National Philanthropy Day Conference

Join us for our 2026 National Philanthropy Day Conference! 

We’ve planned a full day of activities to help fundraising professionals navigate the challenges of our times. By participating in the conference, you will learn about the latest trends in fundraising—and find inspiration, education, and connections along the way!

During our conference at the DuPont Country Club, you will have the opportunity to:

• Celebrate the winners of our 2026 Philanthropy and F.A.C.E. Awards.
• Discover how to create a culture of philanthropy with our keynote speaker, Shannon L. Watts, M.A., CFRE.
• Learn how to build high-performing fundraising teams with our plenary speaker, Craig Shelley, CFRE.
• Collaborate with colleagues on a variety of strategic topics during our facilitated discussion session.
• Connect with your local colleagues during networking breaks.

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Become a Sponsor!

Your National Philanthropy Day sponsorship will provide recognition for your company in the community as a lead partner in our work. It also makes a significant impact by helping provide a full day of educational opportunities. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Michelle Neef, Sponsorship Chair, by clicking here. 

The 2026 sponsorship packet can be downloaded here.

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2026 Conference Registration Fees
(same as our 2025 conference!)

Early-Bird Rate (Available through September 25): $130/AFP Member; $160/Non-Member
Full-Day Conference: $150/AFP Member; $180/Non-Member
Awards Breakfast Only: $75/person

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Conference Schedule at a Glance

Doors Open/Registration/Breakfast Buffet Open: 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Awards Breakfast: 9:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Networking Break: 10:15 - 10:30 a.m.
Keynote Presentation: 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Networking Break: 11:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Lunch: 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
Plenary Session: 12:15 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Roundtable Discussions: 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Closing Remarks: 2:00 - 2:15 p.m.

Pending Approval for 3.0 CFRE Education Points

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Enter the 2026 F.A.C.E. Awards!

The F.A.C.E. (Fundraising and Communications Excellence) Awards recognize the people, teams, and organizations whose campaigns, partnerships, and projects helped build awareness of or raise funds for important causes, initiatives, organizations, and programs in 2025 – 2026. We are one of the few AFP chapters that recognize this important aspect of fundraising.

All 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the Brandywine Valley (Delaware, Southeastern Pennsylvania, Eastern Maryland, and Southwestern New Jersey) are invited to enter. You do not need to be an AFP Brandywine member to apply or receive a F.A.C.E. Award! Winners will be recognized at the National Philanthropy Day Conference on November 17, 2026, at the DuPont Country Club.

Entries must have been produced between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.

Click here to enter the F.A.C.E. Awards.
Deadline: August 14, 2026, 5:00 p.m. 

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Make a nomination for the 2026 Philanthropy Awards!

The AFP Brandywine Philanthropy Awards recognize and pay tribute to the contributions of nonprofit organizations, volunteers, nonprofit leaders, youth, and philanthropists who have given so much to local organizations. Awards will be presented at the National Philanthropy Day Conference on November 17, 2026, at the DuPont Country Club.

Whose leadership, generosity, commitment, or talent has made a big impact in our community and deserves to be recognized? Every organization has its heroes. Who are yours?

Nominations are being sought from our diverse community for the following awards:

• Cam Yorkston Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual who has made a lasting impact on an organization through volunteering, fundraising, and/or program management.
• Philanthropy Award honors an individual who has made a significant impact on a cause, project, or program through effective fundraising and volunteer support.
• Corporation/Foundation Award honors a corporation or foundation that has made a significant impact on a cause, project, or program through effective fundraising and volunteer support.
• Social Justice Award honors an organization that has made an impact on the community through a commitment to equitable rights, resources, and opportunity. Their actions and leadership inspire others to continue fighting for justice, liberty, and equality.
• Volunteer Award honors a volunteer whose service to a nonprofit organization includes fundraising activities.
• Youth in Philanthropy Award honors an individual or group of youth, 22 years old or younger, who made a significant impact on a cause or program through fundraising and volunteer activities.
• Fundraising Executive Award honors an individual whose professional performance and service to an organization is an inspiration to others. The nominee must be an AFP Brandywine member.
• Nonprofit Organization Award honors an organization that has made a significant impact on our community, their organization, and the constituency they serve.

Click here to view a list of past award winners.

All nominators will be notified of the panel's decision prior to the public announcement of the winners.

Supporting documentation such as written endorsements, print articles, etc. is welcomed.

