BOSTON, June 3, 2026—Philanthropy Massachusetts (PMA), the leading statewide organization representing philanthropic funders and nonprofit organizations, was delighted to serve as host for the 2026 National Conference of Grantmakers of Effective Organizations (GEO), which opened today at the Westin Boston Seaport Hotel. The Conference will focus on Transforming Philanthropic Culture and Practice — exploring effective grantmaking in service of nonprofits and alongside communities leading equity-informed social change.
PMA CEO Mary Skelton Roberts was
honored to present opening remarks at the conference, in which she focused on philanthropy’s role, and PMA’s specifically, in strengthening democracy and civic engagement, both foundational to creating opportunity, addressing injustice, and strengthening communities in which all people can thrive.
Noting how appropriate it was for the GEO conference to be held in the city called America’s “Cradle of Liberty,” Skelton Roberts said: “We are the place in which ideas and practices of American democracy first took shape. Democracy was not perfected here, but it was debated here, tested here, and continually expanded here. And as we approach the 250th anniversary of this country, that history feels less like something to commemorate and more like a responsibility we are being asked to carry forward.’’
PMA also hosted a session on how philanthropy can support institutions, advance new ideas, and invest in communities so that opportunity, innovation, and civic life can flourish. The session included presentations from: