Hello fellow Giving Institute members,

As we reach the mid-point of our Giving Institute year, momentum is building across several fronts.

Our next five-year strategic planning process is now in full swing, and our Strategic Planning Committee has been moving ahead with incredible energy and focus. A huge thank you to this committed group of members: Lee Ernst (Chair), Gabe Cooper, Susannah Darrow, Laura Hutyra, Ben Miller, Chad Paris, Kate Roosevelt, Dr. Roderick Smothers and Craig Shelley, with guidance and insights from Dr. Chance. Your time, thoughtfulness, and care for the future of our Institute are deeply appreciated.

Equally essential to this work is the input of all members. All members will already have received the email with a link to our member survey, and I encourage everyone to please take a few moments to complete it as soon as possible. Your perspectives will directly inform the insights we explore and the strategic pillars that begin to take shape when we are together in March.

Speaking of March, anticipation is building for our Spring meeting in Charlotte, NC on March 4-5. Our theme – Navigating Change with Trust and Impact – could not be more timely. Our time together in Charlotte will include separate panel discussions led by Megan Simmons and Gail Perry, each tackling the theme from different and complementary angles; a new networking opportunity led by Susannah Darrow and Dr. Chance; a keynote by a local nonprofit leader (details nearly finalized, stay tuned!); and an evening social event at Cicchetti, a wine bar in Uptown Charlotte just a short walk from our hotel. Special thanks to meeting Co-Chairs Kate Kramer and Gail Perry for shaping what promises to be a terrific gathering, can’t wait!

Plans are also taking shape quickly for the 2026 Summer Symposium in Kansas City, MO, and the key building blocks are now firmly in place for an outstanding event. As previously shared, we will gather in Kansas City, MO, with arrivals beginning July 13 and the core conference program taking place July 14–15, followed by Board meetings on the morning of July 16. We’ll be hosted at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown, and I’m especially excited to share that our feature evening event will take place at the National WWI Museum, a truly special venue. Our Symposium Co-Chairs, Janell Johnson and Erik Tomalis, are now actively building their planning committee, and I encourage anyone interested in getting involved to reach out! Registration and hotel links will be shared as soon as they are available.

On another front, there is an important Membership Committee leadership update to share – I am pleased to note that Brantley Boyett has agreed to join Carla Willis as Co-Chair of the Membership Committee. Brantley has great knowledge of the ecosystem of people and firms in our space, and will be a huge asset here. Thank you, Brantley!

Finally, and perhaps most importantly (ha!) – by the time we are together in March, the Olympics will be complete, and we will know where things have landed in the Canada–U.S. men’s and women’s hockey rivalries. I expect that this will give us something extra to talk about in between sessions.

I look forward to continuing our work together and to seeing everyone very soon in Charlotte!

Regards,

PK