Phoenix is trying to turn scorching temperatures into a wake-up call instead of a yearly crisis. A new two-day summit, the 122° Conference, is set to pull together researchers, community groups and big-money backers in downtown Phoenix in hopes of turning small pilot projects into permanent protections against extreme heat. The name nods to the city’s all-time high of 122 degrees and is meant as a not-so-subtle reminder of why the money needs to show up now.
What organizers announced
The Arizona Community Foundation says the conference is scheduled for Dec. 2–3, 2026, in downtown Phoenix and will be produced with Arizona State University, the City of Phoenix and the Desert Botanical Garden as partners. The foundation describes 122° as a gathering designed to “move capital, accelerate proven solutions, and establish Arizona as the global model for heat resilience and innovation,” according to the Arizona Community Foundation.
Leaders' pitch
At an April press event, foundation president and CEO Anna María Chávez said the 122-degree record should be treated as “a call to action” and urged private philanthropy to help shore up nonprofits and city programs. Organizers cast the summit as a place to “share what is working, align investment, and showcase that Arizona is ready for resources at scale,” as reported by KJZZ. The basic sales pitch: bring in funders who can push local, tested ideas into broader, fully financed efforts.
Money and the heat-relief cliff
City and county leaders have already poured millions into cooling centers, extended-hour libraries and a downtown 24/7 heat respite site, but much of that spending leans on pandemic-era federal aid that is about to run dry. City documents show roughly $4.3 million went to extended-hour and overnight heat-relief operations in 2025 and list an estimated $5.25 million need for 2026 in the City of Phoenix Heat Response Plan, according to the City of Phoenix. Maricopa County officials likewise note that much of the recent expansion relied on ARPA dollars that are only secured through the 2026 heat season, creating a possible funding cliff for the regional Heat Relief Network, according to Maricopa County.
What the conference aims to fund
Organizers say the summit will try to match local solutions, from hydration and cooling sites to urban shade and building retrofits, with national funders and investors who can pay to scale them up. The goal is to build clearer pipelines so nonprofits and municipal programs can become “investable” at scale, shifting projects from a patchwork of short-term grants to more stable financing and long-term implementation. Advocates say that would make it easier for local agencies to plan beyond one summer at a time and reduce the risk that emergency programs vanish when temporary funds expire.
Why the timing matters
Organizers and reporters point to local climate alarms that are already blaring. Phoenix logged its two hottest years on record in the last two years, and extreme heat is straining public health systems and power demand across the Valley, as reported by KJZZ. That mix of rising need and a looming money drop-off is the main rationale behind the push to quickly court philanthropy and private investment.
What to expect and how to follow
Organizers say details like the formal agenda, speaker list and registration information will come in later announcements. They have invited public- and private-sector leaders, national funders and community groups to take part. People who want updates can sign up on the Arizona Community Foundation’s event pages and watch for more briefings from local partners in the months ahead. Attendees can expect panels on investable cooling infrastructure, equitable partnerships with communities and strategies that connect heat relief to housing, health and workforce supports.
