2026 NWA National Policy Conference

February 24-February 26, 2026

About the Conference

Join us for the 2026 National Policy Conference, Strength in Community, Power in Policy on Tuesday, February 24, through Thursday, February 26, 2026.

This year’s virtual conference comes on the heels of a historic year for WIC - the program weathered the longest federal government shutdown in history without large-scale disruptions to benefits or clinic services, and now has full funding for FY 2026.

Now, our policy focus turns to FY 2027 funding and critical modernization needs - including securing permanent virtual services in WIC by passing the MODERN WIC Act and publishing the final rule on online shopping.

What to Expect:

Learn the latest federal policy developments impacting WIC.
Understand FY 2027 funding priorities and key modernization efforts.
Get clarity on the MODERN WIC Act and the final rule on online shopping.
Hear directly from policy experts, researchers, and advocates.
Access learning opportunities appropriate for every level of policy expertise.
Participate in Capitol Hill Education Day with NWA’s training, materials, and scheduling support.

This conference brings together policy experts, researchers, and advocates to share the latest on federal policy that impacts WIC and provide opportunities for attendees to educate their members of Congress. This conference is appropriate for all members of the WIC community and will provide learning opportunities for every level of policy expertise.

The conference will start on Tuesday, February 24, and will end with the Annual Capitol Hill Education Day on Thursday, February 26. Note: The conference is closed to press.

For general inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Capitol Hill Education Day

The conference will culminate with NWA’s Annual Capitol Hill Education Day on Thursday, February 26, where attendees can virtually engage with Congressional leaders and their staff to educate them on WIC’s essential services. NWA will provide administrative support for scheduling meetings and training to prepare attendees with all levels of experience. You will be armed with talking points, materials, and plenty of moral support. These meetings are one of the most effective ways to make a difference for WIC! For questions about Capitol Hill Education Day, please reach out to NWA’s Advocacy Manager, Adu Ogbagiorgis, at [email protected].

Registration Details

National Policy Conference Registration Fees

(Please note the Conference will take place Virtually):

Early Bird Deadline January 7, 2026.

Registration Type	Early Bird Rates ENDS January 7, 2026	Regular Rates BEGINS January 8, 2026 Ends Feb 10
NWA Member NWA Partner	$309	$409
Non-Member	$409	$509
USDA Staff	$309	$409
Undergrad Student or Full-Time Retiree	$199	$249
NWA Member - Group (5 - 10)	$284	$384
NWA Member - Group (10+)	$259	$359

To receive the group rate discount!

GROUP Discounts are for Members only
To be considered a group you must have five (5) or more from one facility.
Enter "GROUP" in the Promo Code Box and the system will automatically apply the discount.
Registrants MUST be registered in ONE Group to receive the discount!

NWA Partner Registration Benefits

Business Council Partners - 2 comps/conference
Supporting Parners - 1 comp/conference
Associate Partners - 1 comp /year

Last Chance Registration Fees

Registration Type	Starts Wednesday, February 11
NWA Member	$459
USDA Staff	$459
Non-Member	$559
Undergrad Student, Retired	$249

*No discounts at the last chance rate.

Registration will close on February 20, 2026

Payment Details

We must receive your credit card payment or check payment in full before you may access any NWA conferences or events. If we have not received payment in full, you will not be able to access the NWA 2026 National Policy Virtual Conference platform.

Please see our payments information page on the NWA website.
Payment by debit/credit card is most preferred followed by check!
If paying by check, full payment is due four weeks after initial registration submission.
All balance dues must be cleared no later than February 10, 2026.
Starting February 11, all payments must be submitted by Debit/Credit Card.
Attendees MUST be paid in full by the deadline to access the NWA National Policy Conference.
Deadline for receipt of cancellations: 11:59 p.m. EDT on February 10, 2026.
Cancellations must be submitted in writing to [email protected] and should include the registration ID number and registrant name(s).
Cancellations are not accepted by phone.
Cancellations received before January 7, 2026 will receive 100% refund.
Cancellations received starting January 8, 2026 will receive a 50% refund.
No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after February 10, 2026.
Promotions/discounts are not retroactive and cannot be applied to previously purchased individual registrations. Limit one special offer/discount code per registration.
Refunds are not issued for no-shows.
If you DO NOT CANCEL YOU WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT!

NWA Federal Tax ID: 52-1482678

Make Checks Payable to the National WIC Association

National WIC Association
Attn: 2025 NWA National Policy Confernece
1099 14th Street, NW Ste. 510
Washington, DC 20005

How to Register and Access your NWA account

Registrations are processed via our web-based system.
Each registrant must have or create a profile (account) to register online.
Please make sure each user’s email address and phone number are correct before registering!
Credit card payments will be processed via our secure stripe site.
Registrants using a Purchase Order (PO) or check, must select the "Bill Me Later" option from the online registration system when registering.
The system will automatically email a registration confirmation to the email provided. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please contact [email protected].
You may print invoices, receipts, event confirmations, and view other personalized NWA information and activities by logging into your My NWICA account.

