Cara V. James, President and CEO of Grantmakers In Health, closed out the final day of the 2026 Grantmakers In Health Annual Conference with a nod to her opening remarks, underscoring why relationships are vital to health philanthropy: “We the people can chart a new direction.”

While this moment is existential, overwhelming, and at times existential for health philanthropy, it also presents an immense opportunity. We can take inspiration from the people who united 250 years ago to work together in the service of a greater vision: a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people.

Every conference session and plenary challenged funders to consider what we need to do to cast a new vision for the future. James encouraged conference attendees to ask this question about why relationships are vital: When you look down the line, perhaps at the Grantmakers In Health conference in 2056, what will you be able to say you did today?

As several conference speakers suggested, funders can start by working across sectors and taking risks so that those on the frontlines do not have to bear the weight of change alone. Importantly, mobilizing and organizing is not new. James suggested that attendees continue to nurture connections and new relationships formed at the conference, as well as relationships with peers and leaders they have admired or worked with over the last few years, because “relationships are a vital ingredient to this work.”

How Can I Reach You? Building Trust Through Communication to Enable Change

How can I reach you? This is an existential question but also a practical one for health philanthropy, demonstrating how relationships are vital in the sector. Building connections between funders and grantees, grantees and communities, and among funder peers is essential to creating impact. Yet reaching others has grown harder as communities have become more siloed and insulated, and social media algorithms drive frustration and outrage rather than genuine connection and understanding. The final plenary of the 2026 annual conference—“How Can I Reach You? Building Trust Through Communication to Enable Change”—brought together award-winning storytellers, organizers, and advocates to explore how communication can build trust across real and perceived divides.

Read the full article about the 2026 Grantmakers In Health Annual Conference at Grantmakers In Health.