Every year, PEAK brings together some of the sector’s most thoughtful leaders and practitioners—but this year, one theme stood out: people are trying to make sense of increasing complexity.

The conference in St. Louis delivered more than strong conversations—it had great energy, from sunny weather to the buzz of the Cardinals’ home opener. Across sessions, the exhibit hall, and team conversations, there was a clear sense of momentum in how the sector is evolving—especially across data, operations, and decision-making.

From informal chats to keynotes, PEAK2026 reinforced a shift we’ve been seeing: grantmakers are navigating more nuanced decisions and looking for clarity on how to move forward.

Observations from the Exhibit Hall: The exhibit hall offered a snapshot of the sector. Within minutes, you could meet organizations deep in operational challenges, early in exploration, or simply looking to connect. Despite the range, the same core questions kept coming up. The sector isn’t moving in a straight line—but many are facing similar pressures.

Clarity Before Action: A consistent theme throughout the conference was the importance of slowing down to get aligned. Before making big decisions, organizations are being encouraged to step back—understand how their work actually happens today, align internally on priorities, and define what success looks like moving forward.

This is a process we practice with funders often—for example, in our work with the George Kaiser Family Foundation, where stepping back to assess and align on operational challenges holistically was critical before moving into change.

Without that clarity, it’s easy to move quickly in the wrong direction.

There Are No Perfect Answers: Another idea that kept surfacing: there’s no single “right” solution to the challenges organizations are facing. Every approach comes with trade-offs. The organizations making the strongest progress are the ones that are clear on what matters most, where they can be flexible, and what they’re ultimately trying to enable.

Sector Signals: Where Grantmakers Are Heading

1. More Funding, Less Friction: There’s growing emphasis on multi-year funding, reducing administrative burden, and shifting toward trust-based practices. Organizations are also thinking beyond funding—looking at how to better support grantees through capacity-building and infrastructure.

2. AI: From Skepticism to Exploration: AI came up across multiple sessions, and the tone is shifting. The conversation is moving from “Should we use AI?” to “How do we use it responsibly?” Organizations are beginning to explore governance, practical use cases, and where AI can meaningfully support their work.

3. Operations Are Gaining Strategic Power: A standout theme was the evolving role of operations. Grants and operations professionals are increasingly influencing strategy, driving accountability, and shaping how organizational values show up in practice. They’re not just supporting the work—they’re helping define it.

What does this means for the sector? Stepping back, a few things are clear:

• There is no one-size-fits-all approach
• Clarity is becoming a prerequisite for good decision-making
• Decisions are becoming more thoughtful—and more complex
• Operational teams are playing a more strategic role

And maybe most importantly: The key question isn’t “What should we do next?”—it’s “What are we trying to enable?”

Final Thoughts

PEAK isn’t just about gathering—it’s about staying close to how the sector is evolving.

This year, the message was clear: Organizations aren’t just looking for answers—they’re looking for clarity, alignment, and confidence in the decisions they make.

And that’s where the real work begins.