State of Good for Feb 16, 2026

Weekly insights on donor behavior, industry trends, and what’s shaping generosity
⏱️ 4 minutes | Once a week

The Giving Landscape Shifts: $592.5 Billion Flows Differently

Americans gave $592.5 billion in 2024 according to Giving USA data. While the numbers remain impressive, how that money moves has fundamentally changed.

The most striking shift? Recurring giving programs are achieving retention rates above 80%, as reported by Cerini and Associates. Compare that to traditional one-time gift retention, and you’re looking at a completely different fundraising equation.

Meanwhile, new donor acquisition slowed across every month of 2025, with only Peer-to-Peer and Ticketed Events maintaining strong acquisition rates, according to Charity Village research.

The message is clear: the fundraising bottleneck has moved from acquisition to retention.

What This Means for You:

• If you’re not already prioritizing monthly giving, you’re leaving retention on the table
• Event-based fundraising isn’t just for engagement anymore, it’s your best acquisition channel
• Budget allocations need to shift from “finding new donors” to “keeping the ones you have”

💡 Pure Charity’s Features support recurring donor programs that support deeper donor cultivation, giving, and retention.

Tax Changes Reshape Major Gift Conversations

When 350 fundraisers were surveyed about major giving trends, the results revealed a sector in transition. The new tax law, with its 0.5% AGI floor on charitable deductions for itemizers and 35% cap on deduction value for top brackets, isn’t reducing generosity. It’s redirecting it.

According to our Major Giving Trends research, 57% of fundraisers have adapted their giving options to align with the new tax landscape. But that leaves 37% still scrambling to catch up.

The data suggests donors bundled gifts at the end of 2025 in anticipation of these changes. Tax advisors were actively counseling this strategy, meaning the money hasn’t disappeared, it’s just flowing through different channels at different times.

What This Means for You:

• Your major donor intiatives need updated gift vehicle options yesterday
• Timing conversations matter more than ever,  think multi-year commitments
• Partner with donors’ tax advisors rather than competing with their advice

Economic Indicators Send Mixed Signals

Current economic data presents a complex picture for fundraisers:

• Consumer Sentiment jumped to 52.9 (up 3.7%)
• Personal Savings Rate dropped to 3.5% (down 5.4%)
• Unemployment fell to 4.3% (down 2.3%)
• S&P 500 dipped to 6,836 (down 1.4%)

The improving sentiment and employment numbers suggest donors feel more optimistic, but the declining savings rate and market dip indicate caution about discretionary spending. This creates a narrow window where confidence is high but resources feel constrained.

What This Means for You:

• Lead with impact stories that justify giving despite tighter budgets
• Consider smaller recurring asks rather than large one-time requests
• Frame giving as an investment in stability during uncertain times

Corporate Giving Pivots to “Safer” Causes

Corporate philanthropy continues its strategic realignment, with companies redirecting attention to “broader, less contentious socioeconomic priorities,” according to NonProfit Pro’s analysis. This trend, which began in 2025, shows no signs of reversing.

Why It Matters: If your organization works in areas now considered “contentious,” your corporate funding pipeline may be drying up. Companies are seeking causes that unite rather than divide their stakeholder base.

Your Move:

• Reframe your mission in broader socioeconomic terms
• Highlight economic impact and job creation aspects of your work
• Build relationships with employee resource groups, not just corporate giving offices
• Diversify funding sources now, before corporate support fully shifts

💡 Pure Charity’s Fundraisers Features make it easy to create & manage recurring donation campaigns to help reduce donor fatigue.

Government Programs Transform Into Nonprofits

USAID’s Development Innovation Ventures successfully relaunched as a nonprofit, backed by $48 million from two private donors, reports The Chronicle of Philanthropy. This unprecedented transformation from government division to independent nonprofit opens new possibilities.

Why It Matters: This model proves that government programs can successfully transition to nonprofit status with the right philanthropic backing. It also signals that major donors are willing to fund infrastructure and operations, not just programs.

Your Move:

• Watch for similar government programs that might transition
• Position your organization as a potential partner or recipient
• Use this example when approaching donors about operational support
• Consider how public-private partnerships might evolve in your sector

When Carter and Carole Lewis and Gary and Rhonda Didado decided to make transformational gifts to Akron Children’s Hospital, they weren’t just writing checks. These two families exemplify what happens when donors move beyond transactional giving to transformational partnership.

What makes their gifts remarkable isn’t just the size, it’s the depth of engagement. Both families are involved beyond their financial contributions, suggesting a level of connection that every fundraiser dreams of achieving.

The Lesson: Transformational gifts don’t start with an ask. They begin with a relationship deep enough that donors see your mission as an extension of their own values. When you stop asking “How much can they give?” and start asking “How can we advance their philanthropic goals together?” that’s when transformation happens.

Remember: In a week when data shows donor acquisition slowing and corporate priorities shifting, these families remind us that individual major donors remain the backbone of philanthropic transformation. Invest accordingly.

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