Summit for Creative Community Solutions

Call for Submissions! Be a Part of Summit 2026

The third Summit for Creative Community Solutions, hosted by the Laurier Hub for Community Solutions, will take place on November 4-5, 2026. This year’s theme, Making Change Together: From Small Projects to Big Possibilities Through Community-University Partnership, will highlight and celebrate partnerships at any stage, from early conversations and new ideas, to ongoing projects and established collaborations, to completed work and the changes that have grown from it.

We invite presentations, roundtables, panel discussions, and posters that celebrate partnerships between communities and universities.

We welcome submissions from individuals and groups involved in community-focused work, including Indigenous communities and organizations, non-profit and charitable organizations, NGOs, community groups, startups and social enterprises, municipal and other levels of government, academic institutions, and others working to address community needs or create positive change.

Students and early-career researchers are also strongly encouraged to submit presentations and posters.

We take a broad view of what constitutes a community. A community may be connected by geography, culture, identity, profession, shared experience, common interests, or a particular issue or goal. We are interested in partnerships of all sizes and across all fields and disciplines.

Please submit proposals through our online submission portal. Submissions should include a title, a short abstract of up to 200 words, the preferred presentation format, and contact information for the presenter or presenting group.

The deadline for submissions is October 4th 2026. Applicants will be notified of decisions no later than October 10, 2026.

About Summit 2026

The Summit on Creative Community Solutions is an annual event hosted and organized by Laurier’s Hub for Community Solutions. The Summit highlights meaningful partnerships between communities and universities across a wide range of fields, disciplines, and areas of practice.

The 2026 Summit also marks the fifth anniversary of the Hub for Community Solutions and provides an opportunity to celebrate what has been accomplished while creating new connections for the future.

In addition to presentations, the Summit will include a range of interactive sessions designed to help community members, students, early-career researchers, and organizations build knowledge, develop practical skills, and create new partnerships. These will include:

• Workshops offering practical training on topics such as grant writing and long-term funding, community outreach and engagement, and non-profit leadership and governance.
• Roundtable and plenary discussions that bring community and university participants together to identify emerging needs and shape future research and collaboration.
• Networking and engagement opportunities to meet potential partners and employers, build new collaborations, and co-create solutions to community challenges.
• Poster sessions that allow students, researchers, and community partners to share work in progress, research findings, program ideas, or completed projects and receive feedback from a broad community audience.

The Summit will be held November 4 and 5, 2026, at the Best Western Hotel and Conference Centre in Brantford, Ontario.

There is no registration fee, and you do not need to present to take part. Attendance is welcome and encouraged for those who are not presenting. We warmly encourage community members, students, practitioners, and others interested in community-university partnerships to attend, connect, and join the conversation. Travel subsidies will also be available for students and others who may need financial support to participate. Please register using this form.

We look forward to seeing you at Summit 2026!

Questions? Email us at communityhub@wlu.ca

Previous Years