Philanthropy and Fundraising

09:00 A.M.

Your annual case for support may be solid — but is it truly inspiring transformational gifts? In this session, we'll explore how to evolve your case from a general appeal to a powerful, personalized narrative that motivates major gift donors to give at their highest capacity. Learn how to connect your YMCA's strategic vision with what matters most to your donors, create urgency without fear, and communicate impact that lasts well beyond today. Whether you're aiming for $1,000 or $1,000,000, you'll leave with tools to craft a case for support that resonates, adapts, and delivers.

1. Connect your strategic plan to the donor's personal interests and values
2. Share compelling, urgent needs while also instilling confidence in the Y's ability to meet those needs
3. Link today's ask with tomorrow's societal impact
4. Use different expressions of your case to engage different audiences and situations

Philanthropy and Fundraising

10:30 A.M.

Why do organizations with extraordinary social impact constantly struggle with financial sustainability? The most common mistake is searching for funding before building the institutional foundation to sustain it.

This session will introduce the "360° Roadmap", a strategic framework designed to help YMCA network organizations move out of "urgency mode" and begin managing their sustainability with a business mindset and cutting-edge tools. We will analyze what international donors truly evaluate and how data intelligence can drastically reduce search time, allowing teams to focus on what really matters: generating impact.

1. The Foundation Diagnostic — Identify the signs of institutional weakness that drive major donors away.
2. Selection Strategy — The art of stopping the "chase" for every available grant and starting to select the ones you can actually win.
3. Value Narrative — How to translate community work into impact indicators that resonate in the global philanthropy market.
4. Technology Optimization — Using digital tools and databases to automate funding prospecting and save hours of operational work.

Philanthropy and Fundraising

12:00 A.M.

Advancing the Mission, Multiplying the Impact: The Case of YMCA Mexico In this session, YMCA Mexico will share the institutional transformation process it has undertaken to strengthen its sustainability and expand its social impact through a comprehensive strategy for institutional development and philanthropy. Participants will learn how the organization moved from isolated fundraising efforts to building a clear and diversified strategy that integrates national and international grant applications, recurring donor programs, corporate partnerships, corporate volunteering, annual campaigns, special events, strategic communication, and institutional positioning.

This session highlights the lessons and successes behind YMCA Mexico’s resource mobilization, from strategic partnerships to high-impact grants like the Global Citizen FIFA Education Fund. Discover how strategic vision and committed leadership can build a culture of philanthropy to drive sustainable impact.

Marketing and Communications

09:00 A.M.

What messages is your Y sending to your community? Is it all about registering for programs and joining? A positioning campaign leverages paid and earned media, as well as your communication channels, to tell your bigger, better mission story and to communicate your value as a nonprofit worth supporting. The sooner you begin a systematic, consistent positioning campaign, the better foundation you'll create that strengthens fundraising, partnerships, and brand recognition.

1. Identify the characteristics of a positioning campaign through real sample campaigns
2. Craft messaging that connects mission to generosity
3. Balance membership promotion with cause-driven messaging
4. Ensure their messaging campaign is relevant and tailored to their community

Marketing and Communications

10:30 A.M.

Fundraising no longer depends solely on isolated campaigns or one-time efforts. Organizations that achieve sustainable growth understand the complete donor journey and use data, experimentation, and marketing to build long-term relationships.
In this session, we will explore how to apply Growth Marketing principles to fundraising, identifying opportunities to attract new donors, improve conversion rates, and strengthen donor retention. Through practical examples and simple tools, participating organizations will be able to identify concrete actions to optimize their outreach and growth efforts.

1. Understand Growth Marketing principles applied to fundraising
2. Identify the main stages of the donor acquisition and conversion funnel
3. Detect improvement opportunities throughout the donor journey
4. Prioritize marketing initiatives with the greatest impact potential

Marketing and Communications

12:00 A.M.

La YMCA Bogotá compartirá la experiencia de diseño e implementación de Colorea la Vida, una campaña de procuración de fondos que buscó transformar la forma tradicional de comunicar el impacto social, conectando a personas y empresas con historias reales de transformación de la niñez y la adolescencia.

