Fundraising built on strategy, relationships, and real partnership.

The latest Giving USA report offers an encouraging message for nonprofit leaders heading into year-end fundraising: Americans continue to give generously, even amid economic uncertainty. In 2025, charitable giving reached a record $617.2 billion, surpassing $600 billion for the first time. Total giving increased 5.7%, while giving by individuals grew 4.1% to $394.2 billion. Giving increased across eight of nine charitable subsectors, with education, human services, health, arts and culture, and environment and animals all reaching record levels when adjusted for inflation.

But the report also offers an important piece of context. While financial markets were strong, consumer sentiment remained low, potentially lessening giving among some households. In other words, the philanthropic environment is strong, but nonprofits should not assume that every donor is feeling equally confident about their financial future.

The data points to several opportunities for your organization to make year-end fundraising more strategic, personal, and focused on the long-term donor relationship.

1. Put individual donors at the center of your year-end strategy

Individual giving remains the largest source of charitable support, reaching $394.2 billion in 2025. While the 4.1% increase was more modest than the growth seen in some other areas of philanthropy, individuals continue to represent the largest pool of charitable dollars by a significant margin.

This is a reminder that year-end fundraising should be about more than sending a series of emails to your entire donor file. The opportunity is to use the final months of the year to strengthen relationships with the people who already have a connection to your organization.

Look at your donor base through a relationship lens. Who has increased their giving? Who gives every year? Who made a first gift in 2025? Who has stopped giving? And which donors have demonstrated a level of engagement that suggests they may be ready for a deeper conversation?

First step: Segment your individual donor file into key groups — major donors, mid-level donors, recurring donors, first-time donors, and lapsed donors. Then determine whether each group is receiving the right message, ask, and level of personal outreach for year-end.

2. Use your organization's momentum to create urgency and optimism

Reconsider the story behind your year-end ask. Too often, year-end fundraising focuses almost entirely on urgency: There are only 10 days left. We need your help. Make your gift before December 31.

Urgency can be effective, but it should be supported by a compelling story about progress and possibility. What did your organization accomplish in 2026? What changed for the people or communities you serve? And what will your organization be able to do next because donors choose to invest now?

First step: Identify two or three meaningful accomplishments from the year and connect each one directly to donor support. Use those examples to build the central story for your year-end campaign. This is particularly important in an environment where some donors may be feeling financially uncertain — give them a reason to feel confident that their charitable investment will make a meaningful difference.

3. Create opportunities for donors to make a larger investment

The growth in individual giving is encouraging, but Giving USA 2026 also highlights another important source of philanthropy: bequests. Bequest giving increased 19.7% in 2025 to $62.19 billion, the largest percentage increase among the four sources of giving.

While a year-end campaign should not become a planned-giving campaign overnight, the broader data reinforces the importance of thinking beyond the annual transaction. Some donors may be ready to increase their annual gift. Others may be interested in making a major gift, establishing a multi-year commitment, contributing appreciated assets, or beginning a conversation about a legacy gift.

First step: Review your top individual donors and prospects and identify those who have increased their giving, given consistently, or demonstrated significant engagement. Develop a personal outreach strategy for these donors rather than relying solely on your mass year-end campaign.

4. Think beyond the traditional corporate ask

Corporate giving increased 3.1% in 2025 to $43.67 billion. While this was the slowest growth among the four sources of giving, corporate giving has grown 60% over the past five years — significantly outpacing the 29% growth in total giving over the same period.

Beyond simply asking for another year-end contribution, corporate partners can help amplify a campaign through matching gifts, employee giving, challenge grants, volunteer engagement, or communications to their own networks.

First step: Review your existing corporate partners and identify which companies could participate in your year-end campaign through a matching gift, challenge, or employee giving opportunity. The strongest corporate year-end strategy may not be another sponsorship request — it may be an invitation to help your organization engage hundreds of individual supporters.

The Bigger Opportunity for Year-End Fundraising

The Giving USA 2026 findings provide a positive backdrop for nonprofit fundraising, but they also reinforce a point that we often see in our work with nonprofit leaders: strong philanthropic trends do not replace strong fundraising strategy.

The opportunity for nonprofit leaders is to translate these broad trends into a more thoughtful year-end approach. Segment your donors. Personalize your outreach. Tell a compelling story about impact. Identify opportunities for larger investments. And look for ways your corporate relationships can help expand your reach.

Most importantly, use year-end fundraising as an opportunity to strengthen the donor relationships that will shape your organization's fundraising success in 2027. If you'd like help thinking through your strategy, we'd love to connect.

For many nonprofit leaders, Giving Tuesday is a powerful opportunity to strengthen the emotional connection between your mission and your supporters. And that connection matters. Behavioral research shows that donors give when they feel a sense of belonging, when your mission aligns with their identity, and when they experience the emotional reward of seeing real impact.

As you refine your campaign, consider:

Lead with identity and community

Donors want to feel like they're part of something meaningful. Show them how their values align with your work and invite them into a community rather than a transaction.

Make the emotional reward clear

Stories of impact activate the parts of the brain tied to empathy and positive emotion. Highlight how a single gift creates tangible, human-centered change.

Create a frictionless donor experience

The easier it is to take action, the more likely donors are to follow through — and feel good doing it.

Engage before, during, and after Giving Tuesday

When supporters feel personally seen and thanked, their connection deepens. Authentic gratitude and transparent impact reporting build long-term loyalty.

Mobilize your ambassadors

Your board, volunteers, and program champions help reinforce identity and belonging by showing donors they're part of a shared mission.

Giving Tuesday is about more than raising dollars — it's an event that reinforces the emotional and psychological drivers that turn supporters into lifelong partners. If you'd like help crafting a donor-centered strategy, we're here to support you.

The Giving USA 2025 Report is here — and the message is clear: fundraising is growing, but the donor base is shrinking.

Key insights from 2024:

• Total charitable giving hit $592.5B — up 6.3% in current dollars
• Donor counts dropped 4.5%, continuing a 4-year decline
• Gifts under $100 fell 8.8% — a red flag for trust and engagement
• New donor retention: just 18.4%
• Corporate giving surged 6.0%, driven by CSR and employee engagement
• Mega-gifts totaled $11.7B — but nonprofits are becoming more dependent on fewer, larger donors

Deepen Relationships: Retention Over Acquisition

Your greatest asset is already with you — the people who believe in your mission. Rather than chasing new leads, lean into the relationships you've already begun. Let your current donors feel seen, heard, and appreciated. This isn't just stewardship. It's respect, empathy, and trust.

Inspire Trust Through Storytelling

Today's donors want to be part of something bigger than themselves. Share authentic stories of transformation — real people, real voices. Let your donors see themselves as co-creators of change.

Don't Overlook the Heart of Your Base

Your small and mid-level supporters are the steady heartbeat of your mission. Personalized stewardship doesn't require huge budgets — it requires intention and care.

Partner with Purpose

The most impactful corporate partnerships aren't transactional — they're relational. Focus on shared values and create meaningful opportunities for collaboration, not just check-writing.

Achieving long-term sustainability requires striking a balance between cultivating small donors and securing major gifts. Small donors provide a steady stream of revenue, while major donors can significantly propel your mission forward. It can be difficult to find the right balance — but it's worth the effort.

Small Gifts: The Backbone of Sustainability

Small donations — whether $10, $25, or $50 — add up over time and provide a reliable funding base. They also engage a large base of passionate supporters who may grow into mid-level or major donors over time. Diverse revenue across many donors also buffers against the risk of losing one large supporter.

Major Gifts: The Key to Expansive Growth

Major gifts are the engine that drives large-scale growth. One gift can fund new initiatives, expand your reach, and fuel strategic goals. When cultivated thoughtfully, major gifts can provide multi-year or unrestricted support — creating a more predictable revenue stream.

Three Key Strategies for Achieving Balance

1. Create tiered donor engagement strategies. A one-size-fits-all approach won't work. For small donors, focus on regular communications and recurring giving campaigns. For major donors, develop personalized, high-touch strategies — one-on-one meetings, tailored impact reports, and exclusive events.

2. Balance your fundraising calendar. Mix campaigns throughout the year — annual appeals alongside capital campaigns. By layering different approaches, you can maximize potential without neglecting either group.

