WHO & WHY?
A group of diverse leaders across the philanthropic, community development and private sectors with low ego came together to learn and innovate. This work was supported with backbone support from the Community Foundations of Canada and subsequently SETSI to develop, cultivate and steward this community of practice dedicated to systems transformation which involves tackling our most wicked challenges, pressing problems and leveraging previously unimagined possibilities.
This includes:
Transitioning the state of a system by changing its underlying patterns, narratives, relationships, value flows, and norms.
Shifting mindsets and paradigms that address the intersectionality, power structures and inequities of these deep systems.
A holistic and interconnected process of intentional change. This goes beyond addressing a single mission or issue area but transforms multiple aspects of a given system for better futures.
WHAT?
An inclusive and generative space for active consideration of societal transition.
Reimagining an equitable and integrated view of the infrastructures needed for long-term societal transition and for future generations to come
The group is committed to the following
- Sensemaking - strengthening our analysis of the context in which we are working
- Community - building trusting relationships and networks outside of the issue and organizational context we are working in
- Strategy - expanding our understanding of how-to best frame problems, opportunities and possible solutions by drawing on a wide range of perspectives
- Collaboration - exploring ways to develop shared activities advancing transition goals
- Action - playing a catalyst role to help diverse actors to coalesce and cohere around specific transition change goals
Transition Innovation Group raison d’être
Transition Innovation Group weekly notes
Bolder, faster, together: Perspectives on societal transition, coordinated by the Transition Innovation Group at Community Foundations of Canada, is a series on Canada’s National Observer that poses this question: How can we all take responsibility for the past, navigate a turbulent present and co-operate to protect future generations?
Sample government submission to federal governance for National Infrastructure Assessment -Equitable Infrastructure: A resource framing infrastructure types using an equitable placemaking lens
Evolution
Started during COVID as a response to consider how to accelerate the required societal transition to meet the moment by Community Foundations of Canada
Transitioned to SETSI as the new TIG Steward facilitating; speaker engagement, community outreach & engagement, ecosystem coordination, strategic communications, web development & hosting, as well as social media management.
How?
Developing proposals for policymakers
Shifting narratives through thought multifaceted leadership activities
Creating a platform for exploring and prototyping transition innovation
When ?
Monthly sessions
One hour session with flexibility for 45 minutes additional for further dialogue
Transition Innovation Group Schedule 2026
Mujtaba Khalid
Head of the Centre for Islamic Finance, BIBF
Wednesday, January 21st 2026 at 4pm EST
Toyin Kayo-Ajayi
Founder of the Canadian Black Farmers Association (CBFA)
Wednesday, February 18th 2026
Wednesday, March 18th 2026
Philip Barton
Founder of Minds of Soil
Brandy Skinner
Co-Founder and Chair of Resettlement Society for Displaced Afro-Indigenous Nova Scotians
Wednesday, April 15th 2026
Wednesday, May 20th 2026
Keshiv Kaushal
Director of Impact Investing, Propel Impact
Wednesday, June 17th 2026
Andrea Serra
Chief Market Development Officer, IFVI (International Foundation for Valuing Impacts) Sustainability and Impact Investing
Wednesday, July 15th 2026
Efosa KC Obano
Founder & Manager Of The Black Founders Network
Wednesday, August 19th 2026
Sara Dent
Executive Director and Co-Founder at Young Agrarians
Wednesday, September 16th 2026
Andre Vashist
Director of Learning and Collaboration at Philanthropic Foundations Canada
Wednesday, October 21st 2026
Julia Grady
Executive Director and Co-Founder of 10C Shared Space
Wednesday, November 18th 2026
Michael Assiaamah
CEO of Support & Growth
Wednesday, December 16th 2026
Liza Arnason
Founder Of the Ase Foundation for Black Communities with Disabilities
Information for Speakers
Typically, sessions are an hour beginning with brief 10-minute introductions and any announcements from the facilitator. Then the presentation can run for 30 minutes or so, leaving 10-15 minutes for questions and discussion and encourage discourse and a peer input session. We then finish with a sort of “so what?” or some calls to action reflecting on the topic discussed and trying to conclude and consolidate. Usually, a small group of those available and interested stay longer than the allocated hour to continue the discussion though it’s not mandatory for you, the speaker(s), to remain for this.
For the presentation, slides are not mandatory but you can prepare them if they would be helpful. You can send along any information you’d like circulated ahead of the session such as a bio, resources about your work, a slide presentation, etc. Additionally, you can focus more on the presentation or pose questions to the group and have a more interactive session- the nature of the presentation is up to you!
What to Expect
Enthusiastic group looking to learn
Lots of questions and comments
Some nudging and constructive feedback
All speakers are welcome to join Transition Innovation Group sessions and continue to engage, send an email to Maat Re – Maat@setsi.ca
Transition Innovation Group
