ACF conference 2025 - Future-ready foundations: building resilience, relevance and readiness

Foundations of all sizes are facing rapid change and growing complexity. This year’s conference is all about what it takes to stay resilient in uncertain times, remain relevant to the communities you serve, and be ready for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

 Date: 26 November 2025

Time:
  • 8.30am - registration opens
  • 9am - 10am - welcome breakfast
  • 10am - 4.30pm - ACF conference 2025
  • 4.30pm - 5.30pm - evening networking drinks

Location: County Hall, Belvedere Road, London SE1 7PB.

Non-members are welcome to go on the waiting list if they meet the criteria for ACF membership.

Ticket update
We have been delighted by the level of enthusiasm this year and, as a result, the event is now fully booked.
Thanks for your interest, we're looking forward to meeting many of you on 26 November.

 

Further information:

For further information regarding the event please click on the links below or email [email protected]. 

ACF is proud to work with its Official Partners

 

Program

1. MORNING CHOICES

Description
PRC1: Peer reflection circle plus showcase gallery and networking AM
Join a peer reflection circle – aimed for senior leaders, Trustees and CEOs, the circles are a fantastic opportunity to network with a small group of peers.
Category
1. MORNING CHOICES
Time
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Spots available
1
11/26/2025 11:15 AM
W1: AI ready – practical steps and ethical considerations
AI is reshaping how foundations and social investors operate, whilst also raising ethical questions. Join social sector AI experts from Better Society Capital and Esmee Fairbairn Foundation to explore navigating the issues and practical steps for using AI within your foundation’s operations. Suitable for foundations of all sizes, offering guidance for beginners and useful insights for those already on their AI journey.
Category
1. MORNING CHOICES
Time
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Spots available
43
11/26/2025 11:15 AM
W2: Philanthropy’s mandate to build narrative power that strengthens democracy
Public perception of philanthropy is rapidly shifting in the current political landscape. For funders to proactively navigate this troubled time, it's critical to understand how narrative strategies affect us. Our session will provide an overview of the narrative environment philanthropy operates in, illuminate opportunities to build infrastructure for the narrative power we need, and explore philanthropic practices that accelerate progress toward a democratic vision of justice and equality for all.
Category
1. MORNING CHOICES
Time
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Spots available
12
11/26/2025 11:15 AM
W3: Social sector scaffolding: how best to invest in future leaders?
Social leaders supply the invisible scaffolding which holds up the social impact sector, but many lack the sustained support needed to help them be future-ready leaders. Is there a case for foundations to play a bigger part in the ‘capacity building’ ecosystem? Designed for those developing grant-making and organisational strategies inside foundations, this interactive workshop will invite you to work with trends and emerging insights from a new multi-funder initiative in the UK.
Category
1. MORNING CHOICES
Time
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Spots available
16
11/26/2025 11:15 AM
W4: The power in pooling
A space for sharing and learning between peers about the purpose, practicalities, and power dynamics in setting up and running pooled funds. With case studies spanning the hyper local (Devon Community Foundation) to the global (Wellcome).
Category
1. MORNING CHOICES
Time
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Spots available
25
11/26/2025 11:15 AM
W5: Using data to understand social divides and inequality: a place-based approach
New datasets are transforming how we understand social divides and inequality in the UK, revealing patterns that were previously hidden. This hands-on workshop will dive into data on life pathways and outcomes across the UK, drawing from sources like the National Pupil Database and the Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset.
Category
1. MORNING CHOICES
Time
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Spots available
18
11/26/2025 11:15 AM
W6: Future-proofing your investment portfolio in a new world of geopolitical, political and inflation volatility
In this workshop, we will take you through an overview of the impact of wider geopolitical and political shifts on the global economy and investments of trust and foundations. Participants will be guided on what extreme weather we can expect and how to navigate a more volatile environment, including an exercise on which asset classes might prove to be essential
Category
1. MORNING CHOICES
Time
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
Spots available
26
11/26/2025 11:15 AM

2. AFTERNOON CHOICES

Description
PRC2: Peer reflection circle plus showcase gallery and networking PM
Join a peer reflection circle – aimed for senior leaders, Trustees and CEOs, the circles are a fantastic opportunity to network with a small group of peers.
Category
2. AFTERNOON CHOICES
Time
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM
Spots available
1
11/26/2025 2:25 PM
W7: AI's relationship with foundations’ mission
AI is transforming the world around us today.  As AI becomes more embedded in society, it presents both opportunities and challenges for charitable foundations.  This workshop explores what it means to remain mission-driven in a world where AI is prevalent.  We will examine how foundations can harness the opportunities that AI brings, as well as mitigate its risks to ensure that the sector adapts and thrives in an increasingly technological world.  Participants will gain clarity on AI’s role in the sector and how it can be used as a force for greater equity, efficiency and impact.
Category
2. AFTERNOON CHOICES
Time
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM
Spots available
47
11/26/2025 2:25 PM
W8: Futures, funding and racial equity
Expect time travel, dreaming and possibility. We’ll travel back in time sharing insights from our ongoing journey to becoming an anti-racist organisation.  We’ll share what worked, what didn’t, and what still needs to be done. Then we’ll travel to the future to imagine what an anti-racist future looks like for your organisation. Ideal for staff at all levels
Category
2. AFTERNOON CHOICES
Time
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM
Spots available
25
11/26/2025 2:25 PM
W9: How can funders prepare for the impact of future trends?
Examining the impact of future trends for foundations and those they support using insights from a project by Combat Stress, funded by FIMT.  Through developing a 20-year future view of changing characteristics and needs, the project aims to address evolving challenges and build resilience in service provision. The session will help attendees consider their own futures work and the role of foundations in facilitating futures thinking to enable lasting change.
Category
2. AFTERNOON CHOICES
Time
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM
Spots available
28
11/26/2025 2:25 PM
W10: Funding work-ready futures - skills for a changing world
Description: What does true work readiness look like today? Join this interactive workshop to explore how funders can support young people to develop the skills, confidence and behaviours needed to thrive not just survive in tomorrow’s world of work.
Category
2. AFTERNOON CHOICES
Time
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM
Spots available
10
11/26/2025 2:25 PM
W11: How the British Seven segments can help charities in 2020s Britain
In an era defined by political polarisation and rapid social change, charitable foundations face evolving challenges remaining relevant to the public and having impact. In this workshop we will present our British Seven segments model to help charitable foundations understand how the public intersects with their mission.
Category
2. AFTERNOON CHOICES
Time
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM
Spots available
1
11/26/2025 2:25 PM
W12: Better by design:  CCLA’s strategies for endowed charitable trusts and foundations
Learn how CCLA thinks about and constructs diversified portfolios that deliver robust income today and growth for tomorrow.  By the end of the session, you should have a good understanding of how to truly judge success, enabled by the financial engine of a well-managed endowment, proven over multi-year periods.  We will also leave you with a helpful tick-list of metrics to consider when experiencing short-term fluctuations in markets.
Category
2. AFTERNOON CHOICES
Time
2:25 PM - 3:25 PM
Spots available
23
11/26/2025 2:25 PM