NPC Ignites 2025 – Full programme

NPC Ignites 2025 is set to be another fantastic year, hearing from leading industry figures on how we can grow and strengthen the impact economy.   

On 18 November, we’ll meet in-person to kick off proceedings with our CEO, Jonathan Simmons on NPC’s plan to grow and strength the impact economy. Followed by a discussion on the different types of funding models; speakers include Kieron Boyle, CEO, 100x Impact, Gemma Peters, CEO, Macmillan and Kate Symondson, Head of Philanthropy, The Symondson Foundation. After that we will interview Tom Ilube, Chair of The King’s Trust on AI, and have a debate on 4 ways to improve your impact with Nick Pontefract from Sport England and Joshua Meek from Unity Trust Bank.

In the afternoon we’ll bring you a keynote presentation from Polly Neate, former CEO at Shelter, followed by sessions on reporting impact: from principal to practice. And we’ll learn how charities are being built differently with Joe Ryrie, Co-founder & Director, Smartphone free Childhood.

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All times given are Greenwich Mean Time. More speakers to be confirmed.

10am: Welcome and introductions by our chair  

Our chair for the day, Alex Hayes, Director, NPC welcomes delegates and sets the tone for a day of bold ideas, practical insights, and collective ambition for the impact economy. 

10.10am: NPC’s vision for strengthening and growing the impact economy 

Jonathan Simmons, NPC’s new CEO, shares a fresh strategy to strengthen and grow the impact economy—and why mapping it is key to unlocking collaboration, innovation, and scale. 

10.30am: Funding that fuels impact 

Explore funding models that challenge convention and accelerate change. Hear from leaders who are rethinking how money flows to where it matters most. 

• Professor Kieron Boyle, LSE and 100ximpact  

• Gemma Peters, CEO, Macmillan  

• Kate Symondson, Head of Philanthropy, The Symondson Foundation 

• Chaired by Jonathan Simmons 

11.15am: Break and networking 

Grab a brew, visit our stalls, and connect with fellow changemakers. Reflect on the morning’s ideas and spark new ones. 

11.35am: AI in Action: Lessons from the King’s Trust 

Tom Ilube, Chair at The King’s Trust, shares how they’re harnessing AI both operationally and to drive impact—and what others can learn from their journey. 

11.55am: Four ways to improve your impact 

Four speakers. Four proven techniques. Walk away with practical tools to sharpen your impact—from theory of change to dashboards, collaboration, and lived experience. 

• When Unity Trust Bank developed its theory of change, it didn’t stop there. Responding to customer demand for clearer guidance, they built the Unity Impact Toolkit. Hear how a strong theory of change can improve your impact.  

Joshua Meek, Head of Impact, Unity Trust Bank  

• Sport England’s 10-year strategy, Uniting the Movement, is a bold commitment to systemic change. With over 130 partners nationwide, they’re proving that collaboration isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. Learn how to build coalitions that drive lasting impact.  

Nick Pontefract, Chief Strategy Officer, Sport England 

• Impact dashboards can be game-changing—if you know how to use them. They help you track progress, spot gaps, and tell your story with confidence. But they can be daunting to set up. Hear practical tips from those who’ve made dashboards work—and how you can too. 

• Environmental change affects us all — but not equally. Everyone’s Environment: Voices is amplifying the perspectives of those most impacted, and the charities that support them, to shape public debate and policy. Discover how centring lived experience can make your impact more inclusive, authentic, and powerful.  

1pm: Lunch and networking 

Enjoy lunch and connect with speakers and delegates. Ask questions, share ideas, and explore new collaborations. 

2pm: Working in the open 

Tris Lumley, Director, NPC and Hera Hussain, Chayn, explores the benefits and how you can work in the open through sharing your strategies, programmes, knowledge and learning.  

2:20pm: Reflections on the impact economy 

Polly Neate former CEO at Shelter, shares her reflections on the impact economy—what’s working, what’s broken, and what’s next.   

2.50pm: Turning impact into insight: Reporting that matters  

With new SORP guidance on the horizon, NPC’s COO Sarah Broad and expert finance and impact colleagues will explore how to report impact with clarity, confidence, and credibility  

3.30pm: Break and final refreshments 

Your last chance to visit stalls, meet speakers, and make connections that last beyond the day. 

3.50pm: From viral message to movement: Starting a charity today 

Joe Ryrie shares the story of Smartphone Free Childhood—from WhatsApp message to national movement. What can we learn from this new wave of grassroots movements? What is it like setting up a charity today? How are they being built differently?  

4:10pm:  Policy powered by impact 

A government perspective on how the impact economy is shaping better policy — and how collaboration across sectors can drive systemic change. 

4.30pm:  Closing keynote 

We end the day with a powerful call to action. Be inspired. Be ambitious. Be part of the change. 

5pm: Close