Total US charitable giving reached an estimated $607.3 billion in 2025. Optimism among development professionals is near-universal. And yet the broader industry is forecasting only marginal growth.
That gap is worth paying attention to.
We surveyed hundreds of development professionals across our network, crunched the numbers from our client roster, and published the findings in the 2026 Nonprofit Fundraising Outlook Report.
Nonprofit Fundraising Trends 2026: What the Numbers Show
A few data points from the report that set the stage:
- $607.3 billion in total estimated US charitable giving in 2025
- Nearly 3 out of 4 dollars still originates from individual donors
- 92% of development professionals we surveyed expect their fundraising goals to grow in 2026
- Prospecting budgets are running nearly twice last year's levels among organizations we track
- December 31 remains the single largest giving day — and 2025's late-year market recovery reinforced it
The Shift You Can't Afford to Miss
One structural trend is reshaping how money moves to nonprofits: the accelerating migration from private foundations to Donor Advised Funds (DAFs).
A DAF is a charitable giving account that lets donors contribute assets, claim an immediate tax deduction, and distribute grants to nonprofits on their own timeline. Tax strategy is driving rapid growth in DAF usage which means individual giving is increasingly flowing through vehicles before it reaches organizations like yours.
The money hasn't left. But the path to it has changed. The full implications for your solicitation and cultivation strategy are in the report.
What Your Peers Are Planning
The survey results from our network reveal a sector that is ambitious.
92% of respondents expect their goals to increase from 2025 to 2026. The broader industry projects only marginal gains. That disconnect means some organizations are heading for a difficult reckoning by year's end.
What separates those who hit aggressive targets from those who miss isn't just effort. The full survey data, including where development professionals are investing and what they're prioritizing, is in the report.
What's Inside the 2026 Annual Devo Outlook Report
- State of fundraising overview and macro giving trends
- 2025 major event timeline with quarterly breakdown
- Key trends from client data across multi-channel campaigns
- Full survey results from hundreds of development professionals
- Outlook and recommendations for 2026 and beyond
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the projected total for US charitable giving in 2025? Total US charitable giving reached an estimated $607.3 billion in 2025, with nearly three out of four dollars originating from individual donors.
What is a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) and why does it matter for nonprofits? A DAF is a charitable giving account that lets donors contribute assets, receive an immediate tax deduction, and grant funds to nonprofits over time on their own schedule. The shift toward DAFs means organizations need sustained donor relationships to win final allocation decisions.
What are the biggest nonprofit fundraising trends for 2026? Key trends include accelerating DAF adoption, December 31 remaining the dominant giving day, political moments driving giving surges outside the traditional calendar, prospecting budgets nearly doubling ahead of an election cycle, and wealthy donors increasingly motivated by access and proximity to decision-making rather than mission alignment alone.
How does election-year giving affect nonprofit fundraising strategy? Election years tend to create a heightened giving environment for advocacy organizations and liberty movement nonprofits. Organizations that build their prospecting pipeline early are better positioned to capitalize. Our data shows peers are already acting — prospecting budgets are running nearly double last year's levels.
What is the single largest giving day of the year for nonprofits? December 31 remains the single largest giving day, driven by year-end tax strategy and market performance.
