AFP WNC Philanthropy Summit

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Wednesday, Nov 12, 2025
A-B Tech Conference Center, Asheville, NC

Join us for the premier gathering of Western North Carolina’s philanthropic community—the AFPWNC Philanthropy Summit. This year’s Summit is more than an event—it’s a celebration of resilience, generosity, and the people who power positive change.

AFPWNC National Philanthropy Day Breakfast & Awards Ceremony

The day begins with an elegant breakfast and National Philanthropy Day Awards Ceremony honoring the visionaries, changemakers, and champions of giving in our region. We’ll celebrate those who give, those who raise funds, and those who put resources to work for the greater good—including the presentation of the prestigious Summit Award to a lifelong leader in fundraising and community impact.

This celebration is the perfect opportunity to bring your sponsors, donors, board members, volunteers, and special guests. It’s a meaningful way to honor their contributions, highlight the impact they make, and share in a community-wide celebration of philanthropy. Treat your team and supporters to a day of recognition, inspiration, and connection.

AFPWNC Philanthropy Institute Conference

Following the Awards Ceremony, the program transforms into a conference-style Philanthropy Institute, complete with a networking lunch, skill-building workshops, and inspiring sessions for fundraisers and community leaders. Attendees will hear a fundraising-focused keynote, dive into practical breakout sessions, and end the day with a dynamic panel of local foundations and funders offering their perspectives on giving in WNC.

Attendees will enjoy:

Networking lunch with peers, donors, and community leaders
Free professional headshots to update your profile with confidence
Raffle giveaways featuring delightful local goodies
High-impact workshops covering:
- Capital campaigns & major gifts
- Planned giving & generational wealth transfer
- Volunteer management & HR skills
- Donor discovery & small-shop strategies
- Mental health, organizational culture, and more

Together, we’ll share great food, meaningful connections, and bold ideas to fuel our community’s recovery and growth one year after Hurricane Helene.

AFPWNC 2025 Philanthropy Summit Schedule

8:00 AM

Registration, Networking
8:30 AM

Breakfast & Keynote Jonathan Pritchard
9:00 AM

National Philanthropy Day Program Begins with Awards Presentation
10:30 AM

National Philanthropy Day Program Ends
10:30 AM

Philanthropy Institute Registration
11:00 AM

Workshop Session 1
12:00 PM

Lunch & Keynote Tracey Greene Washington
1:30 PM

Raffle
2:00 PM

Workshop Session 2
3:00 PM

Workshop Session 3
4:00 PM

Afternoon Networking and Desserts

Philanthropy Summit Breakfast Keynote:

Jonathan Pritchard, Business Strategist + Mentalist

Jonathan Pritchard, Business Strategist + Mentalist: The Mind Reader’s Guide to Captivating Audiences and Making Your Message Stick

Jonathan believes business should feel like magic – because when strategy meets psychology, results feel effortless. For 15 years, he traveled the world as a professional mentalist, using applied psychology and showmanship to make audiences believe he had psychic powers. The secret wasn’t supernatural – it was an expert understanding of how the human mind works. Today, Jonathan applies those same principles of infl uence, perception, and strategy to business. His clients (including BP, State Farm, United Airlines, and Discovery) have all experienced his unique ability to turn complex problems into scalable solutions. He works with established leaders ready to streamline decision-making, and unlock growth that feels effortless. Whether on stage or in the boardroom, Jonathan challenges audiences to master the psychology of influence.

Philanthropy Summit Lunch Keynote:

Tracey Greene-Washington, Founder, Indigo Innovation Group

Leading Boldly Through Change: A Calling Forward for Game Changers

In today’s rapidly shifting philanthropic landscape, transformational leaders don’t wait for calm – they create it, spark innovation, cultivate strategic action, and lean into purpose. In this powerful and interactive keynote, Tracey will issue a calling forward to fundraising professional leaders ready to lead boldly; examine their spheres of influence; spark innovation; and build evolved relationships with donors, funders, volunteers, and partners through understanding each of their change stories. Through stories, strategy, reflection, and audience participation, she invites fundraising professionals and leaders to see change not as a threat, but as a catalyst for innovation, alignment, and lasting impact. This keynote challenges and inspires leaders to step into disruption with vision, courage, and discipline – and become the game changers their organizations need most.

AFPWNC 2025 Presenters

We’re thrilled to announce our powerhouse presenter lineup for the 2025 AFPWNC Philanthropy Summit — Nov 12 at AB Tech!

