Statement from the AFRDS President Regarding the 2021 In-Person Conference & Expo 

The AFRDS Board of Directors has made the difficult decision to cancel the in-person 2021 AFRDS Conference & Expo, originally scheduled for January 12-15 at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

After carefully and patiently assessing this challenging situation, the Board reached its decision primarily due to the profound impact of the pandemic on the individuals and companies in the product fundraising industry and continued concerns regarding business travel during a pandemic.

AFRDS remains committed to its members and to its mission: to unify, promote, educate, and safeguard the fundraising industry. Our members' support of AFRDS is more important than ever, and we are deeply grateful for it. I encourage our members to spread the word to those who have not yet renewed their membership for 2020-2021: the financial health of our Association depends on all of us again being present at “roll call” by the end of this fall.

In this time of uncertainty, AFRDS leadership is pivoting to continue providing value. That includes new virtual education and networking opportunities this fall and into 2021. After reviewing the responses to our recent survey, we are also exploring the feasibility of a virtual model to replace some of the Expo experience. There are a variety of factors to consider, with the main goal being providing value for members. As we continue to evaluate options and offer new opportunities for engagement, we will provide updates.

In the meantime, we appreciate our members' understanding and look forward to connecting again as soon as that is possible.  

Sincerely,

Russ Colombo, AFRDS President
Southwestern Fundraising
14rpcolombo@gmail.com