2026 ANNUAL
GATHERING
jOIN US IN ashland, ky on april 13 - 15, 2026
OUR THEME FOR 2026 IS…
Forging Forward: Fortitude, Renewal, and Hope in Appalachia
Join us in Ashland, KY | “Appalachia’s Front Porch”
In a double callback to our 2025 Gathering, the 2026 Gathering will take place where three states meet (WV, OH, and KY), to chart our Network’s shared path forward.
This river city, where rail lines cross and generations of Appalachian grit, creativity, and reinvention converge, reminds us that our futures and our innovations do not stop at state lines. Once a steel and manufacturing powerhouse and now a hub of cultural revival, entrepreneurship, and civic energy, Ashland embodies both the complex history and bold possibility of our region.
This year’s theme calls us to step boldly into what comes next, rooted in our shared past, grounded in our present realities, and lifted by the promise, creativity, and stubborn joy that fuel this region’s future.
LODGING AND TRANSPORTATION
LODGING
Reserve your room in the AFN room block at the Delta Hotel in Ashland, Kentucky. Booking early is the safest bet - rooms tend to go quickly once folks start mapping out their travel.
Alternative Accommodations:
-
2.8 miles, 7 min from conference hotel
-
8.6 miles, 18 min from conference hotel
-
3.1 miles, 7 min from conference hotel
Link - https://www.choicehotels.com/kentucky/ashland/quality-inn-hotels/ky154?mc=llgoxxpx
TRANSPORTATION
Three airports serve the Ashland area. Huntington is by far the closest at just over 20 minutes away. If you choose to fly into Lexington or Charleston, we recommend renting a car.
Please note: Once the event website is live, you’ll also be able to connect with fellow attendees about potential ride sharing options.
-
1449 Co Rte 3/1, Huntington, WV 25704
10.4 miles south of Ashland, KY
Airlines: American Airlines, Allegiant
-
Charleston, WV
100 Airport Rd #175, Charleston, WV 25311
71.2 miles east of Ashland, KY
Airlines: American Airlines, Delta, United, & Breeze
-
4000 Terminal Drive, Lexington KY, 40510
124 miles west of Ashland, KY
Airlines: Allegiant, American Airlines, United Airlines
Read the recap from our 2025 AFN Annual Gathering!
The Network’s Gathering is an invigorating deep dive into current topics that affect our work as funders. It is also a chance to invest in existing relationships with your peers and welcome newer members. This multi-day convening features a combination of workshops to build funders’ skills, panels featuring current work of our region’s funders and practitioners, and targeted presentations such as by federal staff. A Program Planning Team comprised of AFN members creates a dynamic menu of blended learning.
During the Gathering, we also offer site visits in the communities near the meeting venue. Past site visits have included: a mountain bike trail project for economic development, a photography-focused arts organization supporting those with mental disabilities, a sanctuary for medicinal plant conservation, a water purification plant for acid mine runoff, and more.
2024 Gathering Recap
AFN greatly appreciates the practitioners in our region and values the important work they do. The Network strives to create a safe environment for funders, practitioners, and government officials to learn, grow, and collaborate together. In pursuit of this, all AFN events have a strict non-solicitation policy.