State of Good for April 20, 2026

Weekly insights on donor behavior, industry trends, and what’s shaping generosity
⏱️ 9 minutes | Once a week

Your donors say they want evidence-based giving. Your board says they’re data-driven. But new research suggests what funders claim to value and how they actually give are two different stories.

This week’s insights reveal critical gaps between intentions and actions across the nonprofit sector from how we ask for donations to how we plan for wealth transfers. The good news? Understanding these gaps creates opportunity.

The Evidence Gap in “Evidence-Based” Giving

Grace Adams from Effective Altruism Australia just dropped research that should make every fundraiser rethink their impact reporting. The data reveals a stark divide between what philanthropic funders say they prioritize, effectiveness and evidence, and where they actually write checks.

This isn’t about funders being dishonest. It’s about understanding that decision-making in philanthropy, like everywhere else, involves both head and heart. The organizations winning grants aren’t necessarily those with the best metrics. They’re the ones who understand how to bridge the gap between what donors say they want and what actually moves them to give.

What This Means for You:

• Stop leading with data alone, pair every statistic with a human story
• Ask funders directly: “What would convince you our approach works?”
• Build relationships first, then layer in evidence to support the emotional connection
• Test different messaging: some funders respond to efficiency metrics, others to transformation stories

Inside Philanthropy

Are You Leaving Money on the Table?

Here’s a frustrating truth: your donors want to give more, but you might not be asking them properly. New data shows significant gaps in nonprofit solicitation practices — and these gaps are costing real dollars.

The research suggests many organizations have become too cautious in their fundraising approaches. Whether it’s fear of seeming pushy, concern about donor fatigue, or simple uncertainty about best practices, this caution translates directly to missed opportunities.

Think about it: when was the last time you asked a loyal donor to increase their gift? When did you last invite a one-time donor to become monthly? The data shows donors remain willing to give, they’re just waiting for the right ask at the right time.

What This Means for You:

• Audit your solicitation calendar, are you asking enough?
• Test more frequent touches with engaged donors
• Create clear upgrade paths for different donor segments
• Track not just response rates but also “asks per donor per year”
• Remember: not asking is always a “no”

NonProfit PRO

The Wealth Transfer Reality Check

The great wealth transfer is coming, $84 trillion changing hands over the next two decades. But new Harris Poll data brings a sobering reality: only 1% of older Americans list philanthropy as a primary purpose for their wealth, compared to 3% of younger Americans.

This might seem like bad news, but it’s actually a roadmap. The opportunity isn’t in convincing current wealth holders to change their plans. It’s in building relationships with the next generation who will inherit, and who are three times more likely to prioritize giving.

Smart organizations are already pivoting their planned giving strategies. Instead of focusing exclusively on current major donors, they’re engaging adult children at family foundation meetings, creating young professional boards, and building giving circles for next-gen donors.

What This Means for You:

• Include adult children in major donor cultivation events
• Create giving opportunities specifically for inheritors
• Develop materials that speak to younger wealth holders’ values
• Partner with wealth advisors who work with next-generation clients
• Start these relationships now, before the transfer happens

The NonProfit Times

This week’s takeaway: The gap between what people say and what they do creates fundraising opportunity. Whether it’s funders claiming to value evidence while giving emotionally, organizations being too cautious to ask, or wealthy Americans not prioritizing philanthropy in estate plans each gap is a chance to do better.

Three actions for this week:

1. Audit your asking strategy — Count how many times you’ve solicited each donor segment this year. If it’s fewer than four times, you’re probably under-asking.
2. Bridge the evidence gap — Take your best impact stat and wrap it in a story. Test this hybrid approach with three funders this week.
3. Start a next-gen strategy — Identify five donors whose adult children you should be cultivating. Make the first connection this month.

💡 Pure Charity can support your 2026 Fundraising Strategies.

 Reach out, and we can discuss.

Sometimes the best fundraising lessons come from collective action. This week, the 2026 Giving Challenge proved the power of community-driven philanthropy, raising $16.7 million for local nonprofits in just 24 hours.

What makes this remarkable isn’t just the total — it’s the mix of donors. The campaign successfully engaged both longtime supporters and first-time givers, demonstrating that collaborative fundraising can expand the pie rather than just redistributing it.

The challenge created urgency without crisis, community without competition, and momentum that lifted all participating organizations. Every nonprofit got to tap into collective marketing, shared enthusiasm, and the powerful psychology of being part of something bigger.

The Lesson: You don’t have to fundraise alone. Whether joining a giving day, partnering with peer organizations, or creating collaborative campaigns, the combined effort often exceeds the sum of individual attempts. Look for opportunities where rising tides truly lift all boats.

Community Foundation of Sarasota County

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