What to Expect at the Restore Hope 2026 Conference

No single organization can solve foster care, strengthen families, improve educational outcomes, reduce incarceration, or help people move from crisis to stability alone.

But what happens when schools, churches, nonprofits, judges, state agencies, healthcare providers, businesses, and community leaders stop working in parallel and begin working together?

The answer is collective impact.

Today, more than 1,597 alliance partners are collaborating through Restore Hope's network, serving 12,062 participants holistically, preserving 9,161 families, and surrounding each participant with an average of 10 Care Team members working toward a shared goal. Those numbers represent something bigger than data—they represent communities choosing collaboration over isolation.

That spirit of collaboration will be on full display at the Restore Hope 2026 Conference, where leaders from across sectors and across the country will gather around this year's theme:

The Power of Collective Impact: For the Community, By the Community.

This isn't simply a conference about listening to speakers. It's an opportunity to build relationships, exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and learn from communities that are proving collaboration creates measurable results.

Every attendee brings a different perspective. Every conversation has the potential to spark a new partnership. Every panel offers an opportunity to rethink how communities respond to complex challenges together.

The conference will feature an impressive lineup of speakers and cross-sector panel discussions representing government, child welfare, education, the justice system, faith-based organizations, healthcare, and nonprofit leadership. Rather than examining these systems separately, the conversations will focus on how they intersect—and how stronger coordination creates better outcomes for individuals and families.

Opening the conference as keynote speaker Cody Inman as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Inman brings extensive leadership experience across federal and state government, with a strong background in human services policy, grants management, and technology modernization.

The two-day conference is designed to meet attendees where they are.

Day One is dedicated to communities already implementing the Restore Hope Model. Through hands-on training, practical workshops, and peer learning, participants will strengthen their understanding of collaborative case management, implementation strategies, HopeHub technology, and best practices from communities that are seeing real results. It is an opportunity to sharpen skills, share successes, solve common challenges, and continue building stronger local collaborations.

Open to the public, day two invites anyone passionate about building healthier communities to join discussions on some of today's most pressing issues. Expert panels and presentations will explore child welfare, public policy, education, the justice system, the role of faith-based organizations, and other topics that require communities to work together toward lasting solutions.

Families in crisis rarely experience challenges within a single system. A parent may be navigating housing instability while working with a school district, appearing in court, seeking employment, and connecting with child welfare services all at the same time. Lasting change happens when those systems stop operating in silos and begin operating as a coordinated network of support.

Whether you are a judge, educator, pastor, nonprofit leader, government official, healthcare professional, law enforcement officer, community volunteer, or someone simply passionate about strengthening your community, the Restore Hope 2026 Conference offers an opportunity to connect with people who share a common belief:

Communities achieve their greatest impact when they work together.

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Thank You to Our Sponsors

The 2026 Restore Hope Conference would not be possible without the generous support of the organizations investing in stronger families and stronger communities. Their partnership makes it possible to bring together leaders from across sectors to learn, collaborate, and build solutions that create lasting change.

American Idea Foundation supports evidence-based, community-driven solutions that expand opportunity and improve lives. By connecting local organizations, researchers, and policymakers, the Foundation helps identify what works, measure results, and scale successful approaches that strengthen families and communities.

CareSource PASSE is helping improve lives across Arkansas through person-centered care coordination and integrated healthcare services for individuals with complex needs.

Lifeline Children's Services equips churches to serve vulnerable children and families through adoption, pregnancy care, family reunification, orphan care, education, and practical ministry resources that strengthen families before, during, and after crisis.

City of Faith partners with courts and community agencies to provide evidence-based alternatives to incarceration, including electronic monitoring and services that support accountability, rehabilitation, and successful reentry.

TrueNorth Companies brings decades of expertise in risk management and insurance, helping organizations protect what matters most while investing in the long-term success of the communities they serve.

Walmart, a longtime supporter of communities across Arkansas, continues its commitment to helping people live better through local investment, job creation, and support for initiatives that strengthen families and neighborhoods.

Representative Matt Duffield serves Arkansas House District 53, representing Russellville and portions of Pope County. A Harding University graduate and longtime local business owner, Duffield serves as vice president of Duffield Gravel Co. and previously spent 20 years in sports entertainment as a promoter, producer, and professional wrestler. He is currently serving his second term in the Arkansas House of Representatives and remains actively involved in the Pope County community.

Harbor House provides comprehensive addiction and mental health treatment through residential and outpatient services. They specialize in Women services and offer Transitional Living to support lasting recovery and independence.

Impact Counseling Clinic, Inc., values Family Centered Treatment, teaching skills to families that promote positive change and hope within their family systems.

We are grateful for each of these partners and their shared commitment to collaboration, innovation, and creating brighter futures for children and families.