Bricks, Land & Legacy: Real Estate Strategy

Jane Brody & Karl Nelson | Real Estate Brokers, NAI Beverly-Hanks Carter Webb | Principal & Vice President, Van Winkle Law Firm Alex Comfort | Planned Giving Specialist & Fundraising Consultant

Learn how to evaluate and accept property gifts wisely, protect your nonprofit from risk, and align assets with your mission—turning “bricks and land” into long-term impact.

The Power of Social Change Philanthropy: Next Wave Youth-Led Giving

Tracey Greene-Washington | Co-Founder, CoThinkk Carolina McCready | Co-Founder, CoThinkk Jazmin Rodgers | Base-Building Team Member, CoThinkk

Discover The Next Wave—a youth-led giving-circle model empowering teens across WNC to design and direct their own community investments.

Aren’t All Gifts Major?

Carla Willis | Co-Managing Principal, Washburn McGoldrick

Trends, best practices, and real-world cases to help you elevate your major-gifts strategy and treat every donor as major.

Capital Campaign Planning: What Every Executive Director Needs to Know

Alex Reardon | Assistant Vice President, Client Services, Winkler Group

Assess readiness, set goals, engage your board, and lay the groundwork for your next successful capital campaign.

The Modern Fundraiser’s Guide for Navigating Uncertainty

Kate Averett Anderson | Research & Publications Lead, Blackbaud Institute

Fresh data on how nonprofits are using innovation, AI, and culture shifts to thrive despite economic pressures.

Planning, Prioritizing & Leading with Intention

Allison Jordan | Leadership Coach & Founder, Allison Jordan Coaching

A former nonprofit CEO turned leadership coach shares practical tools to stay focused, balanced, and purposeful.

Reclaiming & Sharing the JOY of Fundraising

Leah Craig Chumbley | Executive Director, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue

Reconnect with the emotional heart of fundraising and rediscover the joy that strengthens donor and team relationships.

Grant Writing as a Team Effort

Mark Goldstein, CFRE, GPC | President & CEO, Communication Mark

A 10-step system to improve communication and collaboration across your organization’s fundraising team.

Dust Off Your Business Cards: Networking for Fundraisers

Tracey Gruver | Leadership & Legacy Giving Officer, Pisgah Legal Services

Learn to identify and leverage professional networking opportunities that grow both your reach and your fundraising success.

National Philanthropy Day Award Nominees

Outstanding Fundraiser

Recognizing individuals and teams who demonstrate exceptional skill, creativity, and integrity in advancing their organization’s mission.

Becky Davis
Brent Wyatt
Highlands Motoring Foundation
Jessica May
Dave Perrett

Outstanding Philanthropist

Celebrating individuals and groups whose generosity and commitment have made a transformative impact on our community.

Patsy Keever
Karen Bartlett
Ellen Carr
CoThinkk

Outstanding Nonprofit Organization

Honoring nonprofits and nonprofit leaders that exemplify excellence in leadership, innovation, and service to the community.

Jackie Latek, The SPARC Foundation
Givens Communities
Homeward Bound of WNC
The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina
Pisgah Legal Services – Disaster Recovery Project
Margarita Ramirez, CULA

Congratulations to all our nominees for their extraordinary contributions to philanthropy in Western North Carolina! We look forward to celebrating their achievements at the 2025 AFPWNC Philanthropy Summit on November 12th!

Interesting in sponsoring this unique event?

We welcome sponsors at all levels! The opportunities and benefits of sponsorship are available to view on this PDF.

Your partnership fuels the success of nonprofits across our region and ensures that philanthropy remains strong, ethical, and inclusive. By supporting AFP, you help us:

Deliver cutting-edge educational programs that sharpen the skills of fundraising professionals.
Foster a more equitable and inclusive profession.
Promote ethical practices that build trust and long-term donor relationships.
Celebrate extraordinary generosity through National Philanthropy Day awards.

Philanthropy Institute offers a great line-up of professional development workshops.

Philanthropy Institute offers a great line-up of professional development workshops covering a range of relevant topics for fundraising professionals, executive directors, nonprofit board and philanthropy leaders.

For more information, contact the Events Committee at events@afpwnc.org.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Philanthropy Institute Cancellation Policy

Refunds and/or credits are not available for or applied to Philanthropy Institute or National Philanthropy Day. If payment is ‘pending at the door’ and an attendee is unable to attend, an invoice will be emailed following the program.