The first time I saw the word “convening” in print was 2012. I was a new staff member at the McConnell Foundation and had been asked to edit a publication on the topic. It was a foreign word to me and I thought it was a typo!

Fast forward to 2025. “Convening” has become a key word in my philanthropic narrative (albeit a bit jargony) that is also used widely in the funder space to refer to proactively bringing together partners and stakeholders for a specific purpose. Terminology aside, convening is an important philanthropic tool that can enhance the impact of grantmaking and other foundation activities.

The challenge of fragmentation

Charities, nonprofits and other stakeholders are driven to raise money for their own organizations and have little incentive or opportunity to connect with others in their field. With that in mind, I have seen three major benefits to convening:

1. Fostering a sense of community: Leaders and organizations tackling the same issues are often consumed by their own organizational mandates, and may feel isolated in their efforts. Bringing these folks together to connect (and commiserate!) in-person can be energizing and motivating. When the Daymark Foundation convened maternal mental health stakeholders for the first time, the energy was palpable. People hugged and took selfies together—having never met face-to-face before. Furthermore, in-person connections that are nurtured can spark new ideas and collaborations that wouldn’t have developed if people stayed within their silos.
2. Creating space for conversations that otherwise wouldn’t happen: Too often, leaders are focused on their specific piece of the puzzle or, as the oft-cited analogy describes, their “part of the elephant”. This myopic view can limit perspective and cause stakeholders to lose sight of the big picture. Often, when foundations convene, we can centre the conversation around a “wicked problem” that is at the heart of the work of many stakeholders. For example, the McConnell Foundation convened leaders in mental health and education around the question: “How might we integrate wellbeing into the mandate of K-12 education?” This was central to the success of any educator, school system leader, or community organization interested in student mental health.
3. Finding common ground: When you speak to stakeholders individually, they may share different opinions on what is needed to solve a particular problem. When brought together for a facilitated discussion, we can reveal common and differing strategies of approach. Sticky notes are quite magical in helping to identify themes and areas of alignment that otherwise may not have been visible.

The following image depicts how the views of thirty bipolar disorder stakeholders were brought together to define operating priorities for a new global alliance.

Is convening a silver bullet for philanthropy? No. But in the right context, for the right reasons, it can be extremely beneficial. Just make sure to hire a skilled facilitator!

Vani Jain is the Founder & CEO of Catalyst Philanthropy, a strategy and innovation firm established in 2024 to advance philanthropic practices in Canada towards greater societal and systems impact. She was previously Executive Director of the Daymark Foundation and Program Director at the McConnell Foundation. Contact her: vani@catalystphilanthropy.ca.