Podcast – Episode 32: AFP ICON Conference 2026
In this episode of Auction Is Action with U in It!, Bobby D. Ehlert takes you inside AFP ICON in San Diego, the largest fundraising conference in the world, for a behind-the-scenes look at what nonprofit professionals are talking about, learning, and building toward.
From the expo hall to the opening session to an Arizona AFP chapter reception, this episode captures the conversations, connections, and ideas that are shaping the future of nonprofit fundraising events.
Key Takeaways
AI Is the Trend Everyone Is Talking About
Multiple conversations on the floor pointed to AI as the most significant shift coming for fundraising teams. The message was consistent: let AI handle the time-consuming work so you can spend more of your energy with donors. Use it to develop donor journeys, draft plans, and streamline operations. Polish it up and make it your own, but use it.Frictionless Paddle Raises Are a Growing Priority
The trend toward making the paddle raise experience as seamless and frictionless as possible continues to accelerate. Technology partners are actively building toward smoother, more intuitive giving experiences that remove every possible barrier between a donor and their gift.Experiential Elements Are Reshaping Event Design
Dessert dashes, private chefs, themed experiences like tacos and margaritas or bourbon and steak, and moving food moments out of the traditional program flow are all gaining traction. Events are becoming less transactional and more experiential at every touchpoint.Large Donors Are Growing. Small Donors Are Declining.
Philanthropy overall is increasing, but the number of small-dollar donors is shrinking while the number of large donors is going up. This shift has significant implications for how nonprofits build their donor pipelines, steward relationships, and design their events.Being Specific and Intentional Is Still the Winning Formula
The clearest theme across sessions and conversations: nonprofits that are specific and intentional about their fundraising strategy, their donor journeys, and their event design are the ones breaking through. Vague goals and generic asks leave money on the table.Community Is One of the Biggest Returns on Conference Investment
AFP ICON is not just about the sessions. It is about being surrounded by people who understand this work: the pressure, the mission, the craft of fundraising. That community, those connections made in hallways and receptions and expo halls, is part of what makes nonprofit professionals better at what they do.
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Bobby D.: Well, hey there everyone. Here we are. San Diego AFP ICON, the biggest fundraising conference in the entire world. It's San Diego and we are going to have a good time. We're going to see some old friends, make some new friends, learn some things, and talk with a lot of different fundraisers to find out what's working in their events, what the trends are, and how we can raise more money from more of our friends. Let's go.
Here I am at the AFP hub in the conference expo hall and there's nobody here yet. I think we're early. Everybody else is in classes. This is a great place to meet with vendors, meet with potential partners, and connect with the people that are making things happen in this space. I've got some vendors to go see: consignment travel, technology platforms, some great friends out there that we work with. Let's go see what we can see.
Bobby D. to vendor:
So, what kind of trend are you seeing coming up in the next year or so that nonprofits need to be looking at?
Vendor:
I would say AI. And I know a lot of people are fearful of that. But let AI take some of that work away from you and streamline. Polish it up, use your own words, but please utilize it. I see that as a huge benefit.
Bobby D.:
I will admit I am definitely using AI quite a bit more.
Vendor:
Make your life easy.
Bobby D. to second vendor:
What are some trends you think are coming up in the next year or so in fundraising events?
Second Vendor:
Being specific and intentional about your fundraising future is where you have the easiest opportunity to break through. AI, AI, AI. Some people are really rocking it with developing donor journeys and plans in just seconds and being able to use a lot more of their time to actually be out with donors. For nonprofits looking for answers, looking for what's new, looking for what fills the gaps in their fundraising, this is the place to be.
Bobby D. to third vendor:
Tiffany, hello. What are you seeing out there?
Tiffany:
We're definitely seeing more trends toward paddle raises, making them super easy, making it a really frictionless experience. That's what we're working on right now as well.
Bobby D. to fourth vendor:
What trends are you seeing?
Fourth Vendor:
I'm seeing dessert not at the table. Believe it or not, if you're not doing a dessert dash, which is an excellent way to make money, they're also doing dessert back in the cocktail hour. Private chefs, girls' nights with tacos and margaritas or tapas and wine, guys' events with beer and barbecue or bourbon and steak. The number of large donors has been going up, but at the same time the number of small donors has been going down. In the big picture, philanthropy has been increasing, but we've been losing those small-dollar donors.
Bobby D.:
All right, everybody. Here we are. AFP ICON. I'm in the opening session and there are thousands of fundraisers here. That was the opening session for AFP ICON. A lot of great stuff, a lot of great inspiration. That's what it's really about: gathering a bunch of people together to get focused on the task at hand, which is going out and making a bigger impact in the world.
It was so cool that one of my mentors, one of the people I look up to, Tori Taj with Child Crisis Arizona, received the Fundraiser of the Year award today. That's part of the reason I'm here: to show my support and love for her and her team. Really, really cool to have that direct connection with one of the best fundraising professionals in the world.
We're going to get out, do some more sessions, do some more mingling in the expo center, and then we've got some fun stuff going on later tonight.
It's been an eventful day here in San Diego at AFP ICON. Just learning lots of great stuff. I just talked with a group about how we're able to take events and evolve those into a more donor-focused, more relationship-focused style of events. Pretty cool to learn about that. But it's really just about meeting other professional fundraisers and people who understand this world, because it is kind of a crazy world. Now I'm on my way to a reception with the Arizona AFP chapter. I don't do a lot of work in Arizona, but I love Arizona. I founded my business in Arizona. My kids live in Arizona. So I love being a part of that chapter. Let's go see what we see.
Ready to Raise More?
At Call to Auction, we specialize in turning galas and fundraising events into mission-driven, revenue-generating experiences. From paddle raises to live auctions, our team knows how to excite donors, engage audiences, and inspire generosity in the moment.