When you register for the convening, you will have the opportunity to request accommodations that make it possible for you to fully participate in the convening.

If an accessibility need arises after registering for the convening, please submit your request by February 20, 2026 to Kristen Craig at kristen@peakgrantmaking.org. PEAK will make every effort to accommodate requests received by the deadline. If we have questions about your request, we will contact you directly.

Yes, if you need someone to support your participation and accessibility needs, they need to register. Please indicate this when you register, and we will reach out to you about complimentary registration for your support person.

Please email Kristen Craig at kristen@peakgrantmaking.org, and she will reach out to you shortly to ensure your needs are met.

Join us on Wednesday, March 4, from 1:00 p.m.–2:00 p.m. CT, for our virtual accessibility orientation. PEAK staff will review how you can ask questions before the convening to help you prepare in addition to how to use the accessibility features in-person and on the convening platform. You can register here.

We are holding time for an in-person accessibility tour on Tuesday, March 24, from 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. CT. This tour allows attendees who would benefit from advance familiarity to get comfortable with the hotel and convening spaces.

PEAK2026 uses Cvent as the convening platform. You will use this platform to access the schedule and details about each session, receive notifications from the PEAK team, and to network and join discussions. The platform is available as an app on your mobile device and via a web browser. For both the app and browser versions, you will use the email address you used when you registered for the convening to login.

The Cvent app and website provide the same information; however, chat functions and closed captioning are easier to use through the browser than the mobile app.

For all breakouts and keynotes, PEAK will provide reserved spaces for individuals using mobility devices in the front and back of each room. During the registration process, you can indicate if you need this reserved space. If you don’t need to use this space, keep these designated areas and aisles clear.

PEAK2026 will take place at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch which is located at 315 Chestnut Street, St. Louis, MO 63102.

Our Welcome Reception will be held at an accessible venue in St. Louis (location details coming soon). If necessary, transportation will be provided that is equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps to ensure accessibility for all attendees.

The St. Louis region offers several fully accessible public and private transportation options:

• Airport Transportation (Lambert-St. Louis International Airport): The airport provides accessible entrances, restrooms, and accessible taxi services.
• Public Transit (MetroBus and MetroLink): The fixed-route public transportation system is highly accessible.
  • MetroBus: All MetroBus vehicles are equipped with lifts or ramps, and kneelers, as well as designated priority seating and securement areas for wheelchairs/scooters.
  • MetroLink (light rail): All MetroLink station platforms are accessible via ramps or elevators, and the light rail vehicle floors are level with the platforms for easy entry and exit.
• Accessible Taxi Cabs: Several companies offer ADA-compliant wheelchair-accessible vehicle services in the metropolitan area, including Metro West Transport (636-272-8294) and Metropolitan Taxicab Corporation (314-773-1000). 

If you have a mobility limitation that prevents you from riding the standard bus or light rail transportation system, you may qualify for paratransit rides. Contact Metro Transit’s ADA Services department by calling (314) 982-1510 or sending an email to adaservices@metrostlouis.org. Please note advance reservations are required for this service.

Since our convening is in late March, St. Louis will be transitioning from winter to spring. You can generally expect average daytime highs to range from the mid-50s to low-60s F (around 12−16∘C), with cooler evenings in the 40s F (around 4−9∘C). The weather is highly variable this time of year, so we strongly recommend packing layers, including a medium-weight coat or jacket, and an umbrella for potential spring showers.

During registration, you will be able to indicate any dietary restrictions and/or food allergies. Most meals will be served buffet style and will be labeled with ingredients and potential allergens. If you need assistance during mealtimes, attendants will be nearby to help select food and take it to your table.