Nominations are due by August 14, 2026, 5:00 p.m., and will only be accepted electronically. Click here to submit your nomination!

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Keynote Presentation: Building a Culture of Philanthropy
Presenter: Shannon L. Watts, M.A., CFRE

Explore how to build and maintain a culture of philanthropy in your organization. During this interactive presentation, Shannon will explore the steps and barriers to building and maintaining a culture of philanthropy and how a culture of philanthropy can positively impact fundraising results, staff morale, and stakeholder relationships.

This session will provide you with:

• A process for understanding your nonprofit organization’s philanthropic culture.
• Open discussion about barriers to building and maintaining a culture of philanthropy.
• Guidance on how nonprofit organizations are uniquely primed for a culture of philanthropy.
• A call to action for building and maintaining a culture of philanthropy.
• Recommended industry resources about a culture of philanthropy.

About the Presenter

Shannon L. Watts, M.A., CFRE, is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota with an M.A. in Philanthropy and Development. Shannon earned the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) designation in 2004 and has successfully recertified multiple times since then. Shannon is Principal Consultant of Key Fundraising, a consulting firm providing strategic, effective, and innovative fundraising results for nonprofit organizations. She has successfully owned and operated Key Fundraising since 2005. In Shannon’s 21 years as a fundraising and development consultant, she has raised millions of dollars for nonprofit organizations throughout Virginia.

Shannon currently serves as the President of the Central Virginia Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (CVANE) Board of Directors. She is a three-time Past President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Virginia Piedmont Chapter (2004, 2010/11, and 2023/2024). She is a two-time Co-Chair (2008 and 2013) of the Virginia Fund Raising Institute (VFRI).

Shannon is a two-time Past President of the Rotary Club of Lynchburg and holds the distinction of being the youngest president in the club’s 108-year history. Shannon is a Past Area Governor of Rotary District 7570 Area 5, providing guidance to seven Rotary Clubs, and is a Paul Harris Fellow +5.

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Plenary Session: Leading High-Performing Fundraising Teams
Presenter: Craig Shelley, CFRE, CEO, Schultz & Williams

High-performing fundraising teams don’t happen by accident. This session focuses on how leaders can build cultures of accountability, collaboration, and enthusiasm—without burnout. We’ll explore goal-setting, performance management, motivation, and communication strategies that empower fundraisers to do their best work and consistently deliver results. Participants will gain actionable tools to elevate both team performance and morale.

About the Presenter

Craig Shelley, CFRE, partners with ambitious nonprofit leaders to accelerate impact, bringing a creative yet practical approach to strategy, organizational development, fundraising, philanthropic marketing, and board leadership. As CEO of Schultz & Williams and a member of the leadership team of Carey & Co, he helps guide one of the nation’s most comprehensive nonprofit consulting platforms, delivering integrated expertise in fundraising, direct response, strategic planning, finance, human resources, and executive leadership.

Craig’s experience includes leading major fundraising and strategy initiatives for organizations such as the Center for American Progress, Co-Impact, Grameen America, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Mercy Corps, the Obama Foundation, The Rockefeller Foundation, and Third Way. He previously held senior leadership roles at another national consulting firm focused on helping nonprofits grow and with the Boy Scouts of America, where he guided development efforts nationally generating more than $250 million annually.

Following the acquisition of Lautman Maska Neill & Company (LMN), Craig provides leadership across the Carey & Co platform’s fundraising, direct response, and strategic planning practices, helping organizations access a full spectrum of services designed to strengthen performance and drive sustainable growth. While continuing to lead Schultz & Williams, Craig works closely with the LMN leadership team to integrate work across the two firms in service of building something truly distinctive: a firm capable of supporting organizations at every stage of growth and every level of donor engagement, from grassroots annual giving to transformational campaign philanthropy.

A Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), Craig is a frequent speaker and author on leadership and philanthropy. He is the Immediate Past President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals–New York City Chapter, sits on the Board of Directors of The Giving Institute, and is an active member of the Lions Club of Oyster Bay.

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Scholarships Available!

A limited number of scholarships are available for the full program. Membership in AFP is preferred, but not required, to be considered. AFP Brandywine's National Philanthropy Day Conference will held on November 17, 2026 at the DuPont Country Club.

Deadline to apply is Friday, October 16, 2026. 

If you are interested in applying, please complete this Scholarship Application.

Questions? Contact Matt Johnson, Scholarships Chair, at chapter@afpbrandywine.org.

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