NationSwell: Events

Pharma Social Impact Leaders Braintrust 2026
2026-02-25 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Pharma Social Impact Leaders Braintrust 2026

BraintrustWednesday, February 25, 20263:00pm – 4:00pm ET

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Last year, we brought together social impact leaders from top pharmaceutical and biopharma companies to explore the unique challenges and opportunities shaping the industry.
This year Rashad Burgess, head of Corporate Responsibility at Gilead, and NationSwell are reconvening this group to explore the most pressing needs attendees are facing in navigating the changing internal and external environments, and identify commonalities through the conversation that we can address through action afterwards.
Note: this conversation is distinct from ongoing discussions in the Health Action Collaborative, as it is focused on the leadership experience and context vs. issue area advancement.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

100 Years of Black History Month: Honoring the Black Leaders Who Shape Us
2026-02-26 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
100 Years of Black History Month: Honoring the Black Leaders Who Shape Us

Virtual RoundtableThursday, February 26, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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This year marks a century since the first observance of what would become Black History Month—a milestone that invites us to honor the Black leaders, communities, and institutions that have shaped our lives and our work.
Join NationSwell and fellow leaders for a participatory roundtable that centers Black history and Black leadership in all the ways they show up: ancestors and elders, mentors and managers, artists and organizers, hometown institutions, and everyday examples of courage and care. A few featured participants will open with personal stories about who formed them, and then we’ll open the floor for shared reflection and conversation.
We warmly encourage members and partners to come ready to lift up Black mentors, colleagues, or community leaders who have inspired their own journey.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Building Good Governance to Power Collective Impact
2026-03-05 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Building Good Governance to Power Collective Impact

Virtual RoundtableThursday, March 5, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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Collaboration is only as strong as the structure behind it. When priorities shift, leadership changes, or tough tradeoffs arise, collective impact efforts can be put at risk unless stabilized by good governance. The initiatives that endure look different. They build governance systems that clarify roles, set decision rules, distribute authority, and manage accountability with discipline.
In this session, NationSwell will bring together impact leaders from business, philanthropy, and nonprofits to dig into what “best-in-class governance” actually looks like in cross-sector collaboration today. We’ll explore how to:

Establish rules of engagement that prevent drift and power imbalance
Balance inclusivity with timely, decisive action
Create accountability mechanisms that don’t slow everything down
Ensure continuity as leadership, funding, and political winds change

To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Signature Dinner on A Well-Lived Life in Seattle
2026-03-05 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Signature Dinner on A Well-Lived Life in Seattle

Thursday, March 5, 2026
6:00–9:00 PM PT
Seattle

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Each year, we begin anew — taking stock of what’s behind us and setting our gaze toward what’s ahead. The start of 2026 invites us to pause and reflect: What does it mean to live a well-lived life now — in a world defined by constant change, challenge, and possibility?
As leaders, many of us are navigating full lives and full plates — balancing the call to do good with the need to be well. This year’s Signature Dinner series offers space to reconnect with purpose, to share the practices and perspectives that sustain us, and to learn from the lived wisdom of peers who are striving, like you, to live intentionally and lead authentically.
Together, we’ll explore the habits, boundaries, and mindsets that allow us to thrive — as professionals, partners, parents, friends, and citizens. We’ll reflect on what gives life meaning, how we stay grounded amid complexity, and how we might define success not just by what we do, but by who we become.
Our hope is that this evening helps you pause, connect, and fill your cup — leaving replenished, inspired, and fortified by the wisdom and generosity of spirit that define this extraordinary community.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Resiliency and Innovation in Nonprofit Leadership
2026-03-10 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Resiliency and Innovation in Nonprofit Leadership

Virtual RoundtableTuesday, March 10, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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A year after federal funding cuts, the dismantling of USAID, and politicized targeting of organizations advancing equity and justice, many nonprofits have been forced to adapt—revisiting their models, rethinking partnerships, and finding new ways to sustain mission-critical work amid heightened uncertainty.
Join NationSwell and fellow nonprofit leaders for an honest, forward-looking discussion on what resiliency and innovation look like now. Together, we’ll explore how organizations are evolving to protect their missions, secure new sources of support, and design fresh solutions to address the widening gaps in funding and services left in the wake of these shifts.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Salon on Workforce Innovation for a Changing World in Washington DC
2026-03-11 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Salon on Workforce Innovation for a Changing World in Washington DC

