Samwise Nonprofits and Charities Newsletter
Thursday, May 14, 2026
New CEP Report Finds 46 Percent of Nonprofit CEOs Report Burnout as Sector Faces Existential Pressures
The Center for Effective Philanthropy released its fourth annual State of Nonprofits report on May 12, revealing that nonprofit organizations across the United States are navigating what researchers call an “extraordinarily difficult context.” The proportion of nonprofit CEOs reporting that their own burnout is