2026 Nonprofit Trends Report to Help Strengthen Your Mission

Small steps can add up quickly, so look for ways to simplify routine processes like data entry, email follow-ups, or scheduling.

Pro tip: Replace manual spreadsheets with beginner-friendly online forms using tools like Google Forms, Jotform, or Microsoft Forms. These platforms don’t require coding and can automatically store responses in a spreadsheet, helping your team save time.

You can create a volunteer sign-up form in Google Forms that automatically feeds into a shared spreadsheet so that volunteers enter their information themselves, reducing manual entry.

Reporting is essential but often time-consuming. Standardizing your templates and automating small parts of your data collection can reduce errors and help your team focus on interpreting results.

Pro tip: Use prebuilt reporting templates in tools like Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, or Airtable. You can also set up simple data collection automations using Zapier or IFTTT to pull form responses or donation notifications into one place.

Creating a monthly impact-report template once enables you to reuse it monthly by updating only the numbers!

Many organizations use multiple platforms for communication, donor management, and reporting. Consolidating tools helps cut subscription costs, reduce training time, and make it easier for staff and volunteers to find information.

Pro tip: Look for opportunities to combine overlapping tools. Audit your tools by listing everything your team pays for, then highlight duplicated functions (e.g., two email tools). Start by eliminating or merging them into one.

Monthly giving creates steady, predictable revenue that helps organizations plan ahead. Encourage supporters to shift from one-time gifts to regular contributions through simple adjustments, like adding suggested monthly amounts or including an easy “make this monthly” toggle.

Local businesses and community groups can help broaden your reach. Consider co-hosting events with partners or running cause-related sponsorships with local groups.

Pro tip: Start with one partner whose audience overlaps with yours and whose values align closely with the impact you want to create.

Earned revenue doesn’t need to be a major initiative. You can generate supplemental income and attract new supporters with educational workshops, downloadable resources, or low-cost training aligned with your mission.

Start small with one offering and expand it over time based on demand and your capacity.

Impact doesn’t always require long reports. Short updates, like the number of families served this month or a quick story from a recent event, help donors feel connected and confident in your work.

Instead of broad statements (“We help our community thrive”), offer specific examples that link donations to real results. For example, on your thank you-page, you can include the note “Your support can help our team distribute 150 meals this week.”

Some of your donors connect through numbers, while others connect through personal stories. Update your donors with a short story and simple statistic to help them envision the impact of their help.

If your site includes older or overly broad statements, replace them with current, specific information. This builds trust and reinforces your organization’s effectiveness. Even a single new paragraph on your mission or outcomes page can make a significant difference.

Review your forms, spreadsheets, and donor records to see what you gather. Remove fields you don’t use and keep only what directly supports your work. This reduces risk and signals intentionality to your supporters.

Even small organizations benefit from beginner-friendly customer relationship management software (CRM) like Nutshell. CRMs help reduce duplication, strengthen accuracy, and give you more control over who accesses sensitive information.

A short paragraph on your website or donation page can go a long way. Simple statements like “We never sell your data” or “Your information is only used for the communications you opt into” help build trust without overwhelming your supporters.

Pro tip: Add a link to your Privacy Policy and Donor Privacy pages in your website’s footer.

Limit who can access supporter data, review permission settings regularly, and conduct monthly cleanups to correct outdated or duplicate records.

Audience segmentation is the practice of grouping your supporters based on shared interests or behaviors. It’s an easy way to make your communication more relevant.

For example, you can have a segment dedicated to volunteers and another for monthly donors. You can also create a group for attendees of a particular event or fundraiser.

Then, instead of sending the same message to everyone, you craft tailored messages for each group, so they receive communications that are relevant to them.

Add a short note in your emails or on your website explaining how you use their preferences, such as program interests or communication frequency. This sets their expectations.

By being transparent, you reassure your donors that you’re handling their information responsibly.

While generative AI tools can help nonprofits draft subject lines, summaries, and messaging variations, humans must always review and refine an AI tool’s output. Doing so keeps your tone consistent and aligned with your nonprofit’s mission-centered voice.

Let your supporters control the messages they receive. Provide a simple “update your preferences” link allows them to choose the topics they’re interested in and the frequency they prefer.

Visitors must understand your purpose within seconds. Use concise language and highlight recent outcomes so supporters can quickly see why your work matters.

Because 98% of users access the Internet through mobile devices, nonprofits must make their sites mobile-friendly.

Simplify your menu and ensure your site displays correctly on different devices. That way, your donors and stakeholders can easily read content, view images and videos, fill out forms, click buttons, and use your website even when they’re on their mobile phones.

Regularly review your program pages, staff listings, event information, and impact numbers. Update them to reflect your accurate and latest results.

An up-to-date website keeps your audience informed of your latest missions and the impact you’ve made.

Imagine a supporter who wants to donate to your mission online. Will they bump into a few roadblocks as they search for your website or your “Donate” button?

Make the journey to donate and volunteer easy for them by adding clear calls to action (CTA) and having straightforward navigation.

Give your donors short monthly or quarterly snapshots. Highlight recent achievements, program milestones, or community outcomes to keep supporters informed without overwhelming them.

Charts, progress icons, or outcome graphics are excellent visual aids to communicate your impact. Add them to your impact pages and newsletters, or share them on social media.

Instead of keeping all your results on a single webpage, share meaningful impact updates on your donation page, in newsletters, or within event materials. Intentional placement cultivates trust and helps your donors remember your mission.

Remove nonessential fields, and keep your form focused on the basics. A shorter form helps donors complete their gift quickly and confidently.

Many supporters browse and give through their phones. Ensure your donation page loads quickly, buttons are easy to tap, and text is readable without zooming.

Provide clear choices like one-time or monthly giving. Too many options can overwhelm donors — the Paradox of Choice shows that when people face too many decisions, they’re less likely to complete the action.

An immediate confirmation message informs donors that their gift was successfully received. Include a short line about how their contribution supports your mission to help donors stay connected after giving.

Explain what supporters are signing up for and how often they can expect to hear from you. It sets their expectations, and shows respect for their time and attention.

If you use AI tools to draft messages or segment audiences, include a brief note about how you use them and that humans review all decisions. By being transparent, you assure them that you use AI platforms ethically and handle their data with utmost care.

Link to your Privacy Policy or Donor Privacy page in your website footer. Add short, accessible explanations of these policies on your forms and other important pages.

Use your analytics tools to track key metrics like email open rates and donation form completion rates. These tools will help you identify the platforms that drive donations.

Focus your time and budget on the channels that perform best instead of maintaining everything at once.

Clear, donor-centered messaging often performs better than expanding into new campaigns. Audit your appeals, donation page copy, and homepage language to ensure they’re compelling and aligned with your mission.

These grants help you save money and enjoy all the benefits of paid ads.

With Google Ads grants, you can access up to $10,000 per month to purchase ads on Google. You can enjoy free advertising on the most popular search engine to get instant marketing results and an opportunity to refine and expand your nonprofit’s influence.

When a story or update resonates with supporters, reshare it in your emails, social posts, website, or event materials. Repurposing saves time and reinforces your message without requiring additional creative work.

For example, if you reach a milestone like “10,000 families assisted this month” that resonated with your supporters, reuse the update in your thank-you page, email newsletter, social media posts, and volunteer recruitment materials.