Wednesday, March 11, 20266:00–9:00 PM ETSalon

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We’re living through one of the most profound shifts in the history of work. Technology is transforming not only how we work, but how we think about it – creating new roles, redefining old ones, and reshaping how we understand success, purpose, and identity.
Meeting this moment requires grappling with hard questions: What will the jobs of the future be? How are we teaching, training, and upskilling learners of all ages — from K–12 to lifelong professionals? And perhaps most importantly, what makes a job worth having, or even work worth doing?
Join NationSwell for a conversation with leaders across sectors on how we can prepare a workforce that thrives amid uncertainty, one that values both productivity and purpose, where innovation expands opportunity and meaningful work is a shared priority.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Resiliency and Innovation in Philanthropy
2026-03-17 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Resiliency and Innovation in Philanthropy

Virtual RoundtableTuesday, March 17, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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A year after sweeping federal funding cuts and mounting political pressure on equity- and justice-focused work, many funders are reexamining how to stay effective and principled in an increasingly constrained and polarized environment—while also stepping up to fill the void left by government withdrawal.
Join NationSwell and fellow philanthropic leaders for a candid conversation on the future of resilient, adaptive philanthropy. We’ll explore how funders are retooling their strategies, embracing new approaches to partnership and capital deployment, and designing innovative responses to ensure critical work continues—and flourishes—despite the headwinds.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Beyond the Map: Rethinking How We Invest in Rural Communities
2026-03-19 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York)
Beyond the Map: Rethinking How We Invest in Rural Communities

Virtual RoundtableThursday, March 19, 202612:00pm – 1:00pm ET

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Rural communities across the U.S. are too often framed by what they lack — rather than by the deep assets, leadership, and innovation they already hold. Yet rural places face persistent gaps in philanthropic investment, infrastructure, and long-term capital, even as they are critical to the nation’s economic, cultural, and civic future
In this virtual convening, NationSwell, the Walton Family Foundation, and Delta Philanthropy Forum will explore what effective, community-centered rural investment actually looks like in practice. Drawing on insights from the Mississippi-Arkansas Delta — a region that reflects both the challenges and the promise of rural America — we’ll highlight how place-based strategies rooted in trust, listening, and long-term commitment can unlock opportunity.
Through dialogue with funders and community leaders, participants will examine how to align capital with local priorities, rethink scale in rural contexts, and invest in ways that strengthen workforce pathways, economic mobility, and community resilience. Attendees will leave with concrete principles and questions to guide smarter, more impactful rural investment — informed by real lessons from the Delta and beyond.
Speakers:
• Robert Burns, Director of the Home Region Program at the Walton Family Foundation• Sherra Bennett, Equity Officer at the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation• Justin Burch, President, Delta Compass

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Signature Dinner on A Well-Lived Life in New York City
2026-03-19 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Signature Dinner on A Well-Lived Life in New York City

Thursday, March 19, 20266:00–9:00 PM ETNew York City

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Each year, we begin anew — taking stock of what’s behind us and setting our gaze toward what’s ahead. The start of 2026 invites us to pause and reflect: What does it mean to live a well-lived life now — in a world defined by constant change, challenge, and possibility?
As leaders, many of us are navigating full lives and full plates — balancing the call to do good with the need to be well. This year’s Signature Dinner series offers space to reconnect with purpose, to share the practices and perspectives that sustain us, and to learn from the lived wisdom of peers who are striving, like you, to live intentionally and lead authentically.
Together, we’ll explore the habits, boundaries, and mindsets that allow us to thrive — as professionals, partners, parents, friends, and citizens. We’ll reflect on what gives life meaning, how we stay grounded amid complexity, and how we might define success not just by what we do, but by who we become.
Our hope is that this evening helps you pause, connect, and fill your cup — leaving replenished, inspired, and fortified by the wisdom and generosity of spirit that define this extraordinary community.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Health in Action: Care Needs and Innovations in Rural Communities
2026-03-24 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Health in Action: Care Needs and Innovations in Rural Communities

Virtual RoundtableTuesday, March 24, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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Rural communities face some of the most persistent health challenges in the country—provider shortages, long travel distances for care, limited broadband, higher rates of chronic illness, and underfunded local health systems. Yet, across these same regions, practitioners, employers, health systems, nonprofits, and local leaders are piloting innovative approaches: mobile and telehealth models, community health workers, cross-sector care networks, and employer-backed wellness programs that meet people where they are.
NationSwell invites leaders from business, philanthropy, and community organizations to a discussion on what’s working on the ground—and what remains missing. We’ll examine real-world models, dig into the operational and financial barriers to scaling them, and identify opportunities for multi-sector collaboration that can create more reliable, equitable access to care.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

