OUR PROGRAMMING
The Rise Program
Training, mentorship, experiential learning, and a network to support your career and leadership development across multiple streams of work — governance, grassroots, and social impact.
Fora’s programming offers participants training, mentorship, experiential learning, and a network to change the world.
Participants begin together, building core career and leadership skills, then choose a focused stream:
GOVERNANCE
Rise on Boards
SOCIAL IMPACT
Rise for Impact
GRASSROOTS
Rise to Organize
The Rise Program Model
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Introducing the Rise Program
The Rise program is an approximately 50-hour learning experience that combines live and self-paced training. Participants will take part in 37 hours of asynchronous and live leadership workshops over two intensive weekends (August 7–9 and 14–16), followed by six weeks of asynchronous governance stream training of 10 hours to be completed by the end of September. Because Rise is a global program, live sessions may occur in the early morning or late evening, depending on your time zone. By applying, participants acknowledge that they can prioritize and attend all live workshops.
This year, Rise will focus on the Governance stream (Rise on Boards) — open to participants globally. While training is grounded in the Canadian non-profit governance context, the tools, frameworks, and practices shared are designed to be adaptable across different regions and systems. Participants will explore governance structures, decision-making processes, and accountability systems through both global and local lenses.
Through training, mentorship, and peer support, the program equips participants to find and pursue their own board placements. Fora will also host Board Match events and share board opportunities, helping connect participants to organizations where they can lead, contribute, and create impact.
GOVERNANCE STREAM
Rise on Boards
Our governance programming provides tangible learning opportunities that prepare our participants to serve on boards by the end of their training. Through training, mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities, participants build the skills to serve on boards and shape the institutions that influence our communities.
-
Where Big Decisions Get Made
A board is a group of people who help guide an organization. They make big-picture decisions about things like how money is spent, what the organization prioritizes, and who it serves — not the day-to-day work, but the choices that shape how an organization operates and whose needs are centered.
Boards and committees are the spaces where these decisions get made. Yet many of these spaces still don’t reflect the communities they impact.
Rise on Boards helps you understand how boards actually work, why they matter, and how you can contribute with confidence. If you’ve ever wondered how decisions get made behind the scenes — or thought, “I don’t see people like me in those rooms” — this pathway helps you step into those spaces prepared, supported, and ready to lead.
Rise on Boards prepares participants to step confidently into board, committee, and decision-making roles across nonprofit, public, and community-based organizations.
This pathway builds the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to navigate governance spaces, contribute meaningfully to oversight and strategy, and bring equity-informed perspectives into leadership tables where decisions are made.
What You’ll Build
Understanding of governance roles, responsibilities, and structures
Board and committee readiness, including meeting participation and decision-making
Confidence navigating power, dynamics, and accountability in governance spaces
Skills to contribute strategically while advancing inclusive leadership practices
How Learning Happens
Participants engage in targeted governance training, applied learning opportunities, and mentorship with experienced board leaders, while remaining connected to the broader Rise cohort.
Why It Matters
Increasing representation in governance strengthens organizational decision-making and accountability. This pathway supports more inclusive boards and leadership bodies—helping organizations better reflect and serve the communities they exist to support.
1500+
Young Leaders trained
since 2009
350+
Youth served annually
228
Young Leaders placed on
governance boards
5850+
training hours
delivered annually
“The governance programming gave me the tools & training I did not know I needed. It expanded how I think about leadership, and how governance and social work can come together to make really meaningful change.”
Judy Chau
Rise on Boards, Cohort 8
Partnering Boards
Check out the previous and current boards that our program participants have been placed on through our governance stream.
SOCIAL IMPACT STREAM
Rise for Impact [2027]
Our social impact stream offers participants tangible learning and mentorship opportunities to design and implement their own social impact initiatives.
It equips young leaders with the tools, strategies, and community support to drive systemic change. Participants strengthen their ability to organize, influence policy and public discourse, and challenge the structures that sustain gender-based inequity. Through shared learning and real-world engagement, advocacy becomes both a personal leadership practice and a collective force for transformation.
-
What does social impact really mean?
Social impact is about turning care into action — designing programs, initiatives, and solutions that respond to real community needs. It’s the work behind nonprofits, social enterprises, and community organizations that aim to make systems fairer and more effective.
Rise for Impact is for anyone who wants to move from ideas to action. Whether you’re passionate about food justice, climate action, community health, or education, this pathway helps you build the skills to design, deliver, and strengthen initiatives that create meaningful, lasting change.
What You’ll Build
Skills in social impact design, implementation, and evaluation
Tools for systems thinking, collaboration, and community-centered leadership
Capacity to translate ideas into action and impact into outcomes
Confidence leading social impact initiatives across nonprofits, community organizations, and social enterprises
How Learning Happens
Participants work through applied learning, case-based training, and mentorship focused on real-world impact challenges, while learning alongside peers across all Rise pathways.
Why It Matters
Strong social impact leadership leads to more effective programs and projects, stronger organizations, and better outcomes for communities. This pathway supports leaders who can move from intention to impact—sustainably and at scale.
GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING STREAM
Rise to Organize [Coming Soon]
Our grassroots training equips young leaders with the tools and skills to enhance their advocacy efforts, transforming their capacity to challenge barriers and drive systemic change.
