Abstract
The 2026 NASN Annual Conference introduces a fresh accessories-only auction benefiting the NASN Endowment Fund, aligned with the theme Stronger Together. Open to both attendees and remote participants, the fundraiser expands access and engagement through digital bidding, a 50/50 raffle, and the NASN President’s Endowment Fund Challenge. Proceeds support scholarships, grants, research, and leadership development that strengthen school nursing practice nationwide. By combining innovation, accessibility, and collective generosity, this initiative reinforces the Endowment Fund’s mission to invest in school nurses and advance the future of school health.
Keywords
Skip the odds and place a bid you’ll feel great about. This year’s NASN Endowment Fund fundraiser brings a fresh twist to conference giving, an accessories-only auction filled with purses, totes, jewelry, scarves, and more, open to both conference attendees and supporters bidding from home.
Aligned with the NASN 2026 Annual Conference theme, Stronger Together, this year’s fundraiser is more than a fun event: it’s a celebration of community, generosity, and school nurses supporting school nurses.
Why It Matters: The NASN Endowment Fund
The accessories are exciting (and the bidding might become your favorite new hobby), but the purpose behind this fundraiser is what makes it truly meaningful.
The NASN Endowment Fund supports scholarships and grants that promote school nursing education, research, professional development, and future leadership (Hall, 2024). Since 2008, the Endowment Fund has supported the profession by investing in the school nurses who advance school nursing.
School nurses continue to meet increasingly complex student needs, physical, mental, emotional, and social, while serving as essential leaders in school communities (National Association of School Nurses, 2024). The Endowment Fund supports the professional growth needed to meet these evolving demands.
Every bid placed and every dollar raised helps expand opportunities for school nurses through scholarships, grants, and ongoing professional advancement.
To learn more or to apply for a scholarship or grant, visit https://www.nasn.org/membership/benefits/awards-scholarships
A New Way to Participate: Accessories for Everyone
School nurses show up ready for anything, prepared, practical, and always ready to respond. But we also know how to show up with style.
That’s why the Endowment Fundraising Committee is introducing a new conference fundraiser format for 2026: An accessories-only auction experience designed to expand participation, increase excitement, and make supporting the NASN Endowment Fund even more accessible.
This year’s auction will feature a wide variety of items, including:
Jewelry
Hats
Scarves
Belts
Gloves
Sunglasses and other accessories
Purses and satchels
Totes and travel bags
Wallets and wristlets
With items at different price points and styles, participants can bid based on what fits their budget, taste, and needs, whether you’re a “conference tote” collector, a “statement earrings” fan, or someone who just wants a new wallet that doesn’t have hand sanitizer receipts living in it permanently.
Even Better: You Don’t Have to Be There to Bid
One of the most exciting updates for NASN2026 is this: Non-attendees will be able to bid, too!
That means colleagues who cannot travel to Las Vegas can still participate, support the mission, and join in the fun from anywhere. It also means we can invite broader support from school nurse advocates across the country, friends, family members, and healthcare colleagues who believe in what school nurses do every day.
Because Stronger Together isn’t just a conference theme, it’s what happens when we strengthen our profession through shared investment and collective support. See Box 1 for more specifics on bidding.
How the Auction Will Work
Whether you’re attending NASN2026 in person or participating from home, joining the fundraiser will be easy.
Browse the Accessories
Auction items will be available to view during the conference, and participants will also be able to browse items through an online bidding platform.
Bid From Your Phone or Device
Participants will be able to place bids digitally, making it simple to join in between sessions, while networking, or during their downtime.
Win Something Great and Support School Nursing
At the close of the auction, the highest bid wins, and proceeds directly support the NASN Endowment Fund.
In other words, the 2026 fundraiser offers a win-win: you get something fun, and the profession gets something lasting (see Image 1).
Bags, bling, and big impact—every bid supports stronger school nursing nationwide
Double the Fun: Don’t Miss the 50/50 Raffle
If accessories aren’t enough excitement, there’s another easy way to join the fun and try your luck at NASN2026.