NationSwell Leadership Lunch: San Francisco
2026-03-25 12:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
NationSwell Leadership Lunch: San Francisco

Wednesday, March 25, 202612:00–2:00 PM PTSan Francisco, CA

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Join a curated group of senior leaders in San Francisco for an intimate leadership lunch focused on connection, collaboration, and innovation. Co-hosted by Aylin Oncel (Goodstack) and Jess Hyman (Atlassian), this gathering brings together leaders across technology, social impact, and sustainability who are navigating similar challenges and ambitions.
Over lunch, we will explore how leaders are navigating change, connection, and collaboration in their organizations, and create space to share experiences and emerging ideas together. The conversation will be informal, interactive, and off the record—designed so that each guest leaves with new relationships, fresh perspectives, and inspiration to bring back to their work.

To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Workshop: NationSwell Big Ideas Session
2026-03-26 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Workshop: NationSwell Big Ideas Session

WorkshopThursday, March 26, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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Innovation starts with space to think boldly. The NationSwell Big Ideas Session is a facilitated workshop designed to help impact leaders step back from day-to-day constraints and imagine what’s possible. Through a guided design thinking framework, participants will explore fresh approaches to their most pressing challenges—and identify new opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and impact in the year ahead.
Come ready to think expansively, challenge assumptions, and leave with a new approach to blue sky thinking plus actionable insights to drive your next wave of big ideas.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

NationSwell Quarterly Connections - Q1
2026-03-30
NationSwell Quarterly Connections – Q1

Sign up by March 30th to be connected to a fellow NationSwell member. Learn more below.

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At NationSwell, we believe meaningful connection isn’t a “nice to have” – it’s essential. That’s why we’re continuing and expanding one of our most-loved initiatives: Quarterly Connections. This unique opt-in activity is designed to bring together our diverse community in a fun, easy, and engaging way.
Every quarter, we’ll invite you to connect one-on-one with a NationSwell community member. You can discuss prompts provided by us or simply share what’s on your mind and learn from each other.
In a world that can sometimes feel too carefully curated, Quarterly Connections offers you a chance to step out of your comfort zone and into a conversation that might spark new ideas, broaden your perspective, or even lead to unexpected collaborations.
Sign up by March 30th, and we will make your connection in early April via email. Happy Connecting!
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Events calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Salon on Innovations in Place-Based Social Impact in New York City
2026-04-01 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Salon on Innovations in Place-Based Social Impact in New York City

Wednesday, April 1, 20266:00–9:00 PM ETSalon

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Place-based impact is not a new idea. For decades, funders and civic leaders have invested in communities in pursuit of durable change. And yet, many past efforts fell short, shaped by top-down strategies, short-term funding cycles, and visions for communities that did not include the communities themselves.
Today, interest in place-based impact is resurging. With this renewed interest comes an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve learned and to ask sharper questions: How do we become better partners and co-learners with communities? How can philanthropy, business, government, and nonprofits work together to drive long-term, equitable impact? And how do we strengthen local ecosystems so decision-making is guided by leaders closest to the work?
Join NationSwell for a cross-sector conversation on innovation in place-based impact, exploring what it takes to center community leadership and build sustained partnerships that translate renewed interest into lasting change.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

The New Playbook for Impact Comms and Public Reporting
2026-04-07 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
The New Playbook for Impact Comms and Public Reporting

Virtual RoundtableTuesday, April 7, 20262:00pm – 3:00pm ET

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The standard playbook for corporate impact reports and public communications has been unsettled by shifting political pressures, cultural attitudes, attention scarcity, and the introduction of AI. Yet companies still need to explain what they stand for, show progress, and build credibility with employees, investors, and the public.
NationSwell invites senior impact, sustainability, and communications leaders to a conversation on how that work is changing. We’ll examine new norms for talking about, celebrating, and publicly reporting social and environmental impact—across annual reports and other channels—focusing on what’s working now and where the puck is going.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

NationSwell Leadership Lunch: New Haven
2026-04-08 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
NationSwell Leadership Lunch: New Haven

Wednesday, April 8, 202612:00–2:00 PM ETNew Haven, CT

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Amidst turbulence and disruption, the need to think big and act effectively around economic opportunity, financial well-being and wealth-building is so vital in meeting. Together, a wonderful group of senior impact leaders will share how they are thinking about this work, what they are doing to meet the moment, and for an open and generative exchange on the opportunity space ahead. We’ll explore both what’s happening in Connecticut – and what is needed at a national level.

