Community Foundations for Civic Health Annual Summit
September 9 - September 10
Summit Details
📅 When: September 9 at 9 a.m. Eastern – September 10 at 2 p.m. Eastern, 2026 (with an evening welcome reception on September 8 from 6 – 8 p.m. Eastern)
📍 Where: Wilmington, Delaware (easily accessible through Philadelphia International Airport)
👥 Who Should Attend: Community foundation CEOs, staff, and board members
🏡 Hotel Information: Hotel Du Pont | Book HERE | Booking closes August 16
💰 Stipend Availability: CFLeads has a limited number of stipends available for community foundations with financial need. Please follow the registration for more information.
Community foundations play a critical role in strengthening civic health—helping communities build trust, foster engagement, and work across differences to address shared challenges. The Community Foundations for Civic Health initiative supports this work by equipping leaders with the tools, strategies, and peer connections needed to drive impact.
This September, in partnership with the Delaware Community Foundation, the 2026 Civic Health Summit will bring together community foundation CEOs, staff, and board members from across the country to deepen this work and accelerate progress.
Building on the strong engagement from 2025 – where leaders from 45 states came together with a shared commitment to civic health – the Summit will focus on:
- Sharing practical, field-tested approaches
- Strengthening peer connections across communities
- Advancing implementation and local strategies
Together, participants will explore how community foundations can contribute to stronger, more connected communities and achieve local impact at a national scale.
Travel & Accommodations
🏡 Hotel Information: Hotel Du Pont | Book HERE |Booking closes August 16
✈️ Travel Details: Attendees traveling by air can fly into Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), which is approximately 25 miles from Wilmington and about a 30–40 minute drive to Hotel Du Pont. For those traveling by train, Wilmington is served by both Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela service. You can book your trip to Wilmington Station (WIL), which is located just a 20-minute walk or 4-minute drive from Hotel Du Pont. Taxis and rideshare services are readily available from both the airport and train station.
Speakers
Field Partners:
- Gabriella Abrego, Program Officer, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
- Marselle Alexander-Ozinskas, Program Officer, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
- Shamichael Hallman, Director of Civic Health and Economic Opportunity, Urban Libraries Council
- Molly Hilligoss, Senior Director of People & Culture, Welcoming America
- Fred Duong, Ph.D., Senior Research Manager, More in Common
- Elizabeth Crews, Acting Co-Executive Director, Participatory Budgeting Project
- Cristin Brawner,Executive Director, National Issues Forums Institute
- Kat Calvin, Founder and Executive Director, Spread The Vote + Project ID
- Wendy E. F. Torrance, Director, Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Council on Foundations
- Christina Jodice, Director of Strategy & Partnerships, Trust for Civic Life
- Shannon Green, President & CEO, Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement (PACE)
- Arthur Combs, Ph.D., Principal Consultant, OE Consulting
- Tavan Pechet, Founder and Principal, Pechet Advisors
- Lourdes Aceves, Director for Health & Wellbeing in the Center for Municipal Strategies and Programs, National League of Cities
- Elizabeth Clay Roy, CEO Generation Citizen
- Ryan M. Eller, Executive Director, Appalachia Funders Network
- Mary L. Thomas, President & CEO, CFLeads
Community Foundations:
- Stu Comstock Gay, President & CEO, Delaware Community Foundation
- David Cicilline, President & CEO, Rhode Island Foundation
- Kate Dupont Phillips, Executive Director, Healthy Communities Delaware, Delaware Community Foundation
- Micah Salkind, Director, Civic and Cultural Life, Rhode Island Foundation
- Mindie Reule, President & CEO, Community Foundation of South Puget Sound
- Betsy Constantine, President and CEO, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Cara Matteliano, Vice President, Community Impact, Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
- Tara Weese, Project Manager, Grassroots Leadership Institute, Spartanburg County Foundation
- Jason Medina, Executive Director, Community Foundation of the San Luis Valley
- Erik Peterson, Founder & President, Bending the Arc Strategies
- Justin Moen, Rural Democracy Network Coordinator, West Central Initiative
What is Community Foundations for Civic Health?
Community Foundations for Civic Health (CFCH) is a national initiative led by CFLeads, Rhode Island Foundation, and the National Civic League. The initiative supports community foundations in confidently advancing civic health by leveraging community leadership, designing their own civic health strategies or plans, and engaging in shared problem-solving and peer learning.
“Civic health” describes all the ways people make decisions, solve problems, and build community together. It depends on two things: the civic readiness of individuals — their knowledge, skills, and connections — and the civic opportunities that communities provide to help people develop and apply those skills. Community foundations play a unique role in supporting these efforts by convening partners, investing in civic infrastructure, and amplifying community leadership.
