A SharedBrain™ Reflection on the Future of Professional Associations — and What It Means for Canadian Fundraisers
The Old Model Is Fading — And That’s Good News
For decades, professional associations operated like theatres: a keynote on stage, an audience in seats, a program printed in advance. You bought your ticket (membership), sat where you were told, and clapped on cue.
But something fundamental is shifting. Richard Kies, the new International Chair of IABC, recently described a transformation that should resonate with anyone in Canadian philanthropy. The future of IABC, he suggested, may be less stage and more circle. Less keynote, more conversation. Less hierarchy, more peer-to-peer learning. Less “we talk, you listen” and more “we all figure this out together.”
For fundraisers navigating shrinking teams, donor skepticism, and digital overload, this shift isn’t just interesting — it’s essential.
The “Unconference” Model: No Agenda, No Keynote, No Problem
For decades, professional associations operated like theatres: a keynote on stage, an audience in seats, a program printed in advance. You bought your ticket (membership), sat where you were told, and clapped on cue.
But something fundamental is shifting. Richard Kies, the new International Chair of IABC, recently described a transformation that should resonate with anyone in Canadian philanthropy. The future of IABC, he suggested, may be less stage and more circle. Less keynote, more conversation. Less hierarchy, more peer-to-peer learning. Less “we talk, you listen” and more “we all figure this out together.”
For fundraisers navigating shrinking teams, donor skepticism, and digital overload, this shift isn’t just interesting — it’s essential.
The Community Model: “Dating” Your Association
Kies also described a second innovation: community models replacing traditional chapter structures. For years, IABC chapters required governance — presidents, boards, committees, bylaws — and that administrative overhead became a barrier. Volunteer engagement is down; people are busy. So IABC reimagined the model. In cities like Berlin, Brussels, and Warsaw, communicators gather as communities — sometimes a lunch, sometimes cocktails, sometimes a facilitated discussion in a borrowed boardroom. Flexible, low-commitment, and high-value. “It’s like you’re dating the association,” Kies said. “You get to dip your toe in.”
The parallel for fundraisers is unmistakable. How many potential major donors, corporate partners, or volunteer leaders have we lost because our engagement model demanded too much too soon? The gala invitation. The committee seat. The five-year pledge. What if we created more “dip your toe in” moments — low-stakes, high-connection touchpoints that let supporters explore before committing?
The Trust Imperative: Fundraising’s Seat at the Table
Kies made another point that cuts to the heart of what Global Philanthropic Canada has long championed: the elevation of communications and fundraising from “support function” to “strategic function.” Trust and reputation are now critical business objectives with real bottom-line impact. “If you lose your reputation or public trust,” he said, “that’s devastating.”
For Canadian fundraisers, this is the argument we’ve been making for years. Fundraising isn’t transactional — it’s the mission’s lifeline. The donor relationship isn’t a sidebar; it is organizational strategy. When a fundraiser secures a major gift, they’re building trust, aligning values, and creating a partnership that sustains impact. The CCO is getting a seat at the table. The Chief Development Officer should be right there beside them.
Learning from Accra, Not Just Ottawa
One of the most energizing threads in Kies’s interview was the diversity of IABC’s conference — attendees from Trinidad, Barbados, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, and beyond. A woman from Trinidad described how eye-opening it was to encounter perspectives beyond her “Anglosphere” media bubble. “The commonality in the challenges people are facing,” Kies noted — AI, advancing mission, economic uncertainty — is striking.
For Canadian fundraisers, this is a reminder: we are part of a global philanthropic ecosystem. The donor who gives to a clean water project in Malawi may also sit on a Toronto arts board. The AI tool that helps a fundraiser in Lagos works just as well in Lethbridge. We have much to learn — and share — beyond our borders.
Three Takeaways for Canadian Fundraisers
- Rethink your engagement architecture. Are your events stages or circles? Pilot an “un-gala” — a facilitated conversation among engaged supporters with no program, just shared problem-solving.
- Create “dating” moments. Not every prospect is ready for a major-gift conversation. Design low-commitment, high-value touchpoints — behind-the-scenes tours, small-group CEO discussions, peer learning sessions. Let them explore before committing.
- Claim your seat — and bring a chair for fundraising. If your organization still treats fundraising as a support function, it’s time for a different conversation. Trust, reputation, and relationship are the mission’s foundation. Organizations that invest in strategic fundraising and communications weather crises better, grow faster, and sustain impact longer.
The Circle Expands
Richard Kies’s vision for IABC is, at its core, a vision for how professionals connect, learn, and lead in an age of disruption. Less stage. More circle. Less hierarchy. More community. Less “we have the answers” and more “let’s figure this out together.” For Canadian fundraisers, the invitation is clear: the future of philanthropy isn’t a keynote. It’s a conversation. And the best conversations happen in circles. Book some time with Richard.
Global Philanthropic Canada is a national fundraising consultancy with 85+ experienced practitioners, each bringing an average of 28 years of fundraising expertise. We provide practical, accessible counsel to organizations of all sizes and missions across Canada.
We believe in respectful, inclusive collaboration and work alongside our clients to build capacity, strengthen fundraising programs, and advance mission impact.
It All Began With a Podcast...
While listening to Doug Downs interview Richard Kies, IABC’s International Chair, on Public Relations Stories and Strategies https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-public-relations-stories-a-63121055/episode/why-the-future-of-iabc-may-338313463/, we were struck by how Kies’s vision for professional associations mirrored the very challenges Canadian fundraisers face daily. His ideas — less stage, more circle; less hierarchy, more community — sparked a conversation of our own. That conversation became this piece, which translates those insights specifically for the fundraising sector.
