The Climate Philanthropy Learning Series

You are cordially invited to attend our information session that will offer an overview of our five-week professional development Climate Philanthropy Learning Series and answer all your questions.

Program participants leave with practical tools, clear action plans, and direct connections to funders, pooled vehicles, Indigenous-led approaches, and global networks.

Meet André Vashist, PFC’s Director of Learning & Collaboration, and delivery partner Yasmin Ahammad, CEO of Impatience Earth, who will provide an overview of the program and answer all your questions.

Focus: Ground climate strategy in Indigenous leadership, relationships, and protocols. 

What you’ll do: Explore Indigenous knowledge systems, leadership approaches, and protocol, building a foundation rooted in relational and reciprocal climate action. 

Session Leaders:  The Circle on Philanthropy, who is a Steering Member of the Canadian Philanthropic Commitment to Climate Change, will be hosting this session. 

Shereen Munshi is a relationships and communications professional with roots in Zambia and an immigration journey that brought her to Unceded Algonquin Territory over a decade ago. 

As Director of Partnerships and Strategic Communications at The Circle, Shereen builds meaningful connections between Indigenous-led organizations and settler-philanthropic groups, guided by the Circle’s values, mission, and strategic priorities. She works to amplify critical issues, elevate diverse voices, and foster thoughtful, responsive communication—ensuring that the Circle’s member communities are supported, seen, and heard. 

Committed to equity and justice, Shereen brings a thoughtful lens on people, place, policy, and power to her work, shaping initiatives that create lasting impact across philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. 

Outside of The Circle, Shereen serves as Director and Communications Chair for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Ottawa Chapter, where she continues to champion collaboration, innovation, and meaningful dialogue across the field. 

Jesse Cardinal, Executive Director for Keepers of the Water, is from Kikino Métis Settlement and has witnessed many changes to the lands and waters throughout her life, as well as a drastic decline in wildlife. She loves to listen to Elders talk about how the land was, even before she was born, and is also a Cree language learner. 

Keepers of the Water is an Indigenous organization that works to defend water through cultural power building, policy and legal defence, education, and training community members to conduct water health monitoring.  Jesse welcomes partnerships with other individuals, organizations, communities, and Nations.  

“We need to keep going and working to protect our waters, lands and animals. Every voice matters, and we need to have hope for the youth and future generations.” 

Crystal Stamp-Cardinal, Project Funding Coordinator for Keepers of the Water, is a nehiyaw (Cree) from onihcikiskwapowinhk (Saddle Lake Cree Nation) in Alberta, Canada, located in Treaty 6. She has many years of experience working with Indigenous communities, governments, and industry to protect our land, water, air and the diverse flora and fauna in our traditional territories. 

Drawing on her background and bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, she has a strong commitment to ensuring that colonized western science is no longer the norm and that Indigenous knowledge and cumulative effects are included so that environmental studies are considered complete. She has been working with Keepers of the Water since early 2021 and has found a place that truly speaks to her experience, education and core values. 

Heather Harding, Director, Toxics Program, The Dragonfly Fund. Heather’s dual passions are any form of wilderness adventure and learning from people who are trying to make the world better. She comes from a long line of traveling carnival people, but after a few stints working on the midway she chose a very different career path.  

Heather has over two decades of experience as a communications and campaign strategist across the charitable sector. In her role at Dragonfly Ventures, she is working with the team, community groups, organizations, and companies to reduce the current overwhelming volume of harmful chemicals and curb the impact they are having on people and the earth. 

Focus: Strengthen strategy through peer collaboration, shared learning, and collective initiatives.

What you’ll do: Examine the climate philanthropy landscape, emerging trends, and opportunities for coordinated action in Canada and globally.

Session Leaders:

Eric Campbell is CEO at the Clean Economy Fund, where he is responsible for connecting the philanthropic community with initiatives that support giant leaps toward a prosperous, net-zero emissions future.

Clean Economy Fund believes in the power of philanthropy for solving climate change, and offers the tools, funding vehicles and the communities of practice for philanthropic leaders to make it happen. 

Erika Miller is the Head of Climate at WINGS and International lead for the Philanthropy for Climate movement. Philanthropy for Climate is a global call to all foundations, regardless of geographic location, size, or thematic focus, to integrate climate action across their work, from governance to grantmaking.

Focus: Learn from Climate Signatories demonstrating leadership across regions, contexts, and impact areas.

What you’ll do: Hear directly from fellow foundations that have been on the journey of integrating climate priorities across their organization, in very diverse contexts.  This will help you explore ways to link your organization’s mission, values, and priorities to a coherent climate strategy and pathway for action. 

Session Leaders:  

Rod Ruff is a collaborative leader dedicated to advancing environmental and climate action as the President and CEO of Alberta Ecotrust Foundation.  

Alberta Ecotrust has distributed more than $25 million to community initiatives through grants, programs, and investments while pioneering projects that directly tackle climate change and promote sustainability.

Julia Langer, CEO of TAF, has held senior leadership positions in the environmental sector for over 30 years, managing campaigns and organizations, defining strategy and policy, and inspiring public and private action to address air pollution and climate change. 

TAF advances the most promising concepts by investing, providing grants, influencing policies, and running programs. TAF is a proud member of the Low Carbon Cities Canada (LC3) network. 

Erika Rolston, Executive Director of Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia, who brings a wide range of experiences from government, economic development, environmental, and non-profit sectors, is powerfully motivated to work towards more equitable systems and structures. 

At Rural Communities Foundation of Nova Scotia, everything starts with a deep love and respect for rural communities, including climate resilience, food security, gender equality, and more. 

Focus: Translate commitments into action through practical tools, frameworks, and peer problem‑solving.

What you’ll do: Work through implementation challenges, identify leverage points, and develop actionable next steps. 

Session Leaders:

Yasmin Ahammad, Co-Chief Executive Officer at Impatience Earth, has 15 years’ experience in international development and social justice and has been a long-time climate activist.  

Through co-creation, Impatience Earth helps develop customized journeys that enable exploration of foundations’ goals and values. The goal is to identify areas for deeper learning, to develop strategies, and map out high-leverage opportunities that maximize impact on addressing the climate crisis, while weaving in the principles of climate justice. 

Daniela Lloyd-William, a philanthropy expert with over 20 years’ experience in the charitable sector, is passionate about increasing the effectiveness of philanthropy and believes we all have a part to play in addressing the climate crisis.

Focus: Strengthen accountability, shared learning, and sector connections.

What you’ll do: Share insights, commitments, and next steps, followed by a facilitated networking session to match needs with expertise, pooled funding opportunities, and ongoing accountability structures.

Session Leader: 

André Pawan Vashist, Director, Learning & Collaboration at Philanthropic Foundations Canada.

A multi award winning social innovator, André has 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector as a facilitator of multi-stakeholder collaborations that are working towards social and ecological justice.

André is a member of the Steering Committee for the Canadian Philanthropic Commitment to Climate Change and serves as the project lead.

Focus: Tailored support for organizational readiness and applied climate strategy. 

 What you’ll do: Map institutional strengths and gaps; identify priority leverage points across grantmaking, investments, and advocacy; set measurable near‑term goals.

Participants will be invited to deepen their engagement by joining climate‑focused networks to continue learning, collaboration, and peer support. 

This includes:  

Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change – Home 

The Circle on Philanthropy | PFC – Fondations philanthropiques Canada 

Environment Funders Canada | PFC – Fondations philanthropiques Canada 

Clean Economy Fund | PFC – Fondations philanthropiques Canada 

WINGS | PFC – Fondations philanthropiques Canada