To ensure a comfortable and accessible experience for all attendees, we are pleased to offer the following dedicated spaces and commitments:

• Wellness Room (Noise-Free Space): A designated, quiet space will be available for attendees needing a sensory break. This room will be stocked with resources like coloring books, puzzles, and fidget toys. We kindly ask that attendees refrain from taking phone calls in this room to maintain the quiet environment.
• Lactation Room: A private room will be available for nursing parents. This dedicated space is equipped with a comfortable chair, necessary outlets, and a mini-fridge.
• Scent-Free Commitment: We are committed to making PEAK2026 a scent-free event to protect those with environmental sensitivities. We ask all attendees and staff to refrain from wearing scented products (e.g. perfume, cologne, essential oils).

The PEAK Grantmaking community is dedicated to transforming philanthropy by leading the way in operationalizing equitable, effective grantmaking practices. Currently, our community consists of professionals from all types and sizes of funding institutions who work in grants management, information technology, programs, operations, evaluation and learning, and executive-level roles. In addition, our community includes vendor partners and folks working at philanthropy-supporting organizations. Speaking generally, these professionals have multidisciplinary backgrounds and play a part in stewarding the grantmaking process within funding institutions.

The convening begins at noon CT on Wednesday, March 25, and concludes at noon CT on Friday, March 27.

Understanding Grantee Financial Health and Sustainability in a Changing Landscape for Advanced Grants Professionals
With an uncertain funding and operating environment, nonprofit organizations are facing significant financial challenges and expecting a bumpy road ahead. According to the Nonprofit Finance Fund, over half of survey respondents in 2025 (52%) have 3 months or less cash on hand and 84% of respondents with government funding expect cuts to that funding. For some organizations, drastic shifts in revenue streams have meant a rethinking of their business models and operating frameworks. Given this shifting landscape, how do we understand our grantees’ financial health and stability? What lens should we use to analyze financial documents and practices?

In this interactive session for senior grants professionals setting their organization’s policies around vetting and assessing nonprofit financials, we will explore how to identify when a grantee is heading down an unsustainable path as well as discuss practical resources and emerging approaches to supporting grantees in a time of uncertainty.

In this session, participants can expect to:

• Understand key financial metrics, where to find them, and the importance of trend data
• Interpret key indicators of financial health and sustainability across grantee documents such as audited financial statements and budgets
• Understand the key components of a nonprofit organization’s business model
• Discuss strategies to support grantees as they face challenges to short- and long-term sustainability

What You’ll Receive

• 2.5-hour pre-con training with breakfast and networking
• Slide deck (pdf) and all training materials referenced in the session

Speakers
Jennifer Pedroni, Managing Director, Nonprofit and Grantmaker Advisory, BDO
Melissa Cameron, Experienced Manager, Nonprofit and Grantmaker Advisory, BDO

Registration

• Organization Members: $300
• Consultant Members: $300
• Individual Members: $500
• Non-members: $500

Volunteer Leaders Retreat
The PEAK team will convene our outstanding chapter and peer group volunteer leaders for our third annual volunteer leaders retreat. During our morning program, volunteers will develop leadership skills, build personal and professional networks, and join in collective troubleshooting and brainstorming to best create communities of belonging. We encourage all chapter and peer group volunteer leaders and committee members to attend this complimentary event! Details will be shared directly with volunteers.

Speed Networking
Get to know more of your PEAK colleagues in a series of fast-paced, one-on-one conversations designed to help you quickly connect with other attendees. Whether you’re new to the community or a longtime member, this is a fun way to expand your network and spark new ideas before the convening officially begins.

User Group Sessions
On Wednesday morning, join our vendor partners for dedicated User Group Meetings. These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with other users of the same product; hear directly from vendors about upcoming features and updates; and ask questions, share feedback, and build valuable relationships.

Solutions Center
Arriving early? Be sure to visit the Solutions Center. Take advantage of this dedicated time to discover tools, services, and technologies designed to support and streamline your grantmaking and meet one-on-one with vendor partners to get your questions answered and explore solutions. This is an opportunity to build on existing relationships and form new partnerships that can support your work. Our exhibitors are here to support your mission—don’t miss this chance to connect with them before the convening officially kicks off!

