Creating Stronger Community Service Initiatives

Federal funding cuts; attacks on equity, immigrants, the rule of law, and the country's democracy; a brand-new tax expense; and the growing use of expert system are simply some of the aspects that have overthrown the not-for-profit world. Amidst this upheaval, how can funders and their beneficiaries prepare for 2026 and beyond? In this special plan, you'll hear from foundation leaders and major donors about giving trends in the coming year and efforts to respond to Trump administration risks.

You'll discover strong forecasts from leaders and thinkers across the sector about what lies ahead, including what the sector will look like five years from now, and how to react to what guarantees to be another extraordinary year. It's time to shed our worry and acknowledge that those who desire change will stop working if the people closest to the cash do not have the courage to bear the most risk.

Kathleen Enright, president & CEO, Council on Foundations The humanitarian sector should be clear-eyed about the obstacles ahead: the pattern of targeted attacks and government overreach developed to stifle our most essential freedoms. John Palfrey, president, MacArthur Foundation Nonprofits are addicted to the hamster wheel of fundraising, and in 2026, AI may supersize both the wheel and the addiction.

Michael McAfee, CEO, PolicyLink It's hard to picture passage anytime soon of legislation needing higher payment rates. Bella DeVaan and Chuck Collins collaborate the Charity Reform Initiative, Institute for Policy Studies Interaction is no longer background noise. It's a battlefield. Matt Watkins, CEO, Watkins Public Affairs Funders will assemble around pluralism, not because it's easy but since it's essential.

Future-Proofing Your Philanthropy Strategy for 2026

Dimple Abichandani, author of A New Era of Philanthropy. Lighthouse illustration by Greg Mably for The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Findings from Church Mutual can assist guide nonprofits as they browse 2026 and changes in generational giving. In December of 2025, the "2026 Charitable Offering in America" study was conducted by Church Mutual, taking actions from 1,010 adults who contribute financially to nonprofits and other charitable causes. According to a short article on the study from NonProfitPro, Church Mutual shows numerous crucial trends within the not-for-profit fundraising world, consisting of the alarming truth that donors are preparing to downsize their giving in 2026.

With that, here are 5 essential takeaways from the Church Mutual 2026 survey: The Church Mutual study discovered holy places continue to take in the lion's share of contributions. All 4 generations represented (Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and Infant Boomers) donated primarily to places of worship, constituting 74% of charitable contributions.

Organizations that have spiritual ties need to highlight this connection to donors, specifically if they actively support homes of praise or schools. Another essential finding from the study was that donors tended to make their contributions towards the end of the year (OctoberDecember). Throughout the four generations, end-of-year donations comprised the highest percentage, with JanuaryMarch taking second place, followed by AprilJune, then JulySeptember.

In addition, out of the four generations, Gen Z was probably to provide throughout the slowest time of the year (JulySeptember). Those who work in the not-for-profit space must take note of the end-of-year increase in donations, which shows that OctoberDecember projects such as Offering Tuesday events, matches, etc, might bring in a fundraising windfall.

Maximising Company Giving ROI

That stated, "slow-down" durations need to not be neglected, as the more youthful generations may still be inclined to provide even when the older ones are not. The survey consists of a section that information "donation expectations" for 2026, and it is these findings that might sound alarm bells. On the one hand, around half of donors (48%) said they will not make any modifications to their financial contributions, with Boomers being the group probably to leave their charitable giving unchanged.

Millennials were recognized as the group most likely to cut their providing, whereas Gen Z was not just recognized as the group least most likely to cut their giving, but also the group probably to increase their giving up 2026. Church Mutual has a few sections committed to the main financial issues of donors, something that falls beyond the scope of this short article.

One finding that nonprofits need to likewise know is that a majority of donors have issues about the monetary health of the groups they support. Church Mutual discovered that 54% of donors are fretted about the monetary health of the receivers of their donations. By generation, Gen Z was the most worried, followed by millennials and Gen X respectively, while Boomers were the least concerned.

They ought to be prepared to resolve younger donors' concerns and be proactive in attending to any concerns affecting the company internally. Doing so might make a difference in winning over younger donors throughout economically unpredictable times. While lower monetary contributions may be uneasy for nonprofits, there might be some great news.

When asked if they would increase "time and effort" to assist in other methods ought to they lower their financial contributions, a majority of donors suggested they would; 26% stated they were "highly likely" and 32% stated "somewhat most likely," equaling 58% of donors overall. The research study suggests these actions might suggest "strong potential to convert lowered financial providing into more volunteering, advocacy, or other non-financial support." In the face of smaller financial contributions, nonprofits must lean into other channels to engage their donors.

Why Strategic Philanthropy Supports Children's Health

There are other findings from Church Mutual that were not covered in this post, such as donation approaches and the leading financial concerns of donors, therefore I encourage all those in the nonprofit space to read through the report. The findings from Church Mutual can assist guide nonprofits as they navigate 2026, specifically as Gen Z begins to take on a more prominent function in the giving world.

Sign up for the Johnson Center's email newsletter! This year marks a milestone for the Johnson Center: the tenth edition of our 11 Trends in Philanthropy report. What started in 2017 as a modest supplement to our yearly report has grown into an extensively read and talked about publication, reaching more than 100,000 readers each year.

Usually, these short articles check out new shifts or developing movements throughout the field of philanthropy. For this tenth edition, however, we have actually taken a different method. Rather than recognizing a completely brand-new set of emerging trends, we have turned our attention backward to assess the themes that have actually shaped our sector over the past 10 years, and to name both sustaining shifts and new developments.

It is also a recommendation of the moment we find ourselves in a moment of active interruption, that combines both terrific stress and anxiety about where we are headed and great possibility for what might follow. Our future feels more unpredictable than ever, but the opportunity to develop and scale life-altering innovations for our communities feels present, too.

Analysing 2026 Giving Shifts

As executive orders, legal contests, and legislative arguments play out, we do not have a clear photo of how much federal financing has actually been rescinded or kept from nonprofits and neighborhoods. We do not know the number of nonprofits have closed or will close their doors, the number of staff have actually lost their tasks, or how lots of communities have lost access to important services.