VAFRE upcoming events

Virtual New Member Orientation (Tuesday, April 14, 2026)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Join us for a Virtual New Member Orientation on Tuesday, April 14th from 12:00-1:00PM!

Come learn more about all that VAFRE has to offer, get to know other members, and learn about how to become more involved. This session is designed for those who have been members for one year or less.

This event is FREE, but please let us know if you plan to attend - login and register by noon on Monday, April 13th.

Sponsorship of the Annual Awards Reception (Tuesday, May 05, 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Each spring VAFRE holds a special event to recognize excellence in philanthropy. This year, there will be five awards given out:

The Nina Abady Award recognizes lifetime achievement in fundraising,
The Rising Star Award recognizes a member who has demonstrated remarkable talents at an early stage in their fundraising career,
The Innovation in Fundraising Award recognizes a development professional, consultant, or team who demonstrates outstanding accomplishment in fundraising strategy in the previous year,
The Leadership in Philanthropy Award recognizes a development professional, consultant, or team who demonstrated a commitment to the future and sustainability of the profession in the previous year, and
The Nonprofit Excellence in Philanthropy Award recognizes a nonprofit for extraordinary accomplishment in fundraising in the previous year

The following sponsorship levels are available for the reception, which will be held on May 5th at Feed More. (For individual reception tickets, click here.)

Presenting Sponsor (1 available)

$1,500.00
Publicity on VAFRE website and in e-mails including organization logo and link
Logo on promotional materials
Prominent signage at the event
Recognition in press release
Recognition in all advertising for the event
Recognition in event program
Recognition from podium by event host
PowerPoint slide at the event
Opportunity to address audience during program (2 minutes)
Ten tickets to the event

Gold Sponsor (2 Available)

$1,200.00
Recognition in event program
Recognition from podium by event host
PowerPoint slide at the event
Ten tickets to the event
Opportunity to address audience briefly during the program

Silver Sponsor (2 Available)

$900.00
Recognition in event program
Recognition from podium by event host
PowerPoint slide at the event
Ten tickets to the event
Opportunity to address audience briefly during reception

Bronze Sponsor (4 available)

$600.00
Recognition in event program
Recognition from podium by event host
Ten tickets to the event

Annual Awards Presentation and Reception (Tuesday, May 05, 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Join VAFRE on the afternoon of May 5th as we honor our 2026 Award Winners during a reception at Feed More.

(For Sponsor registrations, which include 10 tickets for the event, click here)

Nina Abady Award

Mary-Beth Johnson serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges (VFIC), where she oversees operations, scholarship programs and events, annual distributions to seventeen member institutions, and budget planning. She also supports the foundation’s development efforts through corporate and foundation grant writing and annual appeals. Mary-Beth has been with VFIC since 2004.

With more than 29 years of nonprofit experience in Richmond, she has led fundraising efforts across annual giving, major gifts, capital campaigns, grant writing, planned giving, and events, including roles with St. Joseph’s Villa and Home Again.

Mary-Beth holds a BA from the University of Lynchburg and management and nonprofit leadership certificates from the Darden School of Business, Virginia Commonwealth University, and the University of South Carolina. She is a past president of VAFRE and has served on several nonprofit boards, including the New Community School and the Richmond Symphony Orchestra League.

Rising Star Award

Josh Leidy is the Director of LGBTQ+ Initiatives, Inclusive Engagement & Philanthropy at VCU and has built his career in higher education, dedicating the past three years to development and alumni relations. As the Director for Inclusive Engagement & Philanthropy, he leads identity-based engagement and philanthropy initiatives focusing on women, Black, and LGBTQ+ communities. Josh and his colleagues work to redefine philanthropy by emphasizing the power of community and its transformational impact. Outside of work, he channels his energy into fitness, experimenting with New York Times recipes in the kitchen, and spending quality time with his friends and his dog, Sadie.

Leadership in Philanthropy Award

Sandra King is the founder and executive leader of Helping Hands Resource, Inc., a Hampton Roads nonprofit dedicated to supporting underserved individuals and families through education, outreach, and community programs. With a background in psychology and human services, she has led initiatives including youth mentorship, resource fairs, literacy workshops, and back-to-school supply drives.

Through her leadership, Helping Hands Resource connects families with critical support while promoting long-term stability and opportunity. Sandra is widely recognized for her compassionate leadership and commitment to strengthening communities.

We are also pleased to announce two awards that are going to outstanding organizations:

Innovation in Fundraising Award: Charlottesville Albemarle SPCA Development Team
Nonprofit Excellence in Philanthropy Award: St. Joseph’s Villa

OUR SCHEDULE

4:00 p.m. Reception Begins
4:30 p.m. Awards Presentation Begin
6:00 p.m. Awards Presentation Concludes

Cost to attend

$35 for Members (no additional fee for Season Pass holders, $20 for Virtual Season Pass holders)
$40 for Member Organizations
$45 for Nonmembers

SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

To ensure that VAFRE membership is accessible to, and truly reflective of, Richmond's diverse fundraising community, we are offering scholarships so that individuals may join VAFRE regardless of their financial ability or the financial ability of the nonprofits for which they work. If you would like to make a gift of any size to support scholarships for VAFRE memberships, please select the "Make a donation" button when you register for this event, and we will gratefully apply your donation to the Susan Early Scholarship Fund*.

Questions?

Contact VAFRE Administrator Mary Kidd at (804) 368-3398 or by e-mail to admin@vafre.org.

*This donation is not tax deductible.