John Palfrey

Investing in Hope: Philanthropy for What’s Next | Global Conference 2026

Melissa Stevens, Tonya Allen, John Palfrey, Maura Pally, Shamina Singh, Mark Suzman

Leading philanthropic executives from the Gates, MacArthur, and Mastercard foundations convened to redefine the sector's role in addressing poly-crises through active hope, strategic spending acceleration, and the integration of inclusive technology. Key initiatives such as the "Unite in Advance" coalition and the Gates Foundation's 2045 spend-down timeline underscore a collective shift toward deploying free capital for systemic change rather than transactional impact. The panel concluded that restoring public trust requires a fundamental cultural transition from reactive fixing to proactive community building, emphasizing collaboration over competition to solve complex challenges like AI displacement and racial wealth gaps.