3. Foster a culture of stewardship. Both groups need to feel appreciated. Show donors the impact of their gifts. For small donors, regular updates and recognition go a long way. For major donors, build personalized stewardship — behind-the-scenes access, direct updates on the projects they've funded.

If you'd like to learn more about striking the right balance at your nonprofit, reach out — we're here to help.

How much do you know about the giving trends of each age group? A recent Nonprofit Hub webinar took a closer look at Giving USA's Giving by Generation Special Report. The data shows a positive trend toward increased giving as younger generations age — and key differences in how each group engages.

Boomers (ages 60–78)

Hold 51% of all U.S. wealth and gave 27% more in 2024 than in 2021 — more than double any other generation. They still favor traditional giving methods like checks and direct mail, but are open to online options. Notably, 24% say giving would be the last thing they'd cut if they needed to reduce spending.

Gen X (ages 44–59)

Hold 25% of U.S. wealth and gave 12% more in 2024 compared to 2021. Highly focused on local causes and more likely to volunteer than donate. They prefer email and social media for engagement.

Millennials (ages 28–43)

Gave 22% more in 2024 than in 2021 — contributing 18% more than Gen X despite earning $23,000 less annually. Most active in online giving. They believe charities are more effective than government programs when addressing social issues.

Gen Z (ages 18–27)

Gave 16% more in 2024 than in 2021. Beginning to embrace more traditional forms of communication and prefer frequent contact. Most engaged through community and faith-based organizations.

With each generation showing unique giving behaviors, how is your organization tailoring its approach? Understanding these differences is the first step to meeting donors where they are.

In a world full of noise, how do you make sure your nonprofit's message stands out and inspires action? The answer lies in simplicity — and in intentional, well-defined strategy.

Why Every Nonprofit Needs a Messaging Guide

A clear messaging guide ensures your communications are consistent, focused, and effective across all platforms. It's easy to fall into the trap of sending mixed or overly complex messages that confuse your audience. A messaging guide keeps you on brand and aligned with your mission — it's the blueprint for everything you say, write, and share, ensuring that all your team members, partners, and volunteers are on the same page.

The Value of Knowing Your Elevator Pitch

We've all been there: you're at a networking event or drafting an email to a potential donor, and you've got just a few seconds to grab someone's attention. What do you say? A great elevator pitch is concise, compelling, and memorable — your nonprofit's mission distilled into a few short sentences that anyone can understand. Knowing your elevator pitch gives you the confidence to engage potential supporters with ease.

If your organization is working to clarify its messaging or build a stronger fundraising narrative, let's talk. It's one of the most high-leverage investments a development team can make.

In today's evolving philanthropic landscape, Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are one of the most powerful yet often misunderstood tools for charitable giving. For many nonprofit leaders, DAFs can feel like a mysterious "black box." But understanding how they work can open up significant new funding opportunities.

What Is a Donor-Advised Fund?

A DAF is a charitable giving account administered by a third party — often a financial institution or community foundation. It allows donors to contribute assets, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then recommend grants to charities over time. Essentially, donors "pre-fund" their giving, and the money is distributed to nonprofits on their advisory recommendation.

Why DAFs Matter

According to the National Philanthropic Trust, DAF assets have reached record highs, with billions in grants distributed annually. Many donors now use DAFs as their primary giving vehicle. If your nonprofit isn't DAF-ready, you may be missing out.

How to Get Started

Verify your eligibility. Most DAFs grant to IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) public charities. Confirm your status on Candid (formerly GuideStar) or the IRS database.

Set up internal processes. Identify who handles DAF correspondence and how incoming grants are tracked separately for reporting and stewardship.

Use DAF-friendly giving tools. Many online platforms now include DAF integration (DAFpay, DAF Direct, etc.). Adding one to your "Ways to Give" page makes the process simple for donors.

Communicate clearly. Let donors know you welcome DAF contributions. A simple line on your website — "You can support us through your Donor-Advised Fund" — goes a long way.

DAFs are not a passing trend. They're reshaping how donors plan and execute their philanthropy. If your nonprofit needs help incorporating DAF readiness into your fundraising strategy, our team can help.