“We can’t deeply collaborate, if we don’t start doing things together.” – Participant, Policy Talk 2023
Why This Event Matters
Since its launch in 2024, the Big Picture has become a space for nonprofit leaders, community advocates, and residents to come together with policymakers and share solutions to the challenges we all face in London and Middlesex region.
This year's Big Picture arrives at a pivotal moment. With London's municipal election on October 26 and a new four-year Council term ahead, the community and the nonprofit sector have a real opportunity to shape how we work together to get the outcomes we want.
The Big Picture 2026 also gives you the chance to network with peers across the sector and exchange ideas on shared priorities. Municipal candidates in London have been invited to attend and connect with guests informally, this isn’t a formal speaking program, but a chance to mingle with those running in your community.
Participants will leave with a clearer sense of how to use their individual and collective voice to influence decisions at the municipal level. For the municipal candidates and politicians joining us, it's a chance to better understand what the sector and the community is navigating right now, and how they can be stronger partners to it.
Why Focus on the Next Four Years?
Municipal elections are often treated as a finish line. This year, we're treating October 26 as a starting point instead.
The Big Picture 2026 will explore what comes after the ballot box - how nonprofits, community organizations, and residents can stay engaged and influence decisions throughout the entire four-year Council term, not just during election season. Together, we'll dig into questions like:
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What does meaningful civic engagement look like beyond voting?
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How do we position ourselves as a community to achieve the outcomes we want?
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How can the nonprofit sector and community partners influence Council decisions all four years, not just at election time?
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What does genuine reciprocity look like between community members, nonprofits, elected officials, and municipal government, and how do we build stronger, more accountable relationships?
This event brings together nonprofits, community builders, public institutions, elected officials, and funders to explore what collective action and long-term civic participation can look like in London.
What to Expect
The morning is built around three moments: a data-driven look at what's at stake, a candid conversation about relationship-building, and hands-on dialogue among attendees.
London at the Starting Line: What Is at Stake for the Next Four Years? A data-driven presentation on the pressures facing London ahead of the election - civic participation trends, sector challenges, and what the next Council term could mean for the city.
Building a Stronger Civic Relationship Beyond Election Day A panel discussion with a former municipal politician, a senior civic staff member, and a nonprofit leader, digging into what this election means and how we build civic relationships that outlast it.
Facilitated Table Discussions: Shaping the Next Four Years Small-group conversations where every attendee has a voice - surfacing the issues shaping the next Council term, what meaningful civic engagement beyond the election could look like, and what our sector and communities need most right now.
Report Back & Closing Reflection A summary of what emerged from the table discussions, with a live graphic capture of the morning's ideas - building toward a shared record of London's civic agenda for the next four years.
Who Should Attend
The Big Picture is for everyone: nonprofit staff and leaders, community members and advocates, researchers, board members, elected officials, municipal candidates, and city staff.
We're expecting 100+ people across roles, identities, and sectors, a chance to break down silos, share knowledge and resources, and strengthen our collective commitment to change.
Doors open at 8:30 am, and the event begins at 9 am.
This event is hosted by Pillar Nonprofit Network
and generously sponsored by