Samwise Nonprofits and Charities Newsletter
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
US Charitable Giving Surpasses $617 Billion in 2025 as Bequests Post Record Growth
Donors gave US charities $617.2 billion in 2025, surpassing the $600 billion mark for the first time in current dollars and marking a 5.7 percent increase over 2024, according to the annual Giving USA report released Tuesday. Adjusted for inflation, giving grew 3 percent. Individuals led all funders at $394 billion, accounting for 64 percent of total giving. Bequests posted the strongest growth of any giving source, rising 19.7 percent in current dollars to $62.19 billion—a surge researchers say may signal the start of the long-anticipated Great Wealth Transfer from aging baby boomers. Foundation giving reached $117.15 billion, a new high, while education and public-society benefit organizations led subsector growth.
Sources: Chronicle of Philanthropy · The NonProfit Times
OMB Proposes Sweeping Overhaul of Federal Grant Rules, Threatening Stability for 100,000 Nonprofits
The Office of Management and Budget on May 29 proposed a major rewrite of the Uniform Guidance, the set of rules governing federal grants and cooperative agreements that underpin the work of more than 100,000 nonprofits, state agencies, and universities. If finalized by October 1, the proposal would convert guidance into binding regulation and give agencies unprecedented authority to withhold, suspend, or terminate awards mid-performance. The proposal would also bar federal funding from being used for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs and restrict services for undocumented immigrants. The National Council of Nonprofits is urging the sector to submit public comments before the July 13 deadline.
Sources: National Council of Nonprofits · NonProfit PRO
Nonprofit Sector Has Lost More Than 22,700 Full-Time Jobs Since January Amid Federal Funding Cuts
The US nonprofit sector has shed at least 22,757 full-time positions since January 20, including approximately 3,130 in June alone, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s ongoing Nonprofit Layoff Tracker. Health care organizations account for the largest share of June losses, with 2,364 positions eliminated. International and foreign affairs nonprofits have been heavily affected by the closure of the United States Agency for International Development. The Chronicle notes that state WARN Act databases—the primary source for layoff data—are inconsistently updated, meaning the true figure is likely higher than reported totals.
Sources: Chronicle of Philanthropy
One Big Beautiful Bill Creates Mixed Charitable Giving Landscape as Nonprofits Adapt Fundraising Strategies
Nonprofit organizations are recalibrating fundraising strategies following enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which introduced provisions simultaneously expanding and constraining charitable tax incentives in 2026. Starting this year, taxpayers who do not itemize can claim a new universal charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples. However, itemizers now face a 0.5 percent floor before claiming deductions, capped at 35 percent—below the 37 percent top tax rate. Corporations face a new 1 percent floor on charitable deductions. Researchers estimate the net effect will reduce charitable giving to nonprofits by approximately $5.69 billion annually.
Sources: The NonProfit Times · National Council of Nonprofits
Chronicle of Philanthropy Releases 2026 Top Donor List; Combined Giving Reaches $22.4 Billion
America’s 50 largest donors gave a combined $22.4 billion in 2025, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual top-donor ranking released this week. Analysis accompanying the list shows billionaires now dominate leadership at most of America’s largest foundations, a shift with implications for grantmaking priorities and accountability. Researchers project two or three individual gifts of at least $1 billion in 2026. The rankings reflect philanthropic activity alongside separate Giving USA data showing bequests surged 19.7 percent in 2025, suggesting the early stages of the long-predicted Great Wealth Transfer as aging baby boomers begin leaving assets to charity.
Sources: Chronicle of Philanthropy
DAF Donors Give 12 Times More per Gift Than Non-DAF Donors, New Fundraising Study Finds
Donors who give through donor-advised funds contribute gifts that are 12 times larger than the median non-DAF gift and retain at rates 13 percent higher than other donors, according to the 2026 DAF Fundraising Report from Chariot and K2D Strategies. The third-annual study examined more than 147 million transactions across 54 nonprofit organizations. Median DAF revenue growth among participating nonprofits reached 75 percent from 2021 to 2025, compared with 9 percent growth in non-DAF revenue over the same period. Researchers found organizations that integrated DAFs into their broader fundraising strategy—rather than simply accepting them—attracted significantly more DAF dollars.
Sources: The NonProfit Times · NonProfit PRO
Nonprofits Embrace AI for Fundraising and Operations but Only 24 Percent Have an AI Policy
Artificial intelligence is now embedded in the operations of the majority of US nonprofits, with 89 percent reporting some form of AI use, but governance has lagged adoption, according to sector surveys published in 2026. Only 24 percent of nonprofits have an AI policy. A study found most organizations report gains in speed and efficiency through automating routine tasks, but only 7 percent have significantly improved their ability to advance their mission—a gap researchers call an “efficiency plateau.” Major nonprofit software vendors including Blackbaud and Momentive Software have introduced agentic AI tools aimed specifically at fundraising automation and donor engagement workflows.
Sources: The NonProfit Times · NonProfit PRO
Nonprofit CEO Burnout Reaches 46 Percent as Funding Instability and Staffing Pressures Intensify
Nearly half of US nonprofit chief executives—46 percent—now describe burnout as a very significant concern, up sharply from 29 percent in 2025, according to a survey of 380 nonprofit CEOs conducted through the Center for Effective Philanthropy’s Nonprofit Voice Project. Overall, 89 percent of nonprofit leaders expressed some concern about burnout. The findings coincide with mounting pressures: 73 percent of nonprofits have seen increased service demand since January 2025, 30 percent have reduced staff, and 39 percent ran a deficit in fiscal year 2025—up from 22 percent in 2022. Two-thirds of CEOs say they have concerns about their organization’s financial stability.
Sources: NonProfit PRO · Chronicle of Philanthropy
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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