Conferences

2026 National Conference

8 - 10 June 2026 / Registration opens January 12 2026

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island from June 8-10, 2026
(funders-only gathering)

Unlocking new economic pathways to anchor environmental progress

Building on EFC’s 2025 annual conference in Whitehorse, Navigate 2025, we are excited to welcome you to Charlottetown for Generate 2026!

As environment funders, we often reflect on the need to design durable environmental solutions by ensuring their relevance to, and impact on, everyday life, health, safety and wellbeing at the community level. We have learned, often the hard way, that environmental solutions must be anchored within broader social and economic agendas in order to stand the test of time, or risk being politicized as they are built up or torn down with every swing of the political pendulum. The days of funding ‘carbon tunnel vision’ projects and protection of pristine, untouched ecosystems that are out of sight and out of mind are now making way for initiatives that aim to garner broad public support.

As funders we are uniquely positioned to shape social, economic and environmental strategies. We have also seen time and time again that even the most well-crafted strategies will certainly fail without the cultural conditions that enable us to embrace and implement them. There is also ample evidence that culture is significantly shaped by microeconomics (the part of economics concerned with single factors rather than the economic system as a whole). Microeconomic conditions can dynamically alter deeply held beliefs and values, social norms, social cohesiveness and political and institutional engagement.

Therefore, it is incumbent on us as environmental funders to ensure that the environmental initiatives we fund are embedded within economic solutions that truly benefit people by generating good jobs, community wealth and infrastructure, and long-term savings to the public purse that can be redirected to critical areas of need such as healthcare, natural disaster responses, poverty reduction and much more.

Against the backdrop of strained Canada-US relations, the new federal approvals process for ‘nation-building’ projects, insufficient funding for the non-profit sector, significant backsliding on climate progress and nature protection, ever widening income disparity, increasing demand on public resources to respond to environmental crises, and the massive cloud of disinformation, decreasing trust and polarization:

  • How can we deepen our own capacity as funders to make better connections between environment and economy?
  • How do we unlock economic pathways that enable ecosystem restoration and regeneration, reduce emissions, spur clean innovation, and benefit as many people as possible by growing community wealth and resilience?
  • Can this be done within the status quo of our current economic system, or do these people-focused economic pathways need to be nested within alternative economic models? Who is our economic growth for? Who bears the economic costs of environmental degradation and climate change?
  • What can we learn from the wisdom of Indigenous communities and leaders in how to build holistic and regenerative economies that benefit current and future generations?  

EFC aims to serve as both a navigator and a safe harbour for our members, and our annual conference is THE must-attend event for environmental funders. It’s a unique opportunity to draw inspiration from a beautiful Canadian landscape, and to fortify our resolve and resilience to face the challenges ahead. Our gatherings are curated to offer space for connection, reflection, grounding, curiosity and thought-provoking presentations that lead to honest and genuine dialogue and action.

Join us in beautiful Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island) to celebrate successes, explore burning questions, and strengthen the cohesiveness of this special community, as we pursue our collective vision of a safe and thriving planet that sustains all life.

Agenda

We’ll continue updating the agenda as sessions and activities are confirmed.

  • Day 1

    Atlantic Electrification Project – Pre-Conference Session presented by Ivey Foundation
    Opening Reception

  • Day 2

    Morning Activity – TBD
    Breakfast
    Conference Opening
    SESSION 1: Winning on Economics
    Activity – Paired Walks
    SESSION 2: Defence – Sector & Movement Resilience – Concurrent Sessions
    Lunch

    Optional Funder Interest Group table discussions

    SESSION 3: Offence – Economy & Environment in Practice
    Break
    SESSION 4: Concurrent Funder-Led Sessions
    Lobster on the Wharf Dinner

  • Day 3

    Morning Activity – TBD
    Breakfast

    Optional info sessions on three EFC funder collaboratives

    SESSION 5: Expanding the Enviro Philanthropy Pie
    Lunch and Local Field Trips

    Field Trip A: Exploring Climate, Coastlines, and Community on PEI’s North Shore

    Field Trip B: Walking the Forests of PEI: Restoration, Stewardship, and Place at Macphail Woods

    SESSION 6: Facilitated Funder Sharing Session
    SESSION 7: What Kind of Economy Do We Need? (Debate)
    Conference Closing & Thank Yous
    Post-Conference External Session – Atlantic Funders Collaborative

Registration

EFC’s conference is ONLY open to funders (staff, board members, and wealth holders), including those who are not current EFC members.

No-pitch Zone: Some attendees act as both grantmakers and grantseekers in different capacities. While funders are encouraged to work together to identify co-funding opportunities where relevant, we are committed to creating a trusted space where funders can come together to learn and share without solicitation for funding or pressure to fund in a particular way. In line with our Member Code of Conduct, attendees may not act in a grantseeking capacity and conversations need to remain at the funder-to-funder level.

Pre-Conference Field Trips

This year, we’re excited to offer two day trips to different points on the island! You’re welcome to join us for one or take advantage of both trip options. Simply choose the trip(s) you’d like to attend and register by clicking the links below.

Trip A: Sunday, June 7th (all day) will include a visit to Lennox Island First Nation, guided by community leaders and Knowledge Keepers, followed by a private group dinner at The Table in New London. Learn more and register at the Trip A Eventbrite page. 

Trip B: Monday June 8th (half day) will visit the Basin Head Marine Protected Area, featuring guided walks and a  visit to the Basin Head Fisheries Museum. Learn more and register at the Trip B Eventbrite page. 

PREMIER LEVEL SPONSORS

CHAMPION LEVEL SPONSORS

The Venue

Confederation Centre of the Arts

Located in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island — the birthplace of Confederation — the Centre was constructed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Charlottetown Conference of 1864 where Canada was first proposed. Built as a national memorial to Confederation, the Centre’s goal was to celebrate Canada and its people through the arts. Since then, Confederation Centre of the Arts has evolved to become a national convening place for conversations on the evolution of Canada through the lens of visual and performing arts, and heritage activities. The Centre is also undergoing the largest rejuvenation project in its 60-year history — just in time for our 2026 conference!

Local land stewardship contribution

Macphail Woods

EFC’s commitment to a future that is good for people, planet, and place will underpin the planning and delivery of our conference. In this spirit, we have included a local land stewardship contribution in the registration to Macphail Woods (ecological forestry project) in PEI. Through its leadership in restoring the endangered Wabanaki-Acadian forest, managing public lands using sustainable forestry practices, and propagating native and rare species, Macphail Woods is helping rebuild healthier, more resilient forest ecosystems across Prince Edward Island. Just as importantly, its commitment to education and on-the-land learning ensures this work supports both thriving ecosystems and the people who learn from, care for, and steward these landscapes.

Planning Committee

Namendra Anand, GreenStep, Co-Chair
Kristina Inrig, Sustainable Capacity Foundation, Co-Chair
Alison Ronson, Weston Family Foundation
Anne Mark and Claire Barcik, Catherine Donnelly Foundation
Dana Decent and Floraine Lemoine, Definity Foundation
Hannah Bradshaw, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation
Karine Parvin, Donner Canadian Foundation
Melina Scholefield and Sarah Lusina, ZEIC
Nicholas LePage, Echo Foundation
Trilby Smith, Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation