SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                Current Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)                  April 7, 2004
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                         NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


          Pennsylvania              000-22537-01                23-2215075
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(State or other jurisdiction         (Commission            (I.R.S. Employer
      of incorporation)              File Number)          Identification No.)


Philadelphia and Reading Avenues       Boyertown      PA            19512
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   (Address of principal executive office)                        (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code     (610) 367-6001
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                                       N/A
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          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)







Item 5.  Other Events.
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         Trust Preferred Securities

         On April 7, 2004,  National Penn completed an offering of 20,000 shares
of floating rate (three month LIBOR plus a margin of 2.75%)  Capital  Securities
with an aggregate  offering price of $20,000,000.  The securities were issued by
NPB Capital Trust V, a Delaware statutory trust subsidiary of National Penn.

         The Capital Securities were offered and sold to an initial purchaser in
a private  transaction that was not registered under the Securities Act of 1933.
The initial  purchaser  intends to sell the  Capital  Securities  to  "qualified
institutional  buyers"  (as  defined  in Rule 144A under the  Securities  Act of
1933). The Capital Securities will not be registered under the Securities Act of
1933 and may not be  offered  or  otherwise  sold in the  United  States  absent
registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements.

         The  Capital  Securities  mature on April 7, 2034 and are  callable  by
National Penn, subject to any required regulatory approvals, at par, in whole or
in part, at any time on or after April 7, 2009.

         Proceeds of the offering were invested in National Penn.  National Penn
anticipates using the proceeds, among other things, (1) to fund part of the cash
portion of the merger  consideration  to be paid to the  shareholders of Peoples
First,  Inc. in connection with the merger of Peoples First,  Inc. with and into
National  Penn;  (2)  for  general   corporate   purposes,   including   capital
contributions  to National Penn Bank,  National  Penn's banking  subsidiary,  to
support  its growth  strategies;  (3) for  working  capital;  (4) to  repurchase
National  Penn's  common stock in accordance  with the  provisions of its common
stock repurchase program; and (5) to fund future acquisitions.

         Statements  made herein  concerning  National  Penn's  intended  use of
proceeds from the offering are forward-looking statements.  Actual results could
differ  materially due to the following risks and uncertainties -- deteriorating
economic  conditions;  increased  competition;  interest rate movements;  market
volatility in the securities  markets;  legislative or regulatory  developments;
merger-related synergies, savings and integration issues; technological changes;
and other risks and  uncertainties  discussed in National  Penn's  reports filed
from time to time with the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission.  National Penn
cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements.  National Penn
undertakes no obligation to publicly release or update any of these statements.






Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.
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(c) Exhibits.

         4.1      Form of Declaration of Trust between National Penn Bancshares,
                  Inc., as sponsor, and Wells Fargo Delaware Trust Company.

         4.2      Form of  Amended  and  Restated  Declaration  of  Trust  among
                  National  Penn  Bancshares,  Inc.,  as  sponsor,  Wells  Fargo
                  Delaware Trust Company, as Delaware Trustee, Wells Fargo Bank,
                  National  Association,  as Institutional  Trustee, and Gary L.
                  Rhoads and Sandra L. Spayd, as Administrators.

         4.3      Form of Indenture between National Penn Bancshares,  Inc., and
                  Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee.

         4.4      Form of Guarantee  Agreement between National Penn Bancshares,
                  Inc.,   as   Guarantor,   and  Wells  Fargo   Bank,   National
                  Association, as Guarantee Trustee.

         99       Press Release of National Penn Bancshares, Inc. dated April 8,
                  2004 (filed pursuant to Item 9 of Form 8-K).

Item 9.  Regulation FD Disclosure.
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         On April 8, 2004,  National Penn issued a press release  concerning the
issuance  of the Capital  Securities  (discussed  at Item 5 hereof).  This press
release is filed herein, as part of this Item 9, as Exhibit 99.







                                    SIGNATURE


         Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused  this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                         NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC.


                                        By /s/ Wayne R. Weidner
                                        ----------------------
                                        Name: Wayne R. Weidner
                                        Title: Chairman and
                                        Chief Executive Officer


Dated:  April 13, 2004






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit Number                      Description


         4.1      Form of Declaration of Trust between National Penn Bancshares,
                  Inc., as sponsor, and Wells Fargo Delaware Trust Company.

         4.2      Form of  Amended  and  Restated  Declaration  of  Trust  among
                  National  Penn  Bancshares,  Inc.,  as  sponsor,  Wells  Fargo
                  Delaware Trust Company, as Delaware Trustee, Wells Fargo Bank,
                  National  Association,  as Institutional  Trustee, and Gary L.
                  Rhoads and Sandra L. Spayd, as Administrators.

         4.3      Form of Indenture between National Penn Bancshares,  Inc., and
                  Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee.

         4.4      Form of Guarantee  Agreement between National Penn Bancshares,
                  Inc.,   as   Guarantor,   and  Wells  Fargo   Bank,   National
                  Association, as Guarantee Trustee.

         99       Press Release of National Penn Bancshares, Inc. dated April 8,
                  2004 (filed pursuant to Item 9 of Form 8-K).