1. Co-Creating With Community
The nonprofits thriving right now aren't just asking for donations—they're co-creating programs and fundraising efforts with the communities they serve.
In 2026, a big shift we'll hopefully see is treating the community as your support system, and that starts with bringing community members into the conversation early. What do they need? What matters most to them? This co-creation philosophy can boost peer to peer giving and more, because when your programs and fundraising campaigns reflect real community input, trust deepens and support follows naturally.
This approach also helps you build local partnerships that can open doors to new funding sources, volunteers, and champions for your work. In uncertain times, strong community ties are your foundation.
2. Monthly/Subscription Giving
If there's one fundraising strategy that's proving itself right now, it's monthly giving.
Monthly gifts now account for approximately 31% of nonprofits' online revenue, and this portion is growing steadily. While one-time giving remains relatively flat, recurring donations continue to climb.
Why? Because donors are already living in the subscription economy with Netflix, Spotify, gym memberships, etc. Monthly giving feels familiar and manageable, especially when budgets are tight.
For your nonprofit, recurring donors provide predictable, stable revenue that helps you plan and weather uncertainty. Plus, these donors tend to stay engaged longer and give more over their lifetime.
Make monthly giving an option on your donation form (or, better yet, pre-select it as the default), and clearly show donors the impact of a monthly gift compared to a one-time donation.
3. Corporate Social Impact
Corporate partnerships are evolving, and that's good news for nonprofits willing to adapt.
Corporate partners are increasingly demanding clear strategy, accountability, creativity, and measurable outcomes when investing in social impact. Gone are the days when a logo on your event banner was enough.
Today's successful partnerships are deeper and more strategic. Companies want to see measurable impact, opportunities for employee engagement, and alignment with their values. The shift? Move from "Will you sponsor our event?" to "How can we create mutual value together?"
Start by researching companies whose values align with your mission, then reach out with a partnership proposal that outlines the benefits for both parties.
Want to know what a 4th strategy is? Check out my LinkedIn post – I’ve got a whole infographic on this very topic. 😁 (can you tell I'm super proud of it?)
Want to go deeper and pick up some practical tips you can try right away?
Join Fundraising in Uncertain Times (Free Webinar - Feb. 4)
Want to go deeper on this topic? Join Susan Higgs and I on Wednesday, February 4, at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT for a free webinar + Q&A: "Fundraising in Uncertain Times.” We'll be diving into:
- How to make sense of fundraising trends shaping 2026
- An Adaptable Fundraising Framework to try
- A focused action plan / checklist to guide your next steps
Register here
You'll leave with practical strategies you can implement right away to strengthen your fundraising efforts in the months ahead.
Try it this week 🚀
Pick a new strategy to experiment with this week. It could be scheduling a conversation with a community member about how they want to engage with your cause. It could be adding a monthly giving option to your donation page. It could be researching three companies whose values align with your mission. The idea here is to get used to experimenting to figure out what works for your cause.