-
How change happens — together
Grassroots organizing is how communities come together to address shared issues and work toward change. It’s about building relationships, taking collective action, and creating the momentum needed to shift systems—from local campaigns to broader movements.
Rise to Organize helps you understand how change happens and how people work together to make it possible. If you care deeply about an issue and want to learn how to mobilize others, engage decision-makers, and build movements rooted in community, this pathway gives you the tools to turn passion into collective action.
Through Rise to Organize, participants build practical skills in organizing, advocacy, and narrative change, and learn how to work collectively to advance systems-level change — from local organizing efforts to broader policy and systems change.
What You’ll Build
Skills in advocacy strategy, organizing, and narrative change
Understanding of power, policy, and systems influencing social outcomes
Tools to mobilize communities and build collective influence
Confidence engaging decision-makers and shaping public discourse
How Learning Happens
Participants engage in advocacy-focused training, peer learning, and applied exercises grounded in real-world organizing and policy contexts, while benefiting from mentorship and cohort-based support.
Why It Matters
Effective advocacy and organizing are essential to advancing equity and systemic change. This pathway strengthens the capacity of emerging leaders to influence the structures and policies that shape economic and social outcomes.
ALUMNI BENEFITS
Beyond access to our community network and events, Alumni will have exclusive access to additional resources that will support their future career and leadership trajectories, such as:
The Global Impact Fund
Fora Alumni have the opportunity to apply for $ 1,000 CAD micro-grants to support transformative projects that drive positive change in communities and align with Fora’s mission.
Running a micro-grant program offers our program alumni the opportunity to further invest in and scale up their social impact initiatives. Our investment in their success doesn’t stop when the program ends.
The Board e-Directory
Through exclusive access to this board e-directory, Alumni will be able to view a list of boards across Canada that are interested in bringing a young leader onto their team.
The Network Database
A centralized, living hub of connections across Fora’s global community—bringing together people, partners, and opportunities in one easy-to-navigate space. Find relevant expertise, build meaningful relationships, and unlock new collaborations—all in one place.
Ismini Drosoforidi
Greece
Global Impact Fund Recipient 2025
“The microgrant was a catalyst for both tangible impact and leadership growth. With its support, we were able to donate 12,120 period pads to six public universities across Greece, directly addressing period poverty among students who often go unsupported within higher education systems.
Beyond the immediate impact, the microgrant strengthened my leadership by enabling me to coordinate cross-sector partnerships, manage large-scale logistics, and engage university administrators and student communities around a still-stigmatized issue. Leading this initiative required translating advocacy into action—balancing data, empathy, and execution—while ensuring dignity and accessibility remained at the centre of our work.”
101-125
Participated in or benefited
from this project.
Women and Girls
Were the main beneficiaries
of this project
100% of our program participants are Women and Gender-Diverse Individuals
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Each Rise stream focuses on a different leadership pathway, while sharing the same core values and learning approach.
Rise on Boards supports participants to understand how boards and committees work and prepares them to participate in decision-making spaces with confidence.
Rise for Impact supports participants to design, deliver, and strengthen programs, initiatives, and projects that respond to community needs.
Rise to Organize supports participants to learn how communities build collective action, organize around shared issues, and work toward systems-level change.
While the streams focus on different skills and contexts, all participants benefit from shared learning, mentorship, and connection to Fora’s broader network.
-
Rise is open to young women and gender-marginalized youth ages 18-29 who are interested in leadership, career development, and creating change.
Eligibility does not differ significantly between streams. Participants do not need prior experience in governance, social impact, or organizing to apply. Each pathway is designed to meet participants where they are, whether they are early in their careers or exploring new leadership spaces.
-
No. Prior leadership, board, or organizing experience is not required.
Our Rise programming is intentionally designed for participants who may not have had access to these spaces before. Curiosity, commitment, and a willingness to learn are far more important than previous experience.
-
Our Rise programming includes:
Live, interactive training sessions
Cohort-based learning with peers
Mentorship and coaching
Applied learning opportunities connected to real-world contexts
The program is designed to balance structured learning with flexibility, recognizing that participants are balancing school, work, caregiving, and other commitments.
-
Time commitments vary by stream and cohort, but Rise is designed to be manageable and clearly communicated in advance.
Participants can expect a combination of scheduled sessions and independent or applied learning. Fora works to ensure expectations are transparent and respectful of participants’ time.
-
Rise is a career and leadership development program, not a paid position. Participants do not receive compensation.
-
Yes. Rise is part of Fora’s global network and welcomes participants from any country and region.
This year, Rise will focus on the Governance stream (Rise on Boards) — open to participants globally. While training is grounded in the Canadian non-profit governance context, the tools, frameworks, and practices shared are designed to be adaptable across different regions and systems. Participants will explore governance structures, decision-making processes, and accountability systems through both global and local lenses.
-
After completing Rise, participants become part of Fora’s broader leadership network.
This includes:
Ongoing learning opportunities
Mentorship and alumni engagement
Connections to boards, initiatives, and advocacy efforts
Continued leadership development pathways within Fora
While outcomes vary by individual, Rise is designed to support long-term leadership and career growth.