2026 National PAL Conference
Save the Date: May 6 - 9, 2026
Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert St NW • Washington, DC 20008
Rooted & Rising
Strategies, Stories, & Staying Power
Rooted in National PAL’s legacy of mentorship, trust, and community and rising toward a bold, shared future, the National PAL Conference brings together leaders, officers, mentors, and partners from across the country.
Together, we will celebrate what has shaped us, share stories that strengthen connection, and spotlight the strategies and initiatives that build staying power and guide where we are headed next for kids, cops, and communities.
Set in Washington, DC, the 2026 Conference is a space to reconnect with purpose, deepen leadership, and strengthen the systems that support long term, sustainable impact across PAL chapters nationwide.
Mark your calendar and plan to join us May 6 -9, 2026.
Registration Details
Early Bird Pricing for National PAL Members: $700
(Available February 23 – March 9)
Standard Registration Fee: $750
For more information, please contact Aking@nationalpal.org
Schedule of Activities
Wednesday, May 6th • Arrival & Connection
- Registration: 10:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Mentor Grant Training: 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
- Business Meeting: 4:00–4:45 PM
- Evening Opening Reception: 5:00–6:00 PM
Thursday, May 7th • ROOTED • Strengthening Foundations
Included: Optional Wellness • Breakfast • Lunch • Regional Meetups • Exhibitors & Networking
General Session:
Conference Welcome & Leadership Panel: The Purpose, Direction & Impact of PAL
Breakout Sessions:
- Turning Good Work Into Funded Work
- Money You’re Missing: Must-Know Revenue Sources
- Grant Ready: Finding & Winning Funding for Your PAL Program (Part 1 & 2)
- Inside the Partner Mindset: What Corporations & Foundations Look For
- From Participation to Proof: Using Spond Data to Earn Support & Funding
- Fundamentals of Establishing an Effective PAL Program
- Keeping Teens Engaged
- PALS Helping PALS
- Leading Like a GM: Lessons from Professional Sports
- Two Worlds, One Mission: Navigating PAL from Both Sides of the Badge
- Hard Moments in PAL: What We Faced & What We Learned (Panel Discussion)
- Recruiting Board Members, Volunteers & Champions
- A Challenge I’m Carrying — Looking for Perspective
- Leadership Longevity & Staying Power
- What Keeps You Up at Night as a PAL Leader?
Friday May 8th • RISING • Innovation, Expansion, and What’s Next
Included: Breakfast • Lunch • Closing General Session • Awards Ceremony & Evening Reception
General Session:
The Work Is Changing — Are We?
Breakout Sessions:
- Competing Bigger: Operational Leverage Through AI
- Drones 101: Ethics, Uses & Drone PALs
- Experience Lab: Hands-On Drones
- Experience Lab: NFL Flag Coaching Lab
- Inside the Threat Landscape: Digital Safety & Protecting Youth
- Safeguarding Communication: Using Spond to Connect & Protect
- Around the World: Expanding PAL Partnerships
- NASCAR Programming: STEM Mentoring Opportunities
- NFL Flag Football & RCX Programming
- GRIT: Strengthening Youth from the Inside Out
- Terrace Conversation: Partnerships That Actually Work
- Navigating Community Tensions (Panel)
- Stories & Strategies That Made an Impact
- Table Talk: Your Best PAL Ideas
Saturday May 9th • DC FIELD EXPERIENCE • More details to come
Leadership in Law Enforcement Track and/or Yard Crashers: Service Project for DC Veterans, Kids, & Seniors