a charitable giving solution.

Through a DAF, advisors can help donors make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax receipt, and continue managing the invested assets while earning advisory fees. For fundraisers, the opportunity is to identify donors who have established DAFs and engage them in meaningful stewardship conversations to unlock additional giving potential.

Presenation Slides
(PDF 4MB)

2026 Maritime Fundraising Conference Sessions, Monday, September 28, 2025

Plenary Luncheon Address

Community Voices Panel
12:40 p.m. - 1:40 p.m.

Ashley Hill, Founder and Executive Director, The Prep Academy
Killa Atencio, Co-Director, Operations, Everyone One Every Day
Tammy Mudge, Co-Director, Strategy, Everyone One Every Day
Kolade Kolawole-Boboye, Creative Director of Youth Impact Business, Hope Blooms
Bernadette Hamilton-Reid, CEO/Owner, Sankofa Afrikan Gifts

This session at the Maritime Fundraising Conference, with the theme "Stronger Together," will bring together three local Nova Scotian organizations to share their unique journeys in building community-led nonprofits.

Each speaker will highlight the challenges and successes of developing mission-driven initiatives that prioritize community voice and participation. From youth empowerment and social enterprise to education support and inclusive programming, the three organizations will demonstrate their diverse approaches to creating lasting social impact. Common themes will emerge around the importance of authentic relationship-building, adaptability in the face of limited resources, and the power of grassroots leadership.

The session will underscore that sustainable change begins with trusting and investing in community leadership. This is a principle that resonates deeply with fundraisers who always seek to build meaningful donor relationships. Attendees will leave feeling inspired by the resilience and creativity of these local leaders, with practical takeaways for supporting community-led initiatives in their own work.

Killa and Tammy
(PDF 5MB)

2026 Maritime Fundraising Conference Sessions, Monday, September 28, 2025

Afternooon Sessions

4A: Funder Perspectives Panel
2:00 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.

Dawn Boylan: Senior Manager of Community Investment, Bell Aliant
Colleen Fitzgerald: Director, Flemming Charitable Foundation
Katie MacDonald: Director of Development, Biome Conservation
Kathleen Murphy: Director of Communications and Strategic Engagement, Community Foundation of Nova Scotia

Funding decisions are rarely as simple as a yes or no. Behind every grant is a set of questions about community need, impact, sustainability, available resources and the role a funder can play.

So, what happens on the other side of the grant application? How do funders approach these decisions? What are they considering when resources are limited, and how do they balance competing needs and priorities? Join us for an open conversation with local funders Colleen Flemming of the Flemming Charitable Foundation, Dawn Boylan from Bell Canada, and Kathleen Murphy of the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia, moderated by Katie MacDonald of Biome Conservation. Together, they’ll explore how funders think about their decisions, what they’re learning from the sector, and how funders and nonprofits can better understand one another’s perspectives.

Come with your questions, curiosities and perhaps a few things you've always wondered about what happens after you hit “submit.”

4B: Authenticity in Storytelling
2:00 p.m. - 3:20 p.m.

Christena Copeland, Director of Communications, Principal Giving, Dalhousie University
Ashley Beairsto, Partnership & Events Lead , The North Grove
Angie MacAuley, AVP, Brand, Marketing & Strategy, IWK
Alison Clements, Senior Communications Advisor, QEII Foundation

Storytelling is the backbone of fundraising and communications, but how do you know which stories to share? What will resonate with your audience? How do you even know who your audience is? What will stop people from scrolling and entice people to engage with your content? Three industry experts, including Christena Copeland from Dalhousie University, Ashley Beairsto from The North Grove community hub in Dartmouth and Angie McAuley from IWK Foundation will share their unique perspectives and ideas on how they've managed to get their messages across through loud and clear efficiently and effectively.

Ask the Experts
3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.

Choose between several unique table topics, each hosted by experts in their fields for 20-minute small group conversations, discussions, and Q&A. This session will last an hour, giving you the opportunity to learn from 3 additional speakers before the end of the day. 

DAF secrets from the inside, Glenn Stewardson, The Donor Motivation Program

Grant writing, Vanessa Burns Consulting (max 2 people)

Unlock Fund Development: Practical Strategies for Non-Profits, Moncef Lakouas and Glenn Massad, BNP

In a rapidly changing environment, non-profit organizations need more than short-term solutions to thrive. This interactive discussion explores practical strategies to strengthen organizational resilience, diversify revenue streams, and build the systems, relationships, and culture needed for long-term success and greater impact.

Working with volunteers and content experts, Joanne Bath and Sarah Dineen, Kittiwake

Someone else in your organization can probably tell your story better than you can. Getting them in the room is the easy part, preparing them is the work. Bring your questions about recruiting the right expert or volunteer, briefing them properly, deciding who leads the meeting and who makes the ask, and what to do when it goes off-plan in front of a donor.

Small Shop, Many Hats, Ashley Hill, PREP academy

Working with your Board, Alex Boyd, Greener Village

From balancing board expectations to knowing what and when to share, fundraising expectations and holding the board accountable. Join Alex for an open discussion on all things board related. 

Values and Fundraising, Katie Macdonald, Biome

Imposter No More - You are NOT and Accidental Fundraiser, Birgit Burton Smith

Endowments, Kathleen Murphy, Community Foundation of Nova Scotia

Gift Planning, Geoff Graham, QEII Foundation

From bequests to blended gifts and everything in between, no question is too big or too small. Pull up a chair and let's demystify gift planning together for an interactive conversation covering marketing, donor conversations, gift vehicles, stewardship, and understanding what’s the difference between planned giving and gift planning.