U.S. Conference on Poverty and Basic Needs

Ending diaper need and/or period poverty is the central focus of basic needs banks leaders throughout the U.S., and they are getting it done. Every diaper and period product distributed, every conversation with a policymaker, every baby, student, or parent supported — it all matters. And when our Network comes together, our collective force is powerful.

Hosted by the National Diaper Bank Network and the Alliance for Period Supplies, the annual conference is the only national convening focused on ending diaper need, period poverty, and related basic needs gaps. First held as The Diaper Banks in America Conference in 2011, the name changed to the U.S. Conference on Poverty and Basic Needs in 2020. NDBN introduced the National Summit on Period Poverty Leadership in 2018 as part of the overall conference. In 2024, the Summit became a part of the full conference due to the intersection of basic needs, health care, economics and poverty.

Now in its 15th year, the conference brings together nonprofit leaders, advocates, researchers, and cross-sector partners who believe in a future where access to basic necessities is a right and supported, and living in poverty results from systemic conditions, not individual failure.
Join us in New Jersey for three days of connection, learning, and shared purpose:

• Learn from experts across the network and beyond — including basic needs bank leaders, researchers, and cross-sector partners.
• Build practical skills through sessions on fundraising, warehousing and inventory systems, social media strategy, and board development.
• Dig into research, policy, and communications with sessions on public funding opportunities, legislative strategy, data-informed storytelling, and message framing.
• Connect with peers nationwide to share challenges, swap ideas, and strengthen relationships across the network.

This conference is more than a gathering — it’s a reflection of who we are: local leaders investing in our communities, and a powerful national network advocating for real change.
Join us, and be part of a movement that’s meeting needs, shifting narratives, and building a better future — together.