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, advocacy, 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
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.
1500+
Young Leaders trained since 2009
350+
Youth served annually
228
Young Leaders placed on governance boards
5850+
training hours delivered annually
“Beyond transforming the lives of a cohort of emerging leaders, Fora is actively shaping the future by investing in and positioning a generation of capable young women who are ready to answer the call of leadership and drive meaningful change from the boardroom.
Thank you for caring about nurturing the growth of young people.”
Shara Thomas
Rise on Boards, Cohort 7
Partnering Boards
Check out the previous and current boards that our program participants have been placed on through our governance stream.
SOCIAL IMPACT STREAM [2027]
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.
ADVOCACY STREAM
Rise to Organize [Coming Soon]
Our advocacy training equips young leaders with the tools and skills to enhance their advocacy efforts, transforming their capacity to challenge barriers and drive systemic change.
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
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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:
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 our 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
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