Reimagining the future of the charity sector in a time of structural change

The sector is not simply facing a difficult period; it is moving through a structural shift. Funding models are evolving. Public trust and scrutiny are intensifying. Demand continues to rise. Some established ways of working are unlikely to return.

This opening keynote takes a wide lens on what is really changing and what it means for the future of the charity sector. It explores how leaders can move beyond short-term firefighting and instead shape the next chapter: strengthening financial models, deepening cross-sector partnerships, embracing innovation with purpose and rethinking how impact is delivered at scale.

A clear view of the road ahead and what it takes to lead with confidence through change, with ambition and integrity.

Sustaining Impact in an Uncertain World

Cancer research requires patience, public trust and sustained investment. This keynote will reflect on what it means to lead a mission measured in decades while navigating short-term pressure on funding, policy and public confidence. A perspective on stewardship, resilience and building organisations that endure.

As expectations from regulators such as the Charity Commission for England and Wales continue to evolve, charity boards are navigating an increasingly complex landscape of accountability, transparency and risk.

This keynote brings a sector perspective on what effective governance looks like today. Through the lens of a large, national charity, we will explore how boards interpret regulatory pressure, where common challenges emerge, and how leadership teams are strengthening oversight without losing sight of mission.

Focusing on practical insight rather than theory, the session will highlight how organisations can embed a culture of good governance - enabling trustees to act decisively, responsibly and with confidence.

What happens when an organisation's mission remains the same, but the way it delivers impact begins to evolve?

As charities respond to increasingly complex social challenges, many are rethinking how they create change - moving beyond direct service delivery to embrace systems thinking, advocacy, influence and meaningful participation from the communities they serve. While these shifts may strengthen long-term impact, they can also raise difficult questions for fundraisers: How do you communicate a changing approach to supporters? How do you maintain donor confidence during a period of transition? And how do you fund work whose outcomes can be harder to explain and measure?

In this candid session, we will explore the fundraising implications of organisational change, sharing reflections from a charity currently navigating the move towards a more impact-focused model. Delegates will gain insight into the opportunities, challenges and unanswered questions that arise when strategy evolves, and what it takes to bring supporters, partners and funders along on the journey.

A CFO peer discussion on risk, resilience and oversight

This peer discussion brings CFOs together to share how they are managing rising cyber, fraud and data risks as AI and automation accelerate across charities.

The conversation will focus on what CFOs are seeing in practice and how they are deciding what controls really matter. It will explore what “good enough” cybersecurity looks like at different scales, how expectations from insurers, auditors and regulators are shifting, and how CFOs are challenging both underinvestment and overconfidence at board level.

CFOs will leave with clearer judgement and a practical checklist they can take straight into audit and board conversations.

Governing in an age of legal change

Trustees carry ultimate legal responsibility for their charities. Compliance is non-negotiable, yet today’s legal landscape is increasingly complex and often contentious, with trustees on the hook for everything from whistleblowing to cyber attacks to rows over legal duty

In these moments, boards are required to make difficult decisions that may carry significant reputational and regulatory consequences.

This keynote will offer practical advice on how to keep ahead of a crisis before it happens. 

Key discussion points include: 

• Approaches for determining the risk a threat poses to the charity: its staff, beneficiaries, volunteers, finances or reputation.
• Learning from previous crises to strengthen your resilience and response 
• Communicating transparently with your executive team and wider charity as you navigate a crisis 
• What qualifies a serious incident, and when should the regulator be involved?

As social media expectations grow, many charities face pressure to expand activity across every platform - often without a clear link to outcomes.

This presentation looks at a structured methodology for determining the appropriate scale of social media investment. The approach helps organisations align channel strategy with audience need, organisational capacity, and mission priorities.

This session will equip leaders with a practical framework to evaluate requests, challenge default assumptions, and make defensible decisions about where - and where not - to invest time and resources.

The 20-minute health check for CFOs 

The updated charity SORP is now in force, bringing the most significant overhaul to sector financial reporting in a decade. 

Designed for forward-thinking CFOs, this session delivers a quick-fire briefing on the mandatory shifts that will impact your balance sheet this financial year. 

Gain the critical insights needed to reassess your reserves policies, unravel the new expectations around impact reporting, and ensure compliant, transparent reporting under the updated three-tier framework.

Ambitious Leadership Models for a Changing Sector

This closing panel asks a direct question: are our structures fit for what comes next?

From devolving power and rethinking traditional fundraising narratives, to experimenting with co-leadership and shared executive models, some organisations are actively redesigning how authority, accountability and decision-making work. These shifts change how strategy is set, how money flows and how risk is carried.

Panellists will explore what it really takes to move beyond hierarchical leadership, the advantages and tensions of co-chief models, and the practical implications of shifting power closer to the communities that charities exist to serve.