Academy Calendar of Events

2025 - 2026 Academy Calendar and Suggested Affiliate Activities

Please use the information below for planning your 2025-2026 membership year. You can download a PDF of the calendar here.

Presidents-Elect may reference an onboarding timeline for the year in preparation for the role as President on the President-Elect Training page.

• The Affiliate Training Webinar schedule is separate and can be accessed here.
• The in-person, President-Elect training will be in person this year near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. Dates are TBD and will be announced in late summer 2025
• FNCE® will be held in person with a limited virtual component

All Month – Member renewal and non-member recruitment efforts
June 1 – Change of officers/begin new membership/fiscal/program year (for majority of affiliates)
June 1 – DMIS updated with current membership year data
June 10 – FNCE^® 2025 registration opens

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Conduct orientation and training for all volunteers 
• Schedule reoccurring board and committee meetings
• Consider sending a welcome letter to new/returning members.
• Welcome new members – consider a welcome message each month with information on resources and upcoming events.

All Month – Member renewal and non-member recruitment efforts
July 4 – Academy offices closed in observance of Independence Day

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Consider contacting non-renewing members about renewing and/or survey on why they did not renew.

All Month – Kids Eat Right Month^TM
August 26 – FNCE^® 2025 early bird registration deadline
August 31 – Principles of Affiliation submission due to the Academy
Ensure the affiliate has the previous year’s tax information and letter of good standing.

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Encourage nominations for the Academy’s election
• Help promote attendance to FNCE® and coordinate FNCE® event planning

September 1 – Call for 2026 FNCE^® educational sessions and posters begins
September 1 – Academy offices closed in observance of Labor Day

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Encourage nominations for the Academy’s election
• Help promote attendance to FNCE^®
• Nominating committee has initial meeting to secure timeline and delegate responsibilities.

All Month – Solicitation for national honors and awards nominations
November 15 – Call for 2026 FNCE^® educational sessions and posters deadline
November 27-28 – Academy offices closed in observance of Thanksgiving 

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Nominating Committee begin to recruit for new affiliate leaders for next membership year

December 24-January 1 – Academy offices closed in observance of Christmas and New Year’s 

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Continue to recruit for new affiliate leaders
• Finance Committee meets to confirm process and timeline for budget request

All Month – Affiliates can submit RYDY, RDTY, ODY, EDL and ODSA award winners to the Academy (through May 1)
January 15 – as Intent to nominate deadline for national honors and awards
January 19 – Academy office closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Begin program of work and budget planning for fiscal years beginning June
• Continue to recruit for new affiliate leaders
• Begin awards nomination process

All Month – Non-member recruitment begins
All Month –Affiliates can submit RYDY, RDTY, ODY, EDL and ODSA award winners to the Academy (through May 1)
February 1 – Membership renewal opens for the 2026-2027 year
February 1 – Academy national electronic voting begins, including affiliate project vote
February 15 – Academy national election voting ends
Mid Month – Foundation Awards deadline 

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Continue to recruit for new affiliate leaders – start election process if able to
• Participate in project vote to promote the Academy’s election
• Plan a membership recruitment and renewal campaign

All Month - National Nutrition Month®
All Month - Affiliates can submit RYDY, RDTY, ODY, EDL and ODSA award winners to the Academy (through May 1).
All month – Promote membership renewals
March 11 – RDN Day (always the second Wednesday in March)
March 12 – NDTR Day (always the second Thursday in March) 

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Begin program of work/budget planning for start of new fiscal year
• Recruit for new affiliate leaders
• Continue awards process – submit when ready
• Begin executing your membership recruitment and renewal campaign

All Month – Submit affiliate appointed and elected position names via survey
All month – Promote membership renewals 

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Update board of directors/leadership team roster for start of fiscal year with elected and appointed positions
• Continue program of work/budget planning for start of new fiscal year
• Consider sending an end of year membership satisfaction survey
• Ensure award winners submitted to the Academy

All month – Promote membership renewals
All month - Submit elected and appointed official names to the Academy
May 1 – RYDY, RDTY, ODY, EDL and ODSA winner submissions cut-off date
May 1 – Submit affiliate appointed and elected position names via survey
May 25 – Academy offices closed in observance of Memorial Day
May 31 – Last day of the Academy fiscal year and membership renewal

Suggested affiliate events for the month:

• Finalize program of work/budget planning for the new fiscal year
• Conduct end-of-year board evaluation
• Ensure affiliate strategic plan and bylaws are current for the start of the fiscal year
• Update all service agreements/contracts for start of fiscal year. Complete performance evaluations before renewing contracts
• Ensure districts have signed an affiliate/district agreement for the start of the fiscal year
• Work with volunteers preparing to end their terms to update position descriptions for incoming volunteers
• Begin collecting data for the Principles of Affiliation submission

 
Schedule of Future FNCE® Sites