Philanthropy Southwest's 78th Annual Conference

Save-the-date for the premier funder learning event in the Southwest to celebrate 78 years of regional impact and look to our future together!

October 25-29, 2026
Tucson, AZ

This year’s theme is Shared Horizons. Philanthropy Southwest is an organization born out of a desire to connect and drive impact in our region - knowing we can do more together than we can individually. At the heart of our Annual Conference is the belief that the most impactful learning is driven by the collective knowledge and expertise of our members.

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The Call for Sessions portal is now OPEN. 

Please submit your proposal on or before the submission deadline of February 27, 2026 at midnight (11:59pm CST)

Click here to submit a session proposal.

PSW and the 2026 Annual Conference Committee aim to curate a conference agenda that promotes best (and next) practices, sector expertise, and content that shapes the future of philanthropy.

To support this goal, we review proposals from:

• Philanthropic foundations and grantmaking organizations (either PSW member or non-member funders serving the Southwest region)
• Nonprofits with established grantmaking partners
• Service providers and subject matter experts within the philanthropic sector 

Through this premier learning experience, Southwest grantmakers will convene to exchange insights, learn from one another, and explore the following themes:

• Data, Evaluation, and Learning

• Emerging Trends in Philanthropy

• Finance, Governance, and Law

• Grantmaking Best Practices and Foundation Strategy

• Innovation and Technology

• Leadership and Talent Development

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Before You Submit: What to Have Ready

Please review the checklist below and gather the required information before starting your submission.

Presenter & Organization Details

•  ^{Your organization’s Philanthropy Southwest membership status (not required to be a member)}
•  ^{Whether you have previously presented with Philanthropy Southwest}
•  ^{Names, organizations, and email addresses for any additional presenters}

Session Basics

•  ^{A clear and compelling session title}
•  ^{An overall theme (from the list above)}
•  ^{One primary topic (required)}
•  ^{A secondary topic (optional)}

Session Background

•  ^{Whether this session has been presented to an audience previously. If yes, whether it counted for continuing education credit (CLE, CPE, or CFP)}
•  ^{Whether the session was curated in collaboration with a PSW staff member or a 2026 Annual Conference Committee member}

Session Content & Learning Design

•  ^{A concise session description}
•  ^{1–3 primary learning objectives for attendees}
•  ^{Presentation format (e.g., panel, workshop, facilitated discussion)}
• ^{Estimated presentation length}
•  ^{Any planned interactive components for attendee engagement}
• _{How your session will incorporate diverse perspectives across foundation types, geographies, funding areas, & individual lived experiences and foster an inclusive and accessible learning environment for attendees.}

Audience Alignment

•  _{Types of foundations that would benefit most from attending (private, family, community, corporate, etc.)}
•  _{Ideal audience, identified by organizational role and/or title}

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Questions?

Please contact Brittany Huber, Senior Director of Learning, at bhuber@philanthropysouthwest.org if you have any questions about this year's conference or the session proposal submission process.