Nomination Resources

Established in 1986 by President Ronald Regan, National Philanthropy Day (NPD) is celebrated in communities across the country to publicly recognize the impact of charitable giving and the people who make it possible. In 2026, National Philanthropy Day proudly marks its 40th anniversary, celebrating four decades of generosity and community impact. Each year the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Central Florida Chapter honors donors, volunteers, fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, professionals, organizations and community partners whose gifts of time, expertise and resources contribute significantly to improving the quality of life while strengthening our community through their generosity.

The event will be held on Friday, November 21, 2025 at the Rosen Shingle Creek.

All Central Florida nonprofits, corporations, foundations, and civic and service organizations are encouraged to nominate their donors, community partners, board members, staff members, and other volunteers for an award for which they qualify and is appropriate to their role.

Please note:

· All Previous Award Recipients and Honorees are not eligible for nomination in the same winning category within five years.

· Nominees from previous years who were NOT recognized with an award are encouraged to apply again!

· Nominees must be located in Lake, Orange, Osceola or Seminole Counties – in alignment with AFP Central Florida Chapter’s current service area.

Any individual, public or private organization, civic or service group, or an AFP member may submit a nomination for any award. Nonprofit organizations are encouraged to partner on Distinguished Award nominations, and in such cases, a single nomination form is acceptable. Include a cover letter summarizing the collaboration with the submitted nomination.

The following awards and honors are given to individuals or organizations whose achievements have significantly impacted the Central Florida community: 

Distinguished Award Categories: One (1) award recipient per category 

Special Honor Categories: Three (3) honorees per category 

The physical awards are commissioned from a different local artist each year.

Nominations must be submitted online no later than 5 p.m. on Monday June 1, 2026.

Nominations must be submitted through AFP Central Florida Chapter’s website: 

https://www.afpcentralflorida.org/nomination-guide

Please note the following important submission requirements:

· If the category is awarding/honoring an individual(s), nonprofit, corporation and/or organization, your nominee must meet that very specific requirement for eligibility in that category.

· Adherence to the word count/page limit for narratives and eligible supporting documents will be reviewed for fairness of submissions for a level playing field. Distinguished award nominations may include up to five pages of supporting documentation; honoree nominations may submit one page of supporting documentation (no resumes).

· Nominations that meet the specific qualifications have a higher chance of winning in that respective category.

A nomination review committee of AFP First Coast Chapter members (Jacksonville, FL) will score each nomination in all categories submitted to them by AFP Central Florida. This allows for a fair and unbiased review and scoring. Please keep in mind that the review committee may not know Central Florida nominees. Their decisions are based entirely on the materials you submit, so please refer to each award category’s criteria to guide the narrative for your nomination. Please note: If in the judgment of the Central Florida National Philanthropy Day Committee, no nominee meets the criteria for a particular category, no award will be given for that category.

Award recipients and honorees, and their nominator(s), will be notified before August 30, 2026. Regret notices will also be sent.

Please submit questions to mail@afpcentralflorida.org. Please allow 48-72 business hours for a response as the National Philanthropy Day committee is comprised of volunteers.