To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Predicting the Future of Work: Using Data to Build More Inclusive Workforce Systems
2026-04-14 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Predicting the Future of Work: Using Data to Build More Inclusive Workforce Systems

Virtual RoundtableTuesday, April 14, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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As AI and automation accelerate change across the labor market, predictive analytics offer powerful tools to anticipate which jobs, skills, and communities face the greatest risk – and where new opportunities are emerging.
NationSwell invites leaders from across sectors to a conversation on how data-driven insights can inform equitable training pathways, smarter investments, and workforce systems that are more responsive, inclusive, and resilient – ensuring workers are prepared for what’s next.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Connection in Motion: An Evening of Purpose and Community in Vancouver
2026-04-15 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Vancouver)
Connection in Motion: An Evening of Purpose and Community in Vancouver

Wednesday, April 15, 20266:00–9:00 PM PTVancouver

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On April 15, NationSwell and Goodstack invite you to join Connection in Motion — an evening of meaningful exchange, authentic connection, and shared reflection among leaders shaping the next chapter of social impact and wellbeing.
Set against the backdrop of TED week in Vancouver, this intimate gathering brings together corporate impact and ESG leaders, community builders, and changemakers for a guided evening of conversation, discovery, and connection.

With lululemon helping us open the evening centering mindfulness and community, we’ll blend curiosity and camaraderie in a space designed for both reflection and joy — a reminder that connection itself can be an act of leadership.

Hosted by NationSwell and Goodstack, Connection in Motion offers the opportunity to recharge, collaborate, and imagine what’s possible when purpose meets practice and community leads the way.

To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

When and How AI Can Improve Grantmaking
2026-04-16 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
When and How AI Can Improve Grantmaking

Virtual RoundtableThursday, April 16, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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AI is moving fast—but grantmakers are rightly cautious. Funders are under pressure to move money more efficiently, learn faster, and support grantees better, all without adding risk, burden, or opacity to an already complex system. The question is no longer whether AI will touch grantmaking, but where it can actually add value—and where it shouldn’t.
NationSwell invites philanthropic and impact leaders to a conversation on the practical use of AI in grantmaking. We’ll focus on use cases—sourcing and diligence, application review, portfolio learning, reporting, and grantee support—while interrogating the tradeoffs around bias, transparency, data quality, and trust. The goal is a grounded exchange of ideas about when AI can meaningfully improve decisions and workflows, and how to adopt it in ways that strengthen, rather than undermine, equity, accountability, and relationships with grantees.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Signature Dinner on Imagination, Innovation, and Connection in Minneapolis
2026-04-16 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Chicago)
Signature Dinner on Imagination, Innovation, and Connection in Minneapolis

Thursday, April 16, 2026
6:00–9:00 PM CT
Minneapolis

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The first part of 2026 has introduced more volatility to an already unsteady world. For many impact leaders and their organizations, the turbulence brings additional risk and even greater fatigue. But it also creates a precious opportunity to get clear, to connect more deeply, and to take bigger swings at shaping what comes next. Moments like this often reward curiosity: the willingness to ask “what if?” and to imagine the possible.
At NationSwell’s Signature Dinner series, extraordinary leaders from across sectors will gather to reconnect with our sense of awe and wonder, to tap into our rich community, and to surface the most innovative and promising work happening in our field.
Together, we will explore the practices and approaches that allow us to lead with imagination and connection when conditions make both feel difficult to access. Our hope is that this evening provides you with meaningful space to lift up, fill your cup, and leave inspired to approach the challenges in front of us with renewed energy, creativity, and ambition.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Building a More Inclusive and Empowering Narrative Around Wealth
2026-04-23 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Building a More Inclusive and Empowering Narrative Around Wealth

