The Circle is cultivating a place to come home to yourself and to one another.
Cousins in Philanthropy (CiP) is a year-long gathering space for Indigenous cousins and kin working within the philanthropic landscape.
Rooted in the cyclical rhythms of the seasons and guided by Indigenous ways of knowing and uplifting Indigenous thought leaders, the Circle’s CiP program offers four seasonal online gatherings that move through healing and grounding, leadership and capacity, systems and advocacy, and storytelling and celebration. Each session brings together our cousins, as well as Indigenous thought leaders who will share their wisdom and teachings. Our online gatherings are a small and safe Indigenous-only place for community connection. These Zoom sessions offer nourishment — the kind of nourishment that makes the deeper work more possible, and the connection to our shared dreams and possibilities more visible to each other.
Why and how do ‘Cousins’ benefit — what do you get from your investment of time?
Showing up to Cousins in Philanthropy means showing up for yourself, taking a pause from the everyday. Slowing down, reflection and connection helps us all show up better for ourselves and for your community in the same breath. These gatherings offer something rare in the sector: protected time that centers Indigenous voices, honors the full weight of this work, and makes space for rest, laughter, and genuine connection alongside learning.
Cousins leave each session with practical tools and perspectives — from wellness practices and leadership frameworks to advocacy strategies and storytelling as medicine — but perhaps more importantly, they leave feeling less alone. Over the course of the year, cousins build lasting relationships with peers across the sector, deepen their own sense of identity and purpose within philanthropy, and contribute to a growing collective network of Indigenous leadership.
The Circle is not just hosting another webinar series. Alongside each of our guests, cousins and kin we are cultivating and reinvigorating relational practice. Join us to breathe life into yourself and into a living, breathing community of kin.
This is an invite-only program for Indigenous peoples actively operating within philanthropy. If you think this program might be for you, send us a short bio: nicole@circleonphilanthropy.ca