We are hosting the convening at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch, located at 315 Chestnut Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63102. Our negotiated room rate is $229 per night. To book a room at the hotel, you may use this form link. Alternatively, you may contact the hotel at (314) 655-1234.

To ensure a comfortable and accessible experience for all attendees, we are pleased to offer the following dedicated spaces and commitments at our venue:

• Wellness Room (Noise-Free Space): A designated, quiet space will be available for attendees needing a sensory break. This room will be stocked with resources like coloring books, puzzles, and fidget toys. We kindly ask that attendees refrain from taking phone calls in this room to maintain the quiet environment.
• Lactation Room: A private room will be available for nursing parents. This dedicated space is equipped with a comfortable chair, necessary outlets, and a mini-fridge.
• Scent-Free Commitment: We are committed to making PEAK2026 a scent-free event to protect those with environmental sensitivities. We ask all attendees and staff to refrain from wearing scented products (e.g. perfume, cologne, essential oils).

We are hosting the convening at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch, located at 315 Chestnut Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63102. We’ve compiled this list of nearby hotels for PEAK2026 attendees. 

• Hilton Pennywell St. Louis at the Arch
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 338ft
  Address: 400 Olive St., Saint Louis, Missouri, 63102
  Website
• Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 0.1 miles
  Address: 2 South 4th Street, Saint Louis, MO 63102-1809
  Website
• Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 0.2 miles
  Address: 1 South Broadway, Saint Louis, MO 63102
  Website
• Hampton Inn St. Louis-Downtown (At the Gateway Arch)
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 0.3 miles
  Address: 333 Washington Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63102
  Website
• Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 0.5 miles
  Address: 999 North 2nd Street, Saint Louis, MO 63102
  Website
• Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Louis Downtown
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 0.5 miles
  Address: 610 North 7th Street, Saint Louis, MO 63101
  Website
• Magnolia Hotel St Louis, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 0.4 miles
  Address: 421 North 8th Street, Saint Louis, MO 63101
  Website
• The Westin St. Louis
  Distance from Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch: 0.6 miles
  Address: 811 Spruce Street, Saint Louis, MO 63102-1717
  Website

You can find agenda updates here.

In order to ensure that this is a safe event for all, attendees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and may need to wear a mask while at the meeting. PEAK Grantmaking will waive vaccination requirements for religious or medical reasons. The honor system will be used to implement these requirements, and we will not require physical proof of vaccination status or exemptions.

Review PEAK’s In-Person Meetings Health and Safety Guidelines

Attendees are responsible for their own health and care. If you feel unwell or test positive for COVID at any point while in St. Louis during PEAK2026, please notify us immediately.

Please email Kristen Craig at kristen@peakgrantmaking.org with the subject line “PEAK2026 Illness Notification” as soon as you receive a positive test result or suspect you are ill. We will follow up with confidential instructions. We ask that you do not attend the remaining in-person sessions. In addition, we recommend monitoring your symptoms closely and seeking medical care if necessary.

Yes! Join us for a series of web-exclusive sessions on April 22–23, 2026. Whether it’s a hands-on workshop or an engaging panel discussion, networking event, or keynote over lunch, each web-exclusive event on the virtual agenda will offer attendees actionable tools and approaches to build essential competencies and skills from the comfort of their own learning environment.

This is a great option for those who want to continue their learning journey after the convening or who can’t join us in person!

Learn more

Yes! We recognize that not everyone has the budget to participate in professional development opportunities. We are thrilled to offer scholarships to current members of the PEAK community who would otherwise not be able to attend PEAK2026 due to limited professional development budgets. Scholarships cover the registration fee for attending the in-person convening. 

Scholarship applications closed on December 1, 2025. Accepted applicants will be notified by mid-December 2025.

Eligibility: Scholarships are open to any individual working for a grantmaking institution or philanthropy-supporting organization. You must be a US citizen and a member of PEAK Grantmaking. Priority will be given to PEAK volunteers and highly-engaged members and those who are committed to operationalizing the Principles for Peak Grantmaking to be change agents for philanthropy, with a focus on empowering a diverse group of philanthropy professionals.

PEAK is committed to hosting inclusive, accessible events. When you register for the convening, please be sure to share any accommodations we can provide that will make it possible for you to fully participate, such as captioning or an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter.

You may absolutely register a group of colleagues for the convening! Before you begin the group registration, please ensure that each of your colleagues already has a PEAK account. You can confirm this by logging into your PEAK account here, clicking My Affiliations on the left side panel, and clicking Manage Roster next to your organization’s name. 

You should also ensure that you’ve collected the responses to the registration questions for each of your colleagues, which includes their pronouns, dietary restrictions/food allergies, any accommodations needed, emergency contact information, whether it is their first PEAK convening, mobile number, any pre-cons they’d like to attend, whether they’d like to opt-in to communications from our exhibitors, and finally, whether they agree to PEAK’s Event Terms and Conditions. 

Then, visit the PEAK2026 Annual Convening registration page. Click Register. Select Register Myself and click Next. Select Attendee and click Next. Confirm your registration selection(s) and click Next. Enter your responses to the registration questions and click Checkout. Click Add Another Registration. Select the PEAK2026 Annual Convening event from the list of upcoming events. Click Register. Select Register a Colleague and click Next. Select Attendee and click Next. Confirm their registration selection(s) and click Next. Enter their responses to the registration questions and click Checkout. Continue clicking Add Another Registration until your colleagues’ registrations are in the cart. Enter your payment information and click Submit to finalize the order. 

If you have any questions or would like support with registering your group, please reach out to us at info@peakgrantmaking.org.

We require that all registration fees be paid by credit card. However, if your organization is only able to pay by ACH or check, please reach out to us at info@peakgrantmaking.org to request an invoice. Please note: Your registration will not be confirmed until payment has been received.

To modify your registration, log into your PEAK account here. Click My Registrations on the left side panel. Under Upcoming Registrations, click Edit under your PEAK2026 Annual Convening registration. From there, you’ll be able to add a pre-convening workshop registration or the PEAK2026 Online add-on registration to your order. To confirm your addition, pay the remaining balance on the order and click Submit.

Cancellation requests for PEAK2026 registrations received by February 13, 2026 will be eligible for a partial refund (registration price minus a $50 nonrefundable administrative fee). Cancellation requests received after February 13, 2026 will not be eligible for a refund. 

Participants may also choose to transfer their registration to a colleague or peer at the same organization who also has the same membership level. Transfers must be completed by March 13, 2026. No refunds will be issued for transferred registrations. 

Requests for cancellations and substitutions must be submitted via email to info@peakgrantmaking.org.

Event Terms and Conditions Policy  

During PEAK2026, we will be photographing and recording various aspects of our programs, and your image, voice, and conversations might be captured. In addition, we capture evaluation data for programming design and testimonial purposes. By registering for this event, attendees accept the terms of our Photography, Video, and Audio Release:

By participating in this convening, you authorize PEAK Grantmaking to use and reproduce any photographs, videos, chats, and audio recordings taken, for promotion or distribution. PEAK Grantmaking recognizes that people have varying levels of comfort being recorded. For more information, please contact info@peakgrantmaking.org.

Every year, our amazing sponsors and exhibitors help us cover the costs of hosting the largest convening of grants management professionals in the sector. Along with registration fees, sponsorships are critical to our ability to gather in community to learn, share, and evolve together. Consider supporting PEAK2026 through a sponsorship and demonstrate your commitment to equity-centered, values-driven grantmaking and the community who make it a reality.

Learn all about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities in our new guide, Supporting PEAK2026. If you’d like to support our convening, please complete our PEAK2026 Support Commitment Form by February 9, 2026.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Sara Richman Sanders at sara@peakgrantmaking.org.