National Philanthropy Day Award Winners | 2025
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) observes National Philanthropy Day around the country every November. A time designated to celebrate philanthropy and recognize the contributions of donors, volunteers, and fundraising professionals, local AFP chapters hold events to honor individuals and organizations for their work in philanthropy. We have listed this year’s award winners in the chapters in our region here:
North Carolina:
- Cape Fear Region:
- Outstanding Philanthropists of the Year: Ned & Margaret Barclay and George & Sylvia Rountree
- Outstanding Fundraiser of the Year: Leigh Johnson
- Charlotte:
- Outstanding Philanthropic Organization: Barings
- Outstanding Philanthropic Small Business: Redline Design Group
- Outstanding Philanthropist: Katherine “Kat” Belk, posthumously
- Outstanding Emerging Philanthropist: William Foster
- Outstanding Student Philanthropist: Olivia Codjie
- Outstanding Champion of Diversity: Shereese Floyd
- Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Gene and Jean Cochrane
- Outstanding Legacy: Carolyn McCall Williams
- Outstanding Emerging Fundraising Professional: Claire Lechtenberg
- Outstanding Fundraising Executive: Vanessa Shelton Stolen
- Triad:
- Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy: Nancy and Frank Brenner
- Outstanding Philanthropist – Greensboro: Sue Cole
- Outstanding Philanthropist – High Point: Ken and Sally Hughes
- Outstanding Philanthropist – Winston-Salem: Marie Arcuri
- Legacy of Philanthropic Impact: Reynolds American, Inc.
- Outstanding Business in Philanthropy – Greensboro: Honda Aircraft Company
- Outstanding Business in Philanthropy – Winston-Salem: Allegacy Federal Credit Union
- Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser – Greensboro: Kevin Baker
- Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser – Graham: Randy McMasters
- Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser – Winston-Salem: Janice Tsoules
- Outstanding Philanthropic Organization – Asheboro: Randolph County Board of Commissioners
- Outstanding Philanthropic Organization – Greensboro: First Presbyterian Church
- Outstanding Philanthropic Organization – Winston-Salem: Ardmore Baptist HandiCrafters
- Champion of Diversity: Rhonda Anderson
- Outstanding Emerging Philanthropist – High Point: Morgan Qubein
- Outstanding Emerging Philanthropist – Winston-Salem: David Tyler Burr
- Outstanding Youth in Philanthropy: Eloise Kirkwood
- Outstanding Fundraising Professional: Heather Egan
- Triangle:
- Outstanding Fundraiser of the Year: Barbara Coury, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics Foundation
- Community Nonprofit Impact Award: Children’s Flight of Hope
- Outstanding Young Philanthropist (Individual): Caroline Wang, Youth Ambassadors of Service
- Outstanding Young Philanthropist (Organization): Gift2Help
- The Ripple Award: Margaret F. Bratton, WakeMed Health & Hospitals and WakeMed Foundation
- Outstanding Corporate Philanthropist: State Employees’ Credit Union & SECU Foundation
- Western: Outstanding Fundraiser Nominees:
- Outstanding Fundraiser: Becky Davis
- Outstanding Philanthropist: Ellen Carr
- Outstanding Nonprofit Organization: Margarita Ramirez, Centro Unido Latino Americano
South Carolina:
- Lowcountry:
- Corporate Philanthropist of the Year: Wells Fargo Foundation
- Fundraising Professional of the Year: Nancy Appel
- Future Philanthropist of the Year: Ella Lathan
- Individual of the Year: Wes Carter
- Volunteer of the Year: Dr. Kerry Solomon
- Central:
- Outstanding Rising Stars: Scott McDonald and Heyward Clayton
- Outstanding Corporation: Colonial Life
- Outstanding Marketing Professional in Support of Philanthropy: Kim Bowman
- Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Betty Melvin
- Outstanding Fundraising Executive: Becky Morrison
- Outstanding Philanthropists: Brittons of Columbia- Stacy Levinson and Perry Lancaster
- Piedmont: pending
Virginia:
- Blue Ridge:
- Outstanding Philanthropic Organization: Cardinal News
- Outstanding Fundraising Executive: Lee Clark
- Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser: Susan Pratt
- Special President’s Award: Kim Turner
- Hampton Roads:
- Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer: Lewis W. Webb III
- Outstanding Philanthropist – Organization: Work Program Architects (WPA)
- Outstanding Philanthropist – Family: Dr. Audra Bullock & Mr. T. Richard Litton, Jr.
- Outstanding Nonprofit in Fundraising: Chrysler Museum of Art
- Outstanding Nonprofit Leader: Kate Powell, MPA, CFRE
- Outstanding Fundraising Professional: Melissa Hlinovsky
- Piedmont: pending
- Shenandoah:
- Individual Philanthropists: David and Helen A. Penrod
- Youth in Philanthropy: Eastern Mennonite School WeServe Club
- Corporate Philanthropy: Kathy Moran Wealth Group
- Spirit of Philanthropy: Debi Canfield
- Sandra Neff Fundraising Executive: Lynda McMillen
- Tri-State: pending