Visit www.nwica.org and click "Log in" in the top right corner of the homepage.
Then enter your username (your email) and password.
Click on the Purchase Tab and you will be able to view/print copies of your invoices and receipts.

Create an account (for those that do not have an account)

Visit https://www.nwica.org/auth/register

Click here for step-by-step instructions on creating an account

Questions?

Contact the conference team at [email protected]

Agenda

Please Click Here for Draft Agenda.

Conference Times: All sessions occur in the Eastern Time Zone.

The virtual conference will officially kick off on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 11:00 AM ET.

The conference will conclude with a Virtual Hill Day (held via Zoom) on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

The Virtual Conference Platform will remain open for on-demand access until May 29, 2026.

Capitol Hill Education Day

Capitol Hill Education Day │Thursday, February 26 │Virtual

NWA will provide administrative support for scheduling meetings, and training to prepare attendees with all levels of experience. You will be armed with talking points, materials, and plenty of moral support. These meetings are one of the most effective ways to make a difference for WIC!

For questions about Capitol Hill Education Day, please reach out to NWA’s Advocacy Manager, Adu Ogbagiorgis at [email protected].

Sponsorship Opportunities

Click Here for our Sponsorship Prospectus

The National WIC Association (NWA) invites you to join us as a sponsor for our 2025 National Policy Conference, taking place virtually February 24-26, 2026, featuring a Capital Hill Education Day on February 26, 2026. This annual event is a premier platform for engaging with WIC staff, nutrition professionals, public health experts, and program leaders from across the country. Please note: This conference will be held virtually only!

Why Sponsor?

Sponsoring this event provides a powerful opportunity to:

Build brand awareness among WIC decision-makers and maternal-child health professionals.
Showcase your commitment to equitable, evidence-based nutrition and breastfeeding support.
Introduce new products and services aligned with WIC's mission.
Position your organization as a thought leader in maternal and child health.
Engage with attendees during and after the event through interactive virtual tools..

Click Here for our Sponsorship Prospectus

Click Here to Submit Your Sponsorship Order

NWA Conference Policies

By registering for this conference, you agree to all conference policies listed below.

General Policies

All individuals and/or entities are strictly prohibited from electronically recording or broadcasting any conference events without prior written consent from NWA.
Press representatives must register and receive a Press Pass and photo/recording permission from NWA. Please reach out to [email protected].
Information presented may not represent the views or standards of NWA.
We encourage everyone to share their voice, but ask that participants avoid posting repeatedly in a short period of time. Help us create a balanced, engaging feed where all voices can be heard. NWA reserves the right to review and remove posts that do not align with these guidelines or that disrupt the event experience.
In the event the attendee is a “no-show,” the attendee is responsible for all fees and penalties in connection with being a “no-show.”

Cancellation & Refund Policy

To cancel your registration, a written request MUST be received by NWA via email to [email protected] no later than the 11:59 PM ET on Friday, February 10, 2026.

Cancellations received before January 7, 2026 will receive 100% refund.
Cancellations received starting January 8, 2026 will receive a 50% refund.
No refunds will be issued for cancellations received after February 10, 2026.
Promotions/discounts are not retroactive and cannot be applied to previously purchased individual registrations. Limit one special offer/discount code per registration.
Refunds are not issued for no-shows.
If you DO NOT CANCEL YOU WILL STILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT!
If your registration balance is not paid, a hold may be placed on your account, preventing you from accessing your NWA Membership Benefits.

Privacy Policy

Your data privacy and security are important to us. When you register for this event, NWA will process your data in accordance with our legitimate interests for hosting an industry event and for being a community-based organization. Please review our privacy policy, including how to exercise your rights under the GDPR.

Code of Conduct

NWA is a listening organization focused on its participants. The Conference is designed to increase interaction, engagement, collaboration, connectivity and community, in a fun and safe environment.

We value the participation of each member of the community and endeavor to deliver an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Conference participants are expected to conduct themselves with integrity, courtesy and respect for others and maintain the highest level of professionalism at all conference programs and events, whether officially sponsored by NWA or not. All attendees, guests, speakers, organizers, volunteers, partners, vendors and staff at any NWA event are required to observe the following Code of Conduct.

NWA is dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of diverse backgrounds and cultures. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for the conference.

Be kind to others. Do not insult or defame participants. Harassment in any form, sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not condoned at NWA Events.

Participants violating these rules may be asked to leave the conference at the sole discretion of NWA. Thank you for helping to make this a welcoming event for all.

Media Disclaimer

NWA intends to take photographs and video of this event for use in NWA news and promotional material, in print, electronic and other media, including the NWA websites. By participating in this event, I grant NWA the right to use any image, photograph, voice or likeness, without limitation, in its promotional materials and publicity efforts without compensation. All media becomes the property of NWA. Media may be displayed, distributed or used by NWA for any purpose.

NWA may update these requirements at any time at its sole discretion.