ICON Policies

AFP ICON 2026 Information and Registration Policies

Registration Overview

AFP ICON welcomes anyone who supports the fundraising profession and the not-for-profit sector, and registration is open to AFP members and non-members without restriction (except children under 18). AFP members enjoy a discounted registration rate, and even deeper discounts are offered for certain membership categories including Collegiate, Young Professional, and Small Non-Profit Organization. Special discounted registration rates are offered to speakers, exhibitors, and international attendees from outside North America.

For questions about AFP membership categories, please contact the AFP membership department.

International Attendee Registration

Visas: It is the registrant's own responsibility to secure any visa required to enter U.S. for AFP's conference. We recommend you plan ahead, at least 3-4 months in advance. For further information about requirements for travel to the United States, please visit https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html.

If you require an invitation letter from AFP for your visa application to attend the conference, please email customer service with the following information:

• Full name
• Job title or position
• Organization
• Full postal and mailing address

Nonmember Registration

Fully paid nonmember registration will include one year of AFP membership. Simply complete your AFP ICON nonmember registration, and we will contact you via email with information on how to redeem your AFP membership within one month of completion of registration. Please allow up to one month to receive membership information—your membership will not begin until you complete member registration.

If you would like to take advantage of AFP membership sooner, you can become an AFP member now by joining and completing your member registration before registering for AFP ICON. Please note: At times, there may be a short time gap between a new AFP membership join/renew and the ICON registration site recognizing your new status. We advise allowing at least one hour after any new join or renew to ensure your status is correctly updated and the appropriate member pricing presented.

Group Registration

Register 5 or more Full Conference attendees from the same organization and receive the 6th Full Conference registration FREE!*

• All team members must be listed using the same organization-based email domain; registrants having public domain addresses (e.g., @gmail.com) will not qualify in the count for the group discount promotion.
• Individual registrants who registered as part of a group registration are not eligible for refunds, unless the entire group cancels.
• The group discount will only be applied when all registrants are paid; adding a complimentary registration to your group will nullify the group discount.
• The group discount does not apply to Pre-Conference Workshops or special event tickets.
• To receive a group discount, payment must be made in one transaction (check or credit card).
• The discount can only be applied to the lesser registration fee.

Individual registrations may be transferred to another person from the same organization by submitting a written request to customer service by April 10, 2026. See below the section covering Canceling or Transferring Your Registration.

*Does not apply to AFP Chapters.

Guest Registration

Conference registrants may register up to two (2) guests at a fee of $199 per guest. The guest category is intended for spouses, family, and friends who have no professional connection to AFP, the fundraising profession, or the non-profit sector. Guest registrants may attend general sessions, visit the exhibit hall, and attend networking events.

Press Registration

If you have questions after reading the Q&A below, please email the AFP Global Marketing and Communications team at [email protected].

Who can receive complimentary press registration to AFP ICON or other AFP events?
Complimentary press registration is available on an as-approved basis to credentialed journalists (i.e. professional reporters, editors, writers, news photographers) who work for a publication, news service, broadcast outlet or news site that is regularly issued and published primarily for the dissemination of news, and operates independently from any commercial, political or government interest. Only media whose primary responsibility is the coverage of the fundraising, philanthropic, or nonprofit sectors will be considered for credentials. AFP Global reserves the right to deny press badges to non-credentialed press. Individuals writing for personal web pages/blogs and company blogs or company websites will not be granted media privileges. Sales, advertising and marketing staff, analysts, brand content producers, researchers, authors, consultants and others outside of the above are not eligible for press registration. The number of press credentials for each media outlet may be limited as determined by AFP Global. Press credentials are not transferable.

How do I request press registration?
If you meet the required criteria stated above, please email the AFP Global Marketing and Communications team at [email protected] with the following information: news organization, first name, last name, address (including city, state, and zip code), country, phone number, email address, relevant professional social media handles, and dates that you plan to attend the conference. Press credentials should be requested as soon as possible, and no later than one week before the event. On-site requests will not be granted.

Special Offers & Discount Codes

Special offers and discount codes are valid only at the time of initial registration. Refunds will not be authorized for existing registrations where the special offer or discount code was received after the initial purchase. Discount codes cannot be applied to already reduced or discounted registrations. Limit one special offer or discount code per registration.

Scholarships

No conference scholarships are available directly through AFP Global. Please consult your local AFP chapter for further information about scholarships the chapter might offer.

Registration Confirmation & Badges

You will receive emailed confirmation within two (2) business days after you register. Registrations may not be confirmed until correct payment is received.

Approximately one (1) week prior to the conference, you will receive an additional email containing a barcode and instructions for picking up your conference badge and other materials once you arrive at the conference. Note that AFP no longer mails conference badges before the conference.

Badge Reprint Fee

Don't leave your badge at the hotel! Your conference badge serves as your ticket to the conference, so please treat it carefully as you would any other ticket. Badge reprints at the conference will incur a $25 badge reprint fee. Badge sharing or splitting is strictly prohibited.

Dietary Restrictions

AFP will provide special kosher and halal meals to registrants who notify AFP in advance at time of registration or in writing to customer service at least 14 calendar days prior to the event. Otherwise AFP ICON will offer food options to accommodate most other dietary restrictions including vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and nut free.