Virtual RoundtableThursday, April 23, 20263:00pm – 4:00pm ET

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Across the impact field, efforts to advance economic mobility and inclusive growth are encountering friction with the language we use. Wealth is often understood narrowly as accumulation or privilege rather than as a practical foundation for stability, choice, and long-term opportunity. When the narrative is muddled or loaded, it becomes harder to build durable public support for policies and programs that expand economic power.
NationSwell invites leaders from philanthropy, business, and the social sector to a conversation on how the impact field can develop a clearer, more inclusive narrative and vocabulary around wealth. We’ll examine how words like ownership, assets, security, and opportunity are landing today, where they fall short, and how reframing can better support economic mobility and inclusive growth initiatives. The discussion will focus on what practitioners can do differently—in strategy, storytelling, and partnerships—to align language with outcomes and help normalize wealth-building as a legitimate, shared goal.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Signature Dinner on Imagination, Innovation, and Connection in San Francisco
2026-04-23 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Signature Dinner on Imagination, Innovation, and Connection in San Francisco

Thursday, April 23, 20266:00–9:00 PM PTSan Francisco

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The first part of 2026 has introduced more volatility to an already unsteady world. For many impact leaders and their organizations, the turbulence brings additional risk and even greater fatigue. But it also creates a precious opportunity to get clear, to connect more deeply, and to take bigger swings at shaping what comes next. Moments like this often reward curiosity: the willingness to ask “what if?” and to imagine the possible.
At NationSwell’s Signature Dinner series, extraordinary leaders from across sectors will gather to reconnect with our sense of awe and wonder, to tap into our rich community, and to surface the most innovative and promising work happening in our field.
Together, we will explore the practices and approaches that allow us to lead with imagination and connection when conditions make both feel difficult to access. Our hope is that this evening provides you with meaningful space to lift up, fill your cup, and leave inspired to approach the challenges in front of us with renewed energy, creativity, and ambition.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Signature Dinner on Imagination, Innovation, and Connection in Washington, DC
2026-04-29 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Signature Dinner on Imagination, Innovation, and Connection in Washington DC

Wednesday, April 29, 20266:00–9:00 PM ETWashington, DC

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About

The first part of 2026 has introduced more volatility to an already unsteady world. For many impact leaders and their organizations, the turbulence brings additional risk and even greater fatigue. But it also creates a precious opportunity to get clear, to connect more deeply, and to take bigger swings at shaping what comes next. Moments like this often reward curiosity: the willingness to ask “what if?” and to imagine the possible.
At NationSwell’s Signature Dinner series, extraordinary leaders from across sectors will gather to reconnect with our sense of awe and wonder, to tap into our rich community, and to surface the most innovative and promising work happening in our field.
Together, we will explore the practices and approaches that allow us to lead with imagination and connection when conditions make both feel difficult to access. Our hope is that this evening provides you with meaningful space to lift up, fill your cup, and leave inspired to approach the challenges in front of us with renewed energy, creativity, and ambition.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Salon on Innovations in Place-Based Social Impact in the Bay Area
2026-04-29 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Salon on Innovations in Place-Based Social Impact in the Bay Area

Wednesday, April 29, 20266:00–9:00 PM PTSalon

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What does it really mean to create lasting impact that’s rooted in place?
Join us for an engaging conversation about what it takes to empower local leaders, lift up community assets, and design solutions that reflect local realities.
In conversation with Deloitte’s Yes Cities team as a live example, we’ll look at how philanthropy and business can move from one-time investments to long-term partnerships, how shifting narratives can spotlight community leadership, and how strong civic infrastructure helps weave a more connected and resilient social fabric across neighborhoods, cities, and regions.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Salon on Innovations in Place-Based Social Impact in Boston
2026-04-30 18:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
Salon on Innovations in Place-Based Social Impact in Boston

Thursday, April 30, 20266:00–9:00 PM ETSalon

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Across Massachusetts, communities are grappling with a growing housing crisis as demand continues to outpace supply and the state faces a deficit of more than 250,000 homes. Expanding access to affordable housing will require more than one-off investments, it will demand sustained collaboration, new partnerships, and solutions rooted in the realities of local communities.
Join NationSwell and the MassMutual Foundation for a conversation with leaders from across philanthropy, business, and the housing sector on place-based approaches to expanding housing access in Massachusetts. Together, we’ll explore how cross-sector partnerships, community-informed solutions, and long-term investment strategies can strengthen housing stability and support more connected, resilient communities across the Commonwealth.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Leveraging AI & Technology to Connect More Communities to Quality Healthcare
2026-05-05 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Leveraging AI & Technology to Connect More Communities to Quality Healthcare

