Alliance Magazine published an article by Luisa Lima, IDIS’ Communications and Knowledge Manager, sharing key reflections from the WINGS Forum 2026, held in Montreal, Canada. The global gathering brought together philanthropy leaders and practitioners to explore how the sector can move from conversations to action in a rapidly changing world.
A central message throughout the Forum was the need to place communities and their priorities at the heart of philanthropic practice. This also means building stronger relationships of trust between funders and civil society organizations, while expanding access to flexible, long-term funding that allows organizations to strengthen their work and pursue lasting change.
The discussions also highlighted philanthropy’s role in supporting civil society, democracy and human rights at a time when many organizations are facing increasing pressure and international funding is becoming more constrained.
Another key takeaway was the importance of collaboration. Philanthropy does not operate in isolation: funders, civil society organizations, philanthropy support organizations, governments, multilateral institutions and development banks are all part of a broader ecosystem. Stronger coordination across these actors can help resources, knowledge and influence go further.
Ultimately, the Forum was a reminder that gatherings like these are not only about exchanging ideas, but about creating the connections and shared understanding needed to act. For philanthropy, the challenge now is to turn those conversations into concrete steps toward a stronger, more collaborative and responsive ecosystem.