This year’s Endowment fundraising will also include a 50/50 raffle, giving participants the chance to win cash while supporting the NASN Endowment Fund. The concept is simple and always a favorite: half of the proceeds go to the lucky winner, and the other half directly supports scholarships, grants, and professional development opportunities for school nurses.
Raffle tickets will be available during the conference, making it easy to participate whether you’re stopping by between sessions or attending conference events. Every ticket purchased helps strengthen the Endowment Fund while adding an extra layer of excitement to the conference experience.
So, if you’re looking for:
a quick way to participate
a chance to win
and an opportunity to support the future of school nursing
The 50/50 raffle is another great option. Because sometimes the easiest win in Vegas is the one that gives back.
Leading With Courage, Clarity & Purpose: The NASN President’s Endowment Fund Challenge
Each year, the NASN President’s Endowment Fund Challenge plays a vital role in supporting grants, scholarships, and research that strengthen the specialty of school nursing and expand access to high-quality school health services nationwide (Nelson, 2026).
For 2026, NASN President Lynn Nelson has framed this important initiative around the theme Leading with Courage, Clarity & Purpose, a message that resonates deeply with the realities school nurses face every day. From responding to increasingly complex student needs to advocating for equitable access to care, school nurses are called to lead with intention, confidence, and vision.
The President’s Challenge invites all conference participants and supporters beyond the conference to take part in this collective effort. A gift of any amount makes a difference. Every contribution helps sustain and grow the Endowment Fund’s ability to support professional development, scholarship, and research that directly benefit school nurses and the students they serve.
When combined with the accessories auction and 50/50 raffle, the President’s Endowment Fund Challenge offers yet another meaningful way to participate in NASN2026 fundraising, whether you’re placing a bid, buying a raffle ticket, or making a direct contribution.
Together, these efforts reflect what it truly means to be Stronger Together: investing in school nurses, advancing the profession, and leading the future of school health with courage, clarity, and purpose (Nelson, 2026).
Want to Support Even More? Donate and Share
Fundraising at the NASN Annual Conference is successful because school nurses show up for each other year after year. NASN affiliates and members continue to strengthen the Endowment Fund through creativity, generosity, and participation.
If you or your affiliate is interested in donating accessory items for the auction, donation instructions will be shared through conference communications and affiliate channels.
And even if you are not donating an item, you can still play a major role by:
Sharing the bidding link with colleagues and supporters
Encouraging non-attendees to participate
Promoting the fundraiser through social media
Inviting others to bid as a way to support school nurses nationwide
Stronger Together Means Investing in Each Other
The NASN Endowment Fund represents a long-term investment in the profession, and past Endowment Fund updates have highlighted that scholarship and grant opportunities are influenced by the strength of the Endowment and investment performance, making continued fundraising essential (Jordan, 2025).
This fundraiser is about more than a purse, a scarf, or a pair of sunglasses.
It’s about supporting the school nurse who is pursuing advanced education.
It’s about funding research that strengthens the evidence behind best practices.
It’s about creating future leaders who will advocate for students, families, and the profession.
It’s a reminder that when school nurses invest in each other, we strengthen the specialty from the inside out.
That is what it means to be Stronger Together.
Join Us at NASN2026—And Join Us in Giving
NASN2026 will bring school nurses together in Las Vegas for learning, connection, leadership development, and professional renewal. This year’s Endowment fundraiser adds a new, exciting opportunity to participate in meaningful giving through a more accessible and engaging silent auction experience.
So, if you’re looking for the easiest way to win in Vegas this year, this is it.
Bid. Share. Support. Celebrate.
Because when we invest in the NASN Endowment Fund, we invest in each other—and we truly are Stronger Together.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Ethics Approval Statement
This article adheres to NASN’s established ethical standards. Ethical approval was not required as the work did not involve human participants, animal subjects, or sensitive data.
Dr. Dena L. Hinkle is director of the School Nurse Program at Lewis University and NASN Illinois Director; she is passionate about advancing school nursing through leadership, scholarship, and Endowment support.