Virtual RoundtableTuesday, May 5, 20263:00pm – 4:00pm ET

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Technology is reshaping healthcare access—but progress is uneven. AI, digital tools, and data platforms have the potential to extend care to underserved communities, address workforce shortages, and improve outcomes. At the same time, gaps in infrastructure, trust, and governance risk widening disparities rather than closing them.
NationSwell invites leaders from healthcare, technology, philanthropy, and the social sector to a conversation on how AI and technology can be used to connect more communities to quality care. We’ll examine where innovation is actually improving access—across prevention, diagnosis, care delivery, and care coordination—and where it’s falling short. The discussion will focus on practical strategies for deploying technology responsibly, building partnerships that center community needs, and ensuring that innovation strengthens equity, affordability, and trust in healthcare systems.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Leader Briefing: Q2 Social Impact Trends
2026-05-12 13:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Leader Briefing: Q2 Social Impact Trends

Virtual RoundtableTuesday, May 12, 20261:00pm – 1:30pm ET

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Each quarter NationSwell tracks the most important trends, shifts, and moments shaping the social impact space.
Before we publish our Q2 findings, join us for a 30-minute virtual briefing from a leader on our Insights team who will walk through what we’re tracking and why it matters for how impact leaders set priorities, frame conversations with senior leadership, and position their work in a fast-moving environment. We’ll close with time for questions and discussion, giving participants space to pressure-test assumptions and compare notes on where the field is headed.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

Latino Leaders Working Group
2026-05-12 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Latino Leaders Working Group

Working GroupTuesday, May 12, 20262:00pm – 3:00pm ET

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A safe space for Hispanic and Latino leaders to connect, celebrate their strengths, and share practical strategies for advancing leadership, equity, and community impact. Together, we’ll create a cross-sectoral alliance that uplifts, empowers, and inspires.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.

NationSwell Leadership Lunch: Boston
2026-05-14 12:30 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
NationSwell Leadership Lunch: Boston

Thursday, May 14, 202612:30–2:30 PM ETBoston

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NationSwell is convening a small group of wonderful impact leaders for an intimate Leadership Lunch on “Leading in a Time of Rapid Change.” Over the past few years, leaders have faced unprecedented challenges, navigating crises, complexity, and change. This gathering will offer space to exhale, connect, and explore how leaders can do our best impact work while also leading with intention and efficacy through this challenging period.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

Upcoming Events

Check out the Institutional calendar to learn more about upcoming events.

Crisis Response in a New Era: Expanding Collective Models for Faster, More Direct Impact Braintrust
2026-05-14 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Crisis Response in a New Era: Expanding Collective Models for Faster, More Direct Impact Braintrust

BraintrustThursday, May 14, 20264:00pm – 5:00pm ET

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Crisis response is entering a new era, one defined not just by more frequent and severe disasters, but by widening gaps between need and the systems designed to meet it.
For many organizations, the current playbook is under strain. Traditional, institutionally driven models can be too slow, too rigid, or too distant from the lived realities of people navigating the immediate aftermath of crisis. At the same time, expectations are rising, from employees, customers, and communities, for responses that are faster, more human, and more direct.
This brain-trust will convene a small group of leaders across sectors to grapple with a shared question: What does effective, responsible crisis philanthropy look like now?
Together, we’ll explore:

Where existing models are falling short, and where they still matter
How to balance speed, trust, accountability, and equity in moments of urgency
The role of direct-to-person support, including cash-based approaches, in complementing institutional funding
What it would take to move from fragmented responses to more coordinated, pre-aligned action

GoFundMe and GoFundMe.org will share perspectives from the frontlines of rapid, direct relief, including how fast, flexible funding can reach individuals in hours, not weeks. But this is not a presentation, it’s a working conversation. The goal is to pressure-test ideas, surface tensions, and identify where there is real potential for alignment, partnership, and collective action.
Grounded in the reality that disasters are increasing in cadence and scale, and that public sector support may not keep pace, this conversation aims to move beyond critique toward practical pathways forward. Not a single solution, but a more expansive set of tools, relationships, and shared commitments for showing up when it matters most.
To encourage open and candid discussion, this event follows the Chatham House Rule – attendees may share insights from the conversation but cannot attribute statements to specific individuals or organizations. This ensures a trusted space for thoughtful dialogue and deeper insights.

NationSwell’s events and experiences are designed to bring together diverse, purpose-driven leaders and organizations for learning, inspiration, relationship-building, and societal impact.
