The current fundraising landscape tells a complex story. On the one hand, donor response is softening, acquisition costs are rising, and external factors—including political division and economic volatility—are having a big impact on the way people are giving. On the other hand, emerging AI solutions and shifting digital engagement strategies are delivering promising returns. To achieve fundraising success and build sustainable growth in this environment, we need to understand current trends and how to navigate them. 

Here are five trends to keep an eye on. 

1. Outside Forces and Donor Response: Fundraising has never existed in a vacuum, but these days, external forces are likely to affect donor behavior in unprecedented ways. We’ve already seen how economic uncertainty and inflation have put pressure on donors’ discretionary spending. Additional factors, namely the 2026 midterm elections and increased competition inside and outside the nonprofit space, will require organizations to be more innovative to earn donor attention
2. Advancing Fundraising using Artificial Intelligence: AI is no longer emerging—it’s embedded. Audience modeling, data analysis, and targeting tools have been in wide use already, and new developments in co-op models promise to bring even more efficiency to donor acquisition. Adoption of other AI applications, however, varies across organizations and agencies based on their policies and focus areas, from efficiency to ethics to data privacy. In this ever-shifting landscape, one thing is certain. It’s critical for nonprofits to maintain transparency with both AI and their data practices—donors need to trust the organizations they support.
3. Rethinking Engagement in a Saturated Digital Space: Donor attention is fragmenting across digital channels—and that’s changing how engagement works. Many supporters now treat email less as content to read and more as a passive, ad-like touchpoint, which means traditional approaches are losing effectiveness. Organizations need to adjust both how and where they show up: prioritizing consistent visibility, simplifying messaging, and clearly demonstrating the impact of each dollar to build trust and transparency. Nonprofits have an opportunity to counter rising competition by leaning into underutilized channels like paid media integrated with organic social to expand reach and reinforce messaging. In other words, pulling back on digital investment right now risks invisibility—growth will come from organizations that stay present, adapt to shifting behaviors, and actively invest in both acquisition and donor development.
4. Mid-level Donors: It’s no secret that donor engagement is on a slight downward trend this year. As nonprofits are losing their <$100 donors at unprecedented rates, the reliance on mid-level donors is becoming more crucial to help offset costs. At Concord Direct, we’ve seen success using modeling that allows us to identify and target mid-level and mid-level prospect audiences. From there, we can build personalized strategies—such as higher-touch mailings, voice broadcast messaging, texting, and one-to-one email communications—to convert, upgrade, and retain donors over time.
5. Time is on your side: It’s becoming increasingly important to keep campaigns in market for longer. Think about the retail industry. You would never see a store wait until a day before Christmas to start selling Christmas decorations. Nonprofits need to adopt this same mentality. By building in more time and touchpoints, it allows you to announce, build up, and close tentpole moments—increasing the likelihood that donors and prospects will see your offer in a competitive market. Take year-end fundraising for example. The success of your efforts is dependent on what you do now, not just in the weeks leading up to December 31. This means developing and implementing engagement and retention strategies designed to not only convert donors, but retain them for years to come.

External pressures and shifting donor behavior calls for strategic ingenuity. To turn this year’s challenges into opportunities for your nonprofit, think proactively and evolve your strategies and approaches thoughtfully. And later this year, you can take pride in your fundraising wins!

Want to talk more about emerging fundraising trends? Send us a message!