State of Good

Pure Charity’s State of Good intelligence brief for May 18, 2026 reveals nonprofits navigating their most challenging operational environment in years. Consumer sentiment dropped 5.8% while personal savings hit just 3.6%, creating a perfect storm for organizations. The Center for Effective Philanthropy’s new research shows foundations increasingly backfilling federal cuts to basic needs programs, reshaping funding priorities across sectors. Meanwhile, new IRS transparency requirements and $234 billion in donor advised funds create both challenges and hidden opportunities. This free intelligence brief analyzes foundation priority shifts, nonprofit sustainability challenges, emerging transparency requirements, and DAF cultivation strategies. Research on donor trust reveals specificity builds confidence better than abstract appeals. Featured case study: University of Nevada’s record-breaking $1 million giving day with nearly 2,000 donors proves community campaigns still mobilize support despite economic headwinds.

Pure Charity’s latest State of Good intelligence brief reveals a striking disconnect in the nonprofit sector. While leaders at the AFP Icon conference discussed survival strategies amid inflation and funding cuts, new data shows recurring donor bases have actually grown 31% since 2023. This free intelligence brief examines why organizations are struggling while donor behavior strengthens, the upcoming IRS Form 990 overhaul implications, and research revealing what motivates monthly donors to deepen their commitments. Key findings include 22.1% of nonprofits identifying fundraising as their primary challenge, specific strategies for economic headwinds, and actionable insights for building recession-proof recurring revenue programs. The report provides practical guidance for diversification, inflation-adjusted fundraising, and preparing for enhanced transparency requirements.

Pure Charity’s State of Good intelligence brief reveals a fundamental shift in charitable giving: 80% of donations now come from major donors while the overall donor base shrinks. However, nonprofits mastering retention strategies see median gifts increase 20% year-over-year. This free intelligence brief analyzes fourth-quarter data showing unprecedented donor concentration, explores why monthly giving programs achieve 71% retention rates compared to industry-wide 45% annual retention, and examines the growing AI gap in philanthropy. The report includes actionable insights on major donor strategy development, retention optimization, and digital transformation acceleration. Additional findings cover Christian women’s leadership in household giving decisions and disaster relief infrastructure lessons from Hawaii’s Kona Low response.

Pure Charity’s latest State of Good intelligence brief reveals critical gaps between donor intentions and actions across philanthropy. New research shows only 1% of wealthy Americans prioritize giving in estate plans while 3% of inheritors do — a massive shift for planned giving strategies. Meanwhile, 82% of Americans give to charity, but organizations are under-asking due to overcaution. The report also exposes how “evidence-based” funders actually make emotional decisions, and identifies five distinct generosity profiles that predict giving better than demographics. From the $84 trillion wealth transfer bypassing nonprofits to collaborative fundraising raising $16.7 million in 24 hours, this free intelligence brief maps the opportunities hidden in donor behavior gaps.