Beyond the Summit: Global Philanthropy for Local Resilience

March 11, 2026

Stanford University

Global aid is entering a period of structural realignment—with significant implications for philanthropic capital.

Amid geopolitical instability, public funding retrenchment, and increasing calls for locally led development, the global aid architecture is being reshaped in real time.

The Stanford PACS Beyond the Summit Salon Series returns on March 11, 2026 to examine strategies that strengthen resilience, institutional capacity, and long-term impact.

Drawing on emerging scholarship and field-based experience at Stanford and beyond, this convening will examine:

The implications of shifting public funding and multilateral priorities
Capital strategies that enable community-led systems to scale sustainably
Cross-sector partnerships that move beyond traditional aid paradigms

Philanthropy Innovation Summit community members are invited to join us for this special convening.

Attendance is by invitation only. A password to register has been shared with Summit community members via email. If you have questions or would like to nominate an attendee, please contact us.

Speakers

Program

8:00 am | Breakfast & Arrival

8:30 am | Welcome & Opening Remarks

Priya Shanker, Executive Director, Stanford PACS

8:40 am | Evidence-Based Strategies to Strengthen Local Resilience and Scale Impact

Kim Starkey, President and CEO, King Philanthropies

Katherine Casey, The RoAnn Costin Professor of Political Economy and Faculty Director, King Center on Global Development

Drawing on decades of experience and research, this session explores how sustained philanthropic investment can advance durable, locally led solutions in communities facing extreme poverty. Speakers will share lessons from King Philanthropies’ portfolio, highlighting approaches to strengthening institutional capacity, ensuring accountability, and scaling impact without compromising local ownership.

9:40 am | Break

9:50 am | Breakout Sessions

➤ The Future of Locally-Led Development

Shaheen Kassim-Lakha, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

Don Gips, Strategic Counselor and CEO Emeritus, Skoll Foundation

This session introduces a new collaborative philanthropic initiative designed to reimagine global aid by shifting decision-making authority and accountability to local leaders. Speakers will outline the strategic rationale for this transition, emerging partnership models, and practical pathways for funders seeking to support locally anchored systems at scale.

➤ Maternal and Newborn Health: Navigating the Post-Aid Landscape

Kedar Mankad, Senior Officer, Global Policy and Advocacy, Gates Foundation

Kim Meredith, CEO, San Francisco General Hospital Foundation

As global health funding contracts, maternal and newborn care systems face mounting pressure to sustain progress independently. This session examines how the landscape is shifting, where gaps are emerging, and what targeted philanthropic investments can do to reinforce locally led health infrastructure, quality of care, and long-term resilience.

10:35 am | Break

10:45 am | Investing in Girls’ Education

Craig Silverstein, Founder, Echidna Giving and Dean of Infrastructure, Khan Academy

Mary Obelnicki, Founder, Echidna Giving

Isabelle Hau, Executive Director, Stanford Accelerator for Learning

Advancing girls’ education remains one of the highest-leverage investments for strengthening community resilience and economic mobility. This session explores the evidence behind these returns and considers how philanthropic capital can expand access, improve learning outcomes, and generate multigenerational impact.

11:45 am | Closing Remarks: Opportunities for Deeper Learning and to Get Involved

Priya Shanker, Executive Director, Stanford PACS

12:00 pm | Lunch & Networking

Hosted at Stanford University, the Beyond the Summit Salon Series is an intimate, interactive forum for philanthropists and changemakers to share ideas, exchange strategies, and explore actionable responses to today’s rapidly shifting philanthropic and nonprofit landscape.

Beyond the Summit: Global Philanthropy for Local Resilience is made possible with support from DAFgiving360, Gates Foundation, and Next Legacy.