Volunteers Needed!

We need volunteers to help make the conference a great experience for everyone! The volunteer requirement is minimal and will not restrict your conference experience. You must be a fully registered attendee to volunteer. Please sign up to volunteer at the time you register, or in writing to customer service at least 14 calendar days prior to the event

Hotel Reservation Changes

Conference hotel reservation changes and cancellations may be made on the conference website or by contacting customer service *in writing* by April 3, 2026.

Canceling or Transferring Your Conference Registration

All conference registration cancellations and refund requests must be submitted in writing to customer service by March 26, 2026. A refund of conference fees paid, minus a $100 administrative fee ($50 admin fee if cancelling a pre-conference workshop only), will be given for cancellations received or postmarked by this date. No refunds will be granted for requests received or postmarked after this date. No refunds will be granted for no-shows. All requests for exceptions to the cancellation/refund policy must be submitted in writing to customer service by the registrant with appropriate documentation no more than seven (7) calendar days following the conference. After that time, no refund considerations will be made.

Individual registrants who registered as part of a discounted group registration are not eligible for refunds, unless the entire group cancels. 

Registrations may be transferred to another person from the same organization by submitting a written request to customer service before the registrant's badge is printed at the event on-site.

Note that tickets for the local chapter event are not refundable (but they are transferable).

Transfers of registrations and tickets will be gladly accommodated prior to the conference by submitting a written request to customer service by April 10, 2026. Only one transfer/substitution is permitted per original registrant. The individual submitting the substitution request is responsible for financial obligations, including any balance due, associated with that substitution. Badge sharing or splitting is strictly prohibited.

Education Session Handouts

Handouts for conference education sessions are made available on the conference mobile app, if provided by education session speakers. AFP strongly encourages speakers to provide handouts in advance, but cannot guarantee availability. Printers will not be available on-site for printing handouts.

AFP Convening Code of Conduct

AFP is dedicated to providing a safe and harassment-free event experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate for any event venue, including talks. Event participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event without a refund at the discretion of the event organizers.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbal comments that reinforce social structures of domination related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion;
• Sexual images in public spaces;
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following;
• Harassing photography or recording;
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events;
• Inappropriate physical contact;
• Unwelcome sexual attention;
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.

AFP members must also comply with the AFP Member Code of Conduct and the AFP Code of Ethical Standards. Violation of the code may also subject the member to disciplinary sanctions as provided in the AFP Ethics Enforcement Procedures.

Room Overcrowding

Education sessions at the conference are non-ticketed, and seats in education session rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis. So, please plan ahead and have 2-3 choices in each time-frame in case one of your choices is full. If there is an education session you really want to attend, get there early to ensure you have a seat!

AFP ICON staff try to schedule popular topics and speakers in rooms large enough to accommodate potential demand, but it is not always possible to anticipate actual attendance. If a room is truly overcrowded, with no more seats available, AFP ICON staff and convention center personnel must follow local fire regulations and may have to ask participants to leave the education session room.

Education session overflow spaces will be available in the event of overcrowding, so at minimum you will be able to listen to an education session even if you can't be in the room.

CFRE Credit

Full participation at the conference may be applicable for up to 11.25 points of CFRE credit for initial certification or recertification. Pre-conference workshops may offer additional opportunity for 8-16 CFRE points each. Further details to be posted within a month before the conference.

ADA Accessibility

AFP welcomes all attendees and complies fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Please notify AFP at the time you register, or in writing to customer service at least 14 calendar days prior to the event, if you need a sign language interpreter or other accommodation related to audio, visual, or mobility needs.

Please note that American Sign Language interpretation will be provided for all General Sessions.

We advise attendees with mobility assistance needs to allow plenty of time to get from place to place as the convention center is very large.

Consent to Use Images and Share Information

Please note that photographs and video are taken during the conference. These images may be used in AFP marketing materials, the AFP website, and other products relating to AFP. By attending the conference, you consent to the possibility of your image being used in AFP-related materials.

AFP does not share contact information of AFP ICON attendees in bulk with sponsors, exhibitors, or other third party companies. Any email or telephone communications from companies other than AFP or Maritz Global Events—our official registration and housing partner—is unapproved and unverified by AFP.

Children

No one under the age of 18 is permitted to attend any conference events, unless formally invited by AFP (e.g., award winners and honorees). If you bring children to the AFP ICON, you are responsible for child care arrangements. Children are not permitted in the exhibit hall or in any education sessions in the convention center or hotels.

Program Cancellation

AFP reserves the right to cancel programs. In the unlikely event that AFP cancels a given program—except as related to a force majeure event—all registrants will receive full refunds as applicable. AFP is not responsible for reimbursing travel costs.

Questions? Contact Customer Service

For questions related to registration and hotels, contact AFP ICON/Maritz customer service:

• By phone: 864-208-8505
• By email: [email protected]
• By postal mail: AFP, c/o Maritz - ATL FSS Department, 1375 North Highway Drive, 8th Floor, Fenton, MO 63099

For questions related to AFP ICON programming, contact AFP's professional development department at [email protected].