State of Good by Pure Charity

Episode Title: Private Giving Rises While Federal Funding Falls: The Nonprofit Paradox of 2026 Summary: - Charitable giving grew 5% in 2025 even as federal funding freezes and grant terminations create budget crises for thousands of nonprofits 90% of nonprofit leaders report burnout concerns, threatening organizational capacity and donor relationships 83% of Americans experience financial stress,...

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 ho...

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...

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 re...

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...

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 P...

Episode Title: Trust Isn't Enough: Why Donor Participation Keeps Declining Despite High Confidence in Nonprofits Summary: - Nonprofits remain highly trusted, yet donor participation continues a decade-long decline — trust alone isn't reversing the trend New research from the Chronicle of Philanthropy identifies five distinct generosity profiles that can transform donor communication strategies Cha...

Episode Title: The Shift from Concentration to Diversification: DAF Trends and the Small-Donor Renaissance Summary: - New research from DAF Giving 360 reveals donors are fundamentally changing how they use donor-advised funds in response to 2026 tax law changes, with over $234 billion sitting in these funds nationwide Stanford Social Innovation Review's "Beyond the Mega-Gift" conversation highligh...

Episode Title: The AI Trust Tightrope and the Mid-Level Donor Opportunity Summary: - AI is transforming fundraising personalization, but organizations without governance frameworks risk eroding donor trust Mid-level donors ($500–$5,000) represent massive untapped potential — retaining one equals acquiring 10–20 new small donors Social proof increases donation likelihood by 30%, especially when don...

Episode Title: "The Hidden Crisis Undermining Your Fundraising — And What to Do About It" Summary: - Two new reports reveal how board governance failures are fueling nonprofit staff burnout and directly undermining fundraising capacity Gift bunching strategies are helping organizations maintain 87% of projected revenue ahead of 2026 tax changes A Gen Z donor calls out the nonprofit sector for misu...

Episode Title: $22B in Giving, Federal Funding Disruptions, and New Tax Rules — March 16, 2026 Summary: America's top philanthropists gave $22.4 billion in 2025, but much of it flowed to DAFs and foundations rather than directly to operating nonprofits One-third of U.S. nonprofits report disruptions from federal funding cuts, with two-thirds reliant on government sources New 0.5% AGI floor on char...

Episode 1: Welcome to the State of Good Report If you lead fundraising at a nonprofit, or you're the executive director, or you sit on the board, you know the pressure never goes away. Great year? The clock resets in January. Land a major gift? You're already wondering what happens if that donor can't give next year. This episode introduces the State of Good Report podcast and why it exists: to he...