Introduction
The PhiLab Fall School 2026 provides a space for knowledge mobilization, cross-sector dialogue, and training focused on contemporary transformations in the philanthropic sector. To be held in Montreal in October 2026, this fifth edition will adopt a hybrid format with a particular emphasis on in-person participation. It will bring together researchers, students, professionals from the philanthropic sector, and representatives from community organizations, foundations, businesses, and public institutions.
Under the theme “Philanthropy in Motion: Taking Action Where It Matters,” the event aims to shift the perspective on philanthropy. Rather than analyzing funding mechanisms alone, this edition will seek to understand where and how philanthropy actually operates in local communities, living environments, and social relationships, as well as the effects it has on collective capacity for action.
In a context marked by a proliferation of social, food, cultural, and environmental crises, philanthropy plays an increasingly important role in shaping collective responses. However, this growing influence also raises several tensions: the reproduction of inequalities, the redistribution of power, the relationship between emergency response and structural transformation, differential access to resources, and the governance of interventions.
Themes and Workshops
To explore these issues, the 2026 Fall School will be structured around four weekly thematic workshops:
- Philanthropy and Food Security: Nourishing Communities
- Arts, Culture, and Philanthropy: Creating Meaning and a Sense of Community
- Philanthropy and Vulnerabilities: Who Is Supported, How, and Why?
- Corporate Philanthropy: Between Strategy, Community, and Impact
Each workshop will combine:
- scientific presentations;
- panels bringing together researchers and practitioners;
- spaces for group discussion;
- networking and knowledge-sharing activities;
- accessible summaries tailored to different audiences.
The event will place special emphasis on:
- knowledge mobilization;
- content accessibility;
- student participation;
- diversity of knowledge;
- territorial dynamics;
- issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.
This edition also marks a significant development for the project, as participants will be able to obtain a UQAM continuing education certificate in the form of continuing education units (UEC) after attending all four workshops and passing a final online assessment. This institutional recognition aims to strengthen the professional development of stakeholders in the philanthropic and community sectors while promoting the sustainable transfer of the knowledge generated.
Program
October 1 | Week 1 – Philanthropy and Food Security: Nourishing Local Communities
This first workshop will analyze the role of foundations and philanthropic actors in local food systems. It will provide an opportunity to discuss the tensions between emergency aid and structural transformation, while examining the local impacts of food assistance interventions. Through contributions from researchers and practitioners in the field, the workshop will seek to understand how philanthropy can support local responses without merely compensating for the shortcomings of existing systems.
Topic
- Understanding the territorial dimensions of food insecurity
- Identifying the role of philanthropic actors in local food systems
- Analyzing the tensions between emergency aid and structural transformation
Key Questions
- Does philanthropy respond to emergencies or transform systems?
- What are the territorial effects of food interventions?
- How can we avoid perpetuating inequalities?
October 8 | Week 2 – Arts, Culture, and Philanthropy: Creating Meaning and a Sense of Community
The second workshop will focus on the role of the arts and culture in social and regional transformation. It will address the logic behind cultural funding, as well as issues related to access to resources, representation, and recognition of emerging practices. Speakers will present, in particular, the “Philanthropic Conversations in Culture” model, an initiative fostering dialogue among foundations, artists, cultural organizations, researchers, and local stakeholders.
Topic
- Understanding the role of arts in social and regional transformation
- Analyzing the logic of cultural funding
- Exploring issues of access and representation
Key Questions
- Who decides what deserves support?
- Is cultural philanthropy inclusive?
- What role do the arts play in regional transformations?
October 15 | Week 3 – Philanthropy and Vulnerabilities: Who Is Supported, How, and Why?
This third workshop will offer a critical reflection on how philanthropic practices define so-called vulnerable populations. It will examine biases in resource allocation, marginalized groups, and the conditions necessary for a genuine redistribution of power. Discussions will focus in particular on seniors, people with disabilities, and groups experiencing intersecting forms of marginalization.
Topic
- Deconstructing the concept of vulnerability
- Identifying biases in philanthropic practices
- Analyzing the effects of funding on populations
Key Questions
- How can power be redistributed?
- Who is considered “vulnerable” and why?
- Which groups are left behind?
October 22 | Week 4 – Philanthropie corporative : entre stratégie, territoire et impact
This final session will analyze recent changes in corporate philanthropy and their effects on local communities and community-based philanthropy. This final workshop will analyze the changes in corporate philanthropy. It will examine companies’ motivations, the local effects of their commitments, and the tensions between corporate image, organizational strategy, and actual social impact. This session will provide a better understanding of how corporate philanthropy can fit into regional dynamics, while raising questions about governance, accountability, and the purpose of these initiatives.
Topic
- Understanding companies’ motivations
- Analyzing the regional effects of corporate actions
- Identifying the tensions between image, strategy, and impact