Philanthropy Masterclass: Unlock the power of partnerships for transformational impact

9am 1st July – 4:30pm 2nd July, 2026

A transformational learning experience

Leaders and changemakers in philanthropy are invited to join an immersive two–day training course that will transform your approach to partnerships and unlock your foundation’s collaborative advantage. This masterclass will give you the strategies, stories and connections you need to use multi-sector partnerships to drive transformational impact.

Unlock the power of partnerships for transformational impact

In our complex world, leveraging the power of partnership is essential. Traditional grant-making by individual organisations cannot meet the scale and complexity of today’s challenges. This masterclass will give you the practical tools you need to take partnerships to the next level and create space for you to think deeply about change. You will be challenged, inspired and equipped to deliver deep, strategic, systemic change through collaboration.

Unleash your collaborative advantage

Philanthropic foundations can spark bold collaboration, unite diverse stakeholders, and champion innovation where others may hesitate. They can build transformative partnerships that bring together philanthropy, civil society, government, investors and business harness to harness the power of multi-sector collaboration. Whether that’s in accelerating the transition to renewable energy, strengthening health systems, building inclusive economies, or safeguarding democratic spaces—multi-sector partnerships are key to a sustainable and regenerative future.

By developing your capacity to invest in collaborative approaches, your foundation can amplify the impact of every grant, foster resilient cross-sector relationships, and create sustainable change.

Why choose this course?

This masterclass – co-hosted by Stiftung Mercator Schweiz – brings together the philanthropy expertise of Philea and WINGS with the proven partnering methodologies of The Partnering Initiative (TPI) — global pioneers in the art and science of collaboration.

The course blends cutting-edge systems thinking with bespoke strategies and frameworks for philanthropy in multi-sector partnerships, as well as hands-on approaches you can apply to amplify your foundation’s mission.

Key benefits:

Discover practical tools to design and lead effective multi-sector partnerships
Gain insight from diverse real-world case studies
Learn cutting-edge partnering frameworks for philanthropy’s unique context
Take inspiration from leading voices in collaboration and philanthropy
Apply strategies to your current projects and goals
Build your network of philanthropic leaders and changemakers

“The team at TPI understand deeply the fundamental building blocks of partnering[…] Their analysis and insights are very practical and will enable us to take a robust approach and make it more effective still.” – Z Zurich Foundation

What you'll study

Through two days of highly interactive, experiential training you will explore:

Your catalytic potential: Learn about the power of multi-sectoral collaboration to deliver transformation and the six essential roles foundations can play to make it happen

Partnering horizons: Build your foundation’s capacity to collaborate effectively with businesses, governments, and investors by deepening your understanding of motivations and mindsets. Learn how potential partners work, the value they bring, and how to work with them.

Partnership fundamentals: Master the essential building blocks of effective partnerships so you spend less time on frustration and fire-fighting and more time delivering transformational impact.

Organisational readiness: Learn what it takes to get your foundation ‘Fit for Partnering’ and how to overcome internal challenges to shift your entire organisation towards transformational collaboration.

Peer learning: Take the unique opportunity to share and problem solve with philanthropic changemakers with an intimate network of peers facing the same set of challenges.

Who should attend?

This masterclass is for philanthropy professionals in grant-making foundations who are actively building and managing partnerships as well as those supporting their organisation to build their partnering practice. This includes:

Partnership directors and heads of partnership units
Programme managers, portfolio managers, initiative leads
Collaboration leads
Programme officers working on multi-sector partnerships

Whether you’re just beginning to explore collaborative approaches or already leading complex, multi-sector partnerships, this course will deepen your expertise, sharpen your strategic thinking, and expand your toolkit for driving systemic change through effective collaboration.

A flagship training course from the Transform initiative

The masterclass is part of Transform, an initiative led by The Partnering Initiative (TPI), WINGS, and Philea. Transform is designed to empower foundations to become catalytic partners in transformational development. The initiative brings together TPI’s 20+ years of expertise in partnering, WINGS’ global philanthropy network spanning 58 countries, and Philea’s European foundation ecosystem of over 9,000 organisations. Together with philanthropic organisations we are embedding the mindset, tools, and institutional capabilities to lead cross-sector partnerships as a route to deep, systemic change.

The masterclass is the first in an evolving series that will deepen knowledge and expand practice in key areas of multi-sector collaboration. Future masterclasses will cover partnering strategy, working effectively with diversity, negotiation and facilitation, partnership monitoring and evaluation, and innovative finance. These training courses are a valuable additional to the professional development pathway of every philanthropy professional.

Ready to transform your impact?

Investment: €1500 (€1200 for WINGS & Philea members)

Includes:

Two-day intensive, learning programme
All learning materials
Two lunches and a fondue dinner at the idyllic Kartause Ittingen
Suggested arrival on the evening of June 30th

Accommodation and travel is not included.

A limited number of partial bursaries are available to support the costs of participation. If you would like to participate, but do not feel able to cover the full cost of the programme, please contact: melissa.porteous@tpiglobal.org

Venue & accommodation

Venue

Set within the historic walls of Kartause Ittingen, an 800–year–old monastery, 30 minutes travel from Zurich, in Switzerland’s beautiful Thurgau region. This unique venue combines monastic tranquillity with modern facilities, providing the perfect distraction-free environment for intensive learning and meaningful connections.

Accommodation

Staying on site allows you to fully step away from day-to-day distractions and immerse yourself in transformational learning. It creates valuable opportunities for deep knowledge exchange with fellow foundation leaders, informal networking, and ongoing conversations that continue well beyond the formal sessions.

Rooms are available to book at Kartause Ittingen: