State of Good by Pure Charity

State of Good for May 18, 2026

Episode Title: Foundation Priorities Are Shifting — Is Your Organization Ready? Summary: - The Center for Effective Philanthropy's State of Nonprofits 2026 report reveals the most challenging operational environment for nonprofits in years, with foundations redirecting dollars toward basic needs programs * A new IRS Form 990 Transparency Initiative will change how nonprofits report activities and how the public accesses that information * Research shows donor-advised fund donors are rarely anonymous — opening major relationship-building opportunities for nonprofits * A Cambridge University study confirms that specific, verifiable impact claims build donor trust far more effectively than abstract appeals * The University of Nevada's Giving Day raised over $1 million from 1,900+ donors, proving broad-based community giving is still powerful Links: - Center for Effective Philanthropy — State of Nonprofits 2026: https://cep.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CEP_State_of_Nonprofits_2026_FNL.pdf * Community Foundation of Greater Memphis — National Trends in Giving and the Growing Nonprofit Crisis: https://cfgm.org/the-well-must-not-run-dry-national-trends-in-giving-and-the-growing-nonprofit-crisis/ [https://cfgm.org/the-well-must-not-run-dry-national-trends-in-giving-and-the-growing-nonprofit-crisis/] * Inside Philanthropy — 5 Things We Know About the New IRS Form 990 Transparency Initiative: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/5-things-we-know-about-the-new-irs-form-990-transparency-initiative [https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/5-things-we-know-about-the-new-irs-form-990-transparency-initiative] * American Heart Association Advisor Insights — Donor Advised Funds 2026 Outlook & Strategic Implications: https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/ways-to-give/planned-giving/professional-advisors-and-trustees/advisor-insights/donor-advised-funds-2026-outlook-and-strategic-implications [https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/ways-to-give/planned-giving/professional-advisors-and-trustees/advisor-insights/donor-advised-funds-2026-outlook-and-strategic-implications] * Cambridge University / Voluntas — Will You Trust Me? How Individual American Donors Respond to Informational Signals: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/voluntas/article/will-you-trust-me-how-individual-american-donors-respond-to-informational-signals-regarding-local-and-global-humanitarian-charities/0BA7A0086C78EDF08DE38726C1750CFD [https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/voluntas/article/will-you-trust-me-how-individual-american-donors-respond-to-informational-signals-regarding-local-and-global-humanitarian-charities/0BA7A0086C78EDF08DE38726C1750CFD] * University of Nevada — 2026 Giving Day: https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2026/thank-you-for-giving [https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2026/thank-you-for-giving] Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and weekly preview * 0:35 — Foundation funding shifts and nonprofit sustainability challenges * 3:15 — New IRS Form 990 Transparency Initiative * 4:30 — Why Donors Give: The power of specificity in building trust * 5:30 — What Changed: Donor-advised fund anonymity is rarer than you think * 6:45 — The Bottom Line: Three actions for this week * 7:30 — Good in Action: University of Nevada's record-breaking Giving Day * 8:15 — Sign-off

State of Good for May 11, 2026

Episode Title: Gen Z Is Already Outgiving Other Generations — And What That Means for Your Fundraising Strategy Summary: - New data from GoFundMe and GivingTuesday Data Commons shows Gen Z participating in philanthropy at higher rates than other adult generations, with community-powered fundraising platforms serving as their primary on-ramp * The BBB's Give.org 2026 Donor Trust Report finds 42% of U.S. adults are open to charity outreach, but a persistent trust gap means transparency is more critical than ever * Government funding cuts for social services are creating both pressure and opportunity for nonprofits to position themselves as essential community infrastructure * Legacy giving research reveals that estate planning dramatically increases charitable bequests, driven by donors' desire to extend their impact beyond their lifetime * Delco Gives raised $2.5 million in 24 hours with 300+ nonprofits collaborating in a community-wide giving day Links: - Data Shows Gen Z Is In The Beginning Stages Of Philanthropy (The Nonprofit Times): https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/data-shows-gen-z-is-in-the-beginning-stages-of-philanthropy/ * Gen Z Philanthropy Outpaces That of Other Adults, New Data Shows (Nonprofit PRO): https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/gen-z-philanthropy-outpaces-that-of-other-adults-new-data-shows/ [https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/gen-z-philanthropy-outpaces-that-of-other-adults-new-data-shows/] * Donor Openness Near High Although Trust Gap Persists (Give.org): https://give.org/news/donor-trust-report-2026-openness-trust-gap [https://give.org/news/donor-trust-report-2026-openness-trust-gap] * Government Cuts Are Testing Nonprofits, Creating New Opportunity (The Nonprofit Times): https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/government-cuts-are-testing-nonprofits-creating-new-opportunity/ [https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/government-cuts-are-testing-nonprofits-creating-new-opportunity/] * 'Too Many Nonprofits' Is Not Our Biggest Problem (Center for Effective Philanthropy): https://cep.org/blog/too-many-nonprofits-is-not-our-biggest-problem/ [https://cep.org/blog/too-many-nonprofits-is-not-our-biggest-problem/] * Legacy Giving Research (Foundation for Philanthropy Research): https://leavealegacy.com/research/ [https://leavealegacy.com/research/] * Delco Gives Raises More Than $2.5M (WHYY): https://whyy.org/articles/delco-gives-delaware-county-nonprofits-fundraising/ [https://whyy.org/articles/delco-gives-delaware-county-nonprofits-fundraising/] Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview * 0:30 — Gen Z's philanthropic emergence and the trust gap * 3:30 — Why donors give: the psychology of legacy giving * 5:00 — What changed: government funding shifts and nonprofit sector resilience * 6:30 — The bottom line and three action items * 7:30 — Good in Action: Delco Gives raises $2.5M in 24 hours * 8:30 — Sign-off

State of Good for May 4, 2026

Episode Title: "Survival, Stability, and the 31% Recurring Donor Surge" Summary: - AFP Icon conference reveals fundraisers are focused on survival strategies amid inflation, federal cuts, and tax changes * Recurring donor bases have grown 31% since 2023, offering a blueprint for revenue stability * The IRS announces a formal rework of Form 990, signaling enhanced transparency requirements ahead * New research on 2,000+ donors reveals recurring givers see themselves as mission partners, not just supporters * Action steps: diversify funding sources, optimize recurring giving, and prepare for new reporting standards Sources Mentioned: - Chronicle of Philanthropy — "Inflation, Cuts, Tax Changes: A Tough Year Takes Center Stage at AFP Icon": https://www.philanthropy.com/news/inflation-cuts-tax-changes-a-tough-year-takes-center-stage-at-afp-icon/ * BYU Scholars Archive — "Nonprofit Leaders' Perceived Top Struggles: A Qualitative Study": https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1195&context=joni [https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1195&context=joni] * Nonprofit Pro — "Recurring Donor Base Grew 31% Since 2023, New Data Reveals": https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/recurring-donor-base-grew-31-since-2023-new-data-reveals/ [https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/recurring-donor-base-grew-31-since-2023-new-data-reveals/] * The Nonprofit Times — "Reworking Of Federal Form 990 Set To Begin": https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/reworking-of-federal-form-990-set-to-begin/ [https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/reworking-of-federal-form-990-set-to-begin/] * NP Tech for Good — "New Research Reveals What Motivates Recurring Donors": https://www.nptechforgood.com/2026/04/28/new-research-reveals-what-motivates-recurring-donors/ [https://www.nptechforgood.com/2026/04/28/new-research-reveals-what-motivates-recurring-donors/] Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview * 0:35 — The Big Picture: AFP Icon, economic headwinds, and recurring donor growth * 4:00 — Why Donors Give: The partnership mindset of recurring donors * 5:15 — What Changed: Form 990 rework and transparency implications * 6:15 — The Bottom Line and three action items * 7:30 — Good in Action: Community over competition at AFP Icon * 8:30 — Sign-off

State of Good for April 27, 2026

Episode Title: The Great Donor Concentration: 80% of Giving Now Comes from Major Donors Summary: - Major donors now fuel 80% of all charitable contributions as the overall donor base continues to shrink, according to fourth-quarter 2025 data from the Chronicle of Philanthropy * Retained donors are seeing median gifts increase 20% year-over-year, with monthly donors showing a 71% retention rate after 12 months * The 2026 M+R Benchmarks confirm online giving's upward trajectory, with monthly giving as the standout performer * New research shows Christian women are the architects of household giving decisions, approaching philanthropy strategically as a family practice * Omidyar Network's outgoing CEO warns that philanthropy is "underestimating AI" at a critical moment for governance and policy Links: - Chronicle of Philanthropy — Major Donors Fuel 80% of Giving: https://www.philanthropy.com/news/major-donors-fuel-80-of-giving-as-donor-base-shrinks/ * NonProfit PRO — Median Gift Up 20% as Donors Who Stay Give More: https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/median-gift-up-20-as-donors-who-stay-give-more-often-and-more-generously/ [https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/median-gift-up-20-as-donors-who-stay-give-more-often-and-more-generously/] * NonProfit PRO — M+R Benchmarks 2026: https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/mr-benchmarks-2026-what-online-giving-growth-means-for-your-donor-file/ [https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/mr-benchmarks-2026-what-online-giving-growth-means-for-your-donor-file/] * NonProfit PRO — Christian Women Lead Household Giving: https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/christian-women-lead-their-households-giving-strategy-new-data-shows/ [https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/christian-women-lead-their-households-giving-strategy-new-data-shows/] * Inside Philanthropy — Philanthropy Is Underestimating AI: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philanthropy-is-underestimating-ai-heres-how-to-catch-up [https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/philanthropy-is-underestimating-ai-heres-how-to-catch-up] * Hawaii Attorney General — Kona Low Disaster Relief Guidance: https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/News-Release-2026-18.pdf [https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/News-Release-2026-18.pdf] Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview * 0:35 — The Great Donor Concentration: major donors fuel 80% of giving * 2:30 — Retention pays off: median gifts up 20%, monthly giving benchmarks * 3:45 — Why Donors Give: Christian women as architects of household philanthropy * 4:45 — What Changed: philanthropy underestimating AI * 5:45 — The Bottom Line: three action items for the week * 6:45 — Good in Action: Hawaii's disaster response infrastructure * 7:45 — Sign-off

State of Good for April 20, 2026

Episode Title: The Intention-Action Gap: What Donors Say vs. What They Do Summary: - New research from Effective Altruism Australia reveals philanthropic funders claim to prioritize evidence but give based on emotional connection — pair your data with story * Nonprofit PRO highlights how fundraising caution is costing organizations real dollars — your donors may be waiting for the right ask * Harris Poll data shows only 1% of older Americans prioritize philanthropy in wealth transfer plans, but younger inheritors are 3x more likely — start next-gen cultivation now * Nonprofit Quarterly identifies five distinct generosity profiles among American donors — understanding motivation matters more than demographics * The 2026 Giving Challenge in Sarasota raised $16.7 million in 24 hours through collaborative community fundraising Links: - Inside Philanthropy — The Data Is In: "Effective" Philanthropy Has an Evidence Issue: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/the-data-is-in-effective-philanthropy-has-an-evidence-issue * Nonprofit PRO — Nonprofit Donor Solicitation: Cost of Caution: https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/nonprofit-donor-solicitation-how-caution-may-be-costing-you-donations/ [https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/nonprofit-donor-solicitation-how-caution-may-be-costing-you-donations/] * The Nonprofit Times — Transfers Of Wealth Might Be Excluding Nonprofits: https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/transfers-of-wealth-might-be-excluding-nonprofits/ [https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/transfers-of-wealth-might-be-excluding-nonprofits/] * Nonprofit Quarterly — Why Americans Give: New Research Finds 5 Distinct Profiles for Generosity: https://nonprofitquarterly.org/why-americans-give-new-research-finds-5-distinct-profiles-for-generosity/ [https://nonprofitquarterly.org/why-americans-give-new-research-finds-5-distinct-profiles-for-generosity/] * Community Foundation of Sarasota County — 2026 Giving Challenge Results: https://www.cfsarasota.org/press-release/2026-giving-challenge-results [https://www.cfsarasota.org/press-release/2026-giving-challenge-results] Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview * 0:30 — The evidence gap in "evidence-based" giving and donor solicitation practices * 3:30 — The great wealth transfer reality check * 4:30 — Why donors give: five generosity profiles * 5:45 — What changed this week: closing the intention-action gap * 6:45 — The bottom line and three action items * 7:30 — Good in Action: 2026 Giving Challenge raises $16.7 million * 8:15 — Sign-off