Conference season is coming, and with it, a familiar question: which events are actually worth it?
You've got options — from giant gatherings with thousands of attendees to smaller, focused events with more senior professionals and consultants.
Here are seven conferences to consider as you map out 2026:
Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC)
March 10–13, 2026 | Detroit, MI + Virtual
NTEN's annual gathering draws thousands of nonprofit professionals focused on using technology for good.
With 180+ sessions across in-person and virtual tracks, you'll find plenty on email deliverability, CRM strategy, segmentation, and AI tools. Sessions are led by practitioners — people doing the work, not just talking about it. The virtual option makes this one accessible if travel budget is tight.
AFP ICON
April 26–28, 2026 | San Diego, CA
The Association of Fundraising Professionals hosts what's likely the largest fundraising conference out there — 3,000+ attendees and 100+ sessions.
Topics range from major gifts to digital engagement. For email folks, look for sessions on donor retention, storytelling, and integrated communications. The networking alone can be worth the trip.
GiveCon
May 17–20, 2026 | St. Louis, MO
Hosted by Bloomerang, GiveCon is a four-day conference focused on fundraising, donor engagement, and retention.
You don't need to be a Bloomerang customer to attend — sessions cover a broad range of topics from campaign strategy to volunteer management, and many are CFRE-accredited.
Netroots Nation
June 4–6, 2026 | Philadelphia, PA
This one's for nonprofit marketers working in advocacy, civic engagement, or movement building.
Netroots isn't a fundraising conference, but it's where progressive organizers gather to share what's working in digital communications, fundraising, and organizing — including email.
Expect 150+ sessions on list building, campaign strategy, and mobilization.
Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference
July 29–31, 2026 | National Harbor, MD
Co-produced by AFP DC and DMAW, Bridge brings together 2,700+ fundraising and marketing professionals across 14 tracks.
Email marketers should pay attention to BridgeTECH — a dedicated technology track through the main event. Sessions may cover email strategy, analytics, and the integration of digital and direct mail.
NIO Summit
September 22–24, 2026 | Fort Worth, TX
Hosted by NextAfter, NIO is built around data. The single-track format features sessions on A/B testing, conversion optimization, email automation, and donor psychology — all grounded in findings from thousands of real experiments.
The vibe is high-energy (2026's theme: Saturday Night Live), but the substance is serious. If you want to optimize appeals based on test results rather than gut instinct, this is the one.
Nonprofit Storytelling Conference
October 26–28, 2026 | Tucson, AZ
Limited to 500 attendees, this conference focuses on one thing: stories that inspire action. If you spend your days crafting donor emails and campaign content, you'll walk away with a storytelling framework you can put to use right away.
Which one is right for you?
Think about what you actually need this year.
Looking for technical skills? NTC covers deliverability, CRM, and automation.
Want to sharpen your writing? The Storytelling Conference is built for that.
Focused on donor retention, or maybe you’re a Bloomerang user? GiveCon digs into engagement and stewardship.
Heavy on advocacy work? Netroots is where digital organizers trade tactics.
Need data-backed optimization? NIO shares real test results you can act on.
Want the big-tent experience? AFP ICON and Bridge offer scale, variety, and vendor access.
I know your budget matters too — NTC has a virtual option, and several conferences offer discounts for small nonprofits, independent contractors, or early registration.
The bottom line
You don't need to attend every conference on this list. And this list is not exhaustive.
Pick the one that matches where you're trying to grow, and commit fully — attend the sessions, show up to the networking events, and follow up afterward.
Take it from me: One conference done well beats three done halfway. Your future self (and your sanity) will thank you.
Industry events
Free: The new donor playbook: fuel your fundraising funnel
Wed, Jan 21, 2:00 PM ET
Check our events list for more or reply to this email to submit one for consideration.
Quick hits
M+R had some really interesting insights about Giving Tuesday this year.
Amanda Litman of Run for Something shared personal thoughts on what’s wrong with Democratic fundraising and why treating your supporters like humans matters.
People's Action is hiring a Digital Organizing Director to lead digital strategy in support of their grassroots organizing work, including managing list-building and email.
'Til next time!
Sara
P.S. How did Giving Tuesday go for you? We’d love to hear about your results. Reply to this email if you’d like to share.