Canadian universities are navigating a unique and increasingly complex landscape—one shaped by country-specific regulations, evolving donor expectations, and constraints around staffing, budgets, and reporting requirements.
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We created this conference specifically for Canadian institutions to address the challenges Canadian organizations have told us they’re struggling with most.
This conference focuses on the unique challenges you’re facing right now—from stewardship and reporting pressures to recognition practices, donor expectations, and aligning fundraising promises with institutional realities.
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Through hands-on workshops, real-world case studies, and practical frameworks, you’ll walk away with strategies you can actually implement—no matter your team size, structure, or budget.
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This is a conference built to meet you where you are—and give you a clear path forward to create a better donor experience.
The DRG Difference
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At DRG, we conference differently. We believe professional development should be more than informational—it should be memorable, energizing, and fun. That's why every DRG event is intentionally designed to combine expert insights with a warm, engaging, and highly interactive atmosphere that sets us apart.
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From the moment you arrive, you’ll feel the difference. Here's what makes a DRG experience stand out:
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Training from the best in the business.
Our team of industry-leading experts doesn't just teach—they translate complex challenges into clear, actionable strategies you can implement immediately.
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The content you actually need.
Every topic is built around the challenges you’re currently navigating, not hypothetical scenarios or one-size-fits-all ideas.
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Guidance from top consultants and practitioners.
Our team has been in your shoes. We’ve built the programs, tackled the fires, and lived and breathed donor relations. In fact, one of us even wrote the book on it.
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Workbooks packed with tools you can use right away.
Each session comes with a workbook loaded with worksheets, templates, checklists, and examples—with full permission to copy, customize, and steal to your heart’s content.
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Practical, tactical, realistic solutions.
We skip case studies and sales pitches. We meet you where you are and focus on real strategies to help you elevate your program from good, to better, to best—no matter the size of your team or budget.
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An environment that fuels creativity.
Great music, fidget toys, dance breaks, laughter, and the most fun you've ever had at a conference. You’ll leave inspired, energized, and ready to put new strategies to work immediately.
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A community to lean on.
You’ll build relationships, swap ideas, and leave with a network of peers you'll stay connected to long after the conference ends.
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At DRG, we don’t just host conferences—we create joyful, transformative gatherings that empower you to deliver extraordinary donor experiences at your organization. Let’s learn, grow, and celebrate this work together!
Conference Overview
Day 1: October 7, 2026
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Morning Session | Stewardship, Reporting and Recognition Workshop
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Across Canada, organizations are navigating a unique set of challenges: pressure around raising minimums, the complexity of tiering reporting, tightening budgets, and teams that are stretched thin or experiencing staffing stagnation.
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This session is designed to help you navigate these challenges to build a successful stewardship and reporting program at your organization. Drawing on real-world case studies from Canadian organizations, we’ll explore practical, scalable strategies that work within these constraints—so you can strengthen donor relationships no matter your team size or budget.
In this session, you will learn how to:
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Optimize Stewardship Practices
Build thoughtful reporting tiers and timelines that balance donor expectations with internal realities, especially in environments with limited staff and resources.
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Implement Reporting Best Practices
Gain a clear understanding of what effective reporting looks like today—and how to integrate improvements incrementally, without overwhelming your team.
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Allocate Resources Strategically
Determine where to invest time and effort to deliver the right level of reporting for each donor, maximizing impact while managing constraints.
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Craft Donor-Centered Reports that Resonate
Move beyond transactional updates to create meaningful, transparent communications that tell the story of impact and deepen donor connection.
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This session will leave you with practical tools, fresh perspective, and a clear path forward—so you can deliver stewardship and reporting that is both effective and sustainable in today’s environment.
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Afternoon Session | Rethinking Recognition & Naming Opportunities
Recognition societies and naming opportunities are some of the most traditional ways of publicly recognizing donors for their generosity. But are they still effective?
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Shifting donor demographics, changing expectations, and a growing demand for more authentic, meaningful recognition are challenging traditional approaches—and for good reason.
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What once felt prestigious may now feel transactional and disconnected. At the same time, unclear gift agreements and loosely defined naming practices can lead to confusion, strained relationships, and long-term institutional headaches.
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In this interactive half-day workshop, we’ll explore these critical areas of donor relations through a practical, real-world lens.
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Using a framework of Reassess, Revamp, Retire, and Reimagine, we’ll guide you through how to evaluate what’s working, identify what’s not, and make thoughtful changes in your recognition efforts.
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We’ll also explore how to structure and manage naming opportunities and recognition programs so they remain meaningful, sustainable, and aligned with today’s donor expectations.
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Using real-world examples and case scenarios, we’ll examine common mistakes and how to prevent them before anything is signed or implemented.
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Participants will leave the workshop able to:
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Assess the effectiveness of current recognition and naming practices
Use donor feedback and data to evaluate recognition societies and naming opportunities and determine what’s working—and what’s not.
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Recognize common risks and red flags
Identify issues in agreements, naming commitments, and recognition programs before they become long-term liabilities.
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Revamp or retire outdated approaches with confidence
Develop strategies to modernize existing programs—or phase them out—while maintaining strong donor relationships.
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Reimagine recognition to be more meaningful and donor-centered
Explore creative, inclusive, and sustainable approaches that strengthen connection and long-term loyalty.
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Develop thoughtful and sustainable naming opportunity practices
Participants will learn how to structure naming levels, establish clear policies, and manage naming commitments in a way that supports both donor recognition and institutional flexibility.
Day 2: October 8, 2026
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Morning Session | Promise Smart: Aligning Donor Conversations with Institutional Reality
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This half-day workshop equips frontline fundraisers and donor relations professionals with the tools to navigate one of the most complex areas of philanthropy: aligning donor conversations with institutional reality. In fundraising, enthusiasm, momentum, and relationship-building can sometimes lead to promises that unintentionally outpace what an institution can operationally deliver. Through real-world examples and practical frameworks, participants will explore how overpromising occurs in areas such as gift agreements, naming opportunities, stewardship expectations, and program commitments—and how these gaps can ultimately erode donor trust. The session reframes donor relations not as a compliance checkpoint, but as a strategic partner that helps fundraisers build sustainable, transparent, and donor-centered commitments.
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Participants will examine how institutions can better align the donor conversation, the written agreement, and the stewardship plan to ensure that what is promised can be delivered not just today, but years into the future. By lifting up donor relations as the institutional voice of reason in an often gray and relationship-driven environment, this workshop helps advancement teams create a shared approach to donor commitments that protects both the donor relationship and the institution’s long-term credibility. Attendees will leave with practical tools, conversation frameworks, and decision checkpoints that help fundraising teams confidently say “yes” to donors in ways that are clear, responsible, and sustainable.
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Learning Outcomes
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Identify the most common ways overpromising occurs in fundraising conversations and how it impacts donor trust, stewardship, and institutional credibility.
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Apply practical frameworks to align donor conversations, gift agreements, naming commitments, and stewardship plans with institutional policies and operational realities.
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Strengthen collaboration between frontline fundraisers and donor relations professionals by positioning donor relations as a strategic partner that helps ensure donor commitments are clear, deliverable, and sustainable.
Afternoon Session | DRG Heroes Showcase: Celebrating What's Working (and Who Made It Happen)
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We know you're working hard—balancing expectations, limited resources, and rising donor demands…and still finding ways to create meaningful, memorable donor experiences.
And that deserves to be seen and celebrated! The DRG Heroes Showcase is your moment.
This high-energy, 1.5-hour session is built to celebrate the wins that are happening right now across our community. The big ones. The small-but-mighty ones. The “we finally fixed that thing” wins. The “we tried something new and it worked” wins.
If you’ve improved how you thank, engage, recognize, or steward your donors over the last 9–10 months—we want to hear about it.
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Here’s how it works:
You’ll have 5 minutes. 5 slides. One win to showcase.
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This session is designed to turn your success into shared momentum across the sector. Every story shared becomes part of a growing repository your peers can take back, adapt, and activate within their own donor relations programs. ​
This is also a celebration. Presenters will be eligible for prizes, yes—but more importantly, you’ll earn something even more valuable: recognition from a community that understands the craft, the strategy, and the heart behind your work.
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You’ll walk away with:
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Fresh, proven ideas you can implement immediately
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Inspiration from peers who are in the trenches with you
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A renewed sense of what’s possible when donor experience is done well
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At DRG, we talk a lot about being Architects and Guardians of the Donor Experience. This is what that looks like in action.
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Note: This session is complimentary but participation-based. Only those who present in the showcase will have access. Full conference attendees who are not presenting will not be able to attend.
Location
Special thanks to our hosts at the University of Manitoba!
CONFERENCE LOCATION
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100 Innovation Dr
Winnipeg, MB R3T 6G2, Canada
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HOTEL
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Hyatt House Winnipeg-South/Outlet Collection
700 Sterling Lyon Parkway
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3P 1E9 Canada
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Our Partners
Our sponsors allow us to keep our prices low while still providing you with the best experience possible. We want to thank our friends who partner with us to make these conferences and workshops possible. We couldn't do it without you! Click on the logos below to learn more about the incredible work they do.
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