What Matters is the Triangle's largest philanthropic event of its kind. Triangle Community Foundation's signature gathering, now in its 10th iteration, brings together people from all sectors in our region to celebrate community philanthropy, learn what it can take for everyone to thrive, and find commonality in our work. What Matters attracts more than 500 leaders dedicated to using their time, talent, and treasure to make our community a better place.

Over the years, the event has brought engaging keynote speakers, panelists, and local leaders to the What Matters stage, speaking on topics relevant to our community, offering insight on solutions to key challenges, and inspiring action. In 2026, our focus is on housing affordability, building on successful cross-sector convening activities in spring of 2025.

The Triangle region is a great place to live, but not everyone has equal access to all it has to offer. In the past decade the Triangle has experienced tremendous economic growth, but income levels for many who are the lifeblood of our communities – firefighters, health care workers, teachers, and more - have not kept pace, squeezing out the very people who directly contribute to our region’s vitality.

Local leaders from the corporate, civic, philanthropic, academic, religious, and nonprofit worlds will come together for the next phase of our work to find and support tangible solutions to the challenging issue of housing affordability.

Armstrong McGuire is a proud partner of this event!