Durante la sesión se abordará el proceso completo de la campaña: desde la construcción del concepto creativo, la definición de las causas y mecanismos de donación, hasta la implementación de estrategias de relacionamiento con donantes individuales y corporativos. También se compartirán los principales resultados alcanzados, los aprendizajes obtenidos, los retos enfrentados y las oportunidades de mejora identificadas para futuras versiones.

La experiencia mostrará cómo una narrativa centrada en el desarrollo integral de la infancia permitió movilizar recursos, fortalecer vínculos con padrinos y madrinas, generar nuevas alianzas empresariales y posicionar una cultura de donación basada en el propósito y la cercanía.

1. Construcción del concepto "Colorea la Vida".
2. Diseño de experiencias para donantes individuales y corporativos.
3. Estrategias de comunicación y storytelling.
4. Eventos de movilización y relacionamiento.
5. Resultados, aprendizajes y próximos desafíos.

Strategic Partnerships and Resources

10:30 A.M.

In this hands-on workshop, María Liliana Mor shares proven strategies for connecting with corporate donors beyond traditional funding calls. Drawing from her experience leading partnerships with global companies, you will learn how to identify opportunities, activate your network, and build relationships that translate into sustainable funding. Includes practical exercises to apply in real time.

1. A clear, practical strategy for approaching the private sector and building real relationships with corporate donors.
Tools to identify companies aligned with their cause, generate strategic connections, and prepare for a first meeting with confidence and purpose.

Strategic Partnerships and Resources

09:00 A.M.

Strategic Partnerships and Resources

12:00 P.M.

During this session, the Barbados YMCA will share how they secured funding for two complementary youth programmes: a Literacy Programme serving primary school children and a Young Leaders Programme developing leadership and career skills in secondary students. Using real stories, data, and honest reflection, the session identifies programme gaps and explores donor alignment, impact measurement, and evidence systems. It also addresses the organisational challenges the YMCA faced and overcame.

This session is designed to provide YMCAs across Latin America and the Caribbean with practical, low-barrier lessons for building compelling proposals without a dedicated fundraising department.

BONUS: Camp Fundraising

09:00 A.M. (GMT-5)

This session will focus on how to create a development plan for camp programs and facilities. Cultivating donors to support your camp includes intentionally educating and engaging campers, program participants, full-time, part-time, and summer staff, young alumni, parents, grandparents, and older alumni. Whether you have the capacity to start one initiative or do more, small efforts can collectively begin to create a camp community that understands the need and sees its role in making an impact. We will share best practices to cultivate donors and sponsors.

1. Create a fundraising plan for camp
2. Understand the importance of meaningful engagement in Y camp programs to grow support
3. Create a sponsorship and project book for donors
4. Take away concepts and ideas for cultivating donors and sponsors

BONUS: Camp Fundraising

10:30 A.M. (GMT-5)

A structured conversation in groups of three, where each participant shares a real fundraising challenge, receives questions, and hears advice from peers. An honest, practical exchange where the region's collective experience is the most powerful tool in the room.

Prerecorded Session

Have you ever found yourself suddenly responsible for writing a grant with little warning or training? You're not alone — and this session is for you. Designed especially for Y staff who are new to or curious about the grant process, this interactive workshop will walk you through the full lifecycle of a grant. From identifying the right funding opportunities and writing compelling proposals to managing awarded funds and reporting outcomes, we'll break down each step with clarity and practical tools. Whether you're just starting or looking to sharpen your skills, you'll leave with insider tips, clear terminology, and renewed confidence to support your Y's mission through successful grant work.

1. Understand the Grant Lifecycle — Identify the key stages of the grant process — from finding opportunities to post-award reporting — and understand how each stage applies to Y programs and services.
2. Develop Basic Grant Writing Skills — Gain foundational skills in crafting compelling narratives, aligning proposals with funder priorities, and creating realistic budgets for Y initiatives.
3. Increase Confidence in Grant Responsibilities — Leave with greater confidence in your ability to contribute to grant writing efforts, even if it falls outside your traditional role, and know where to find support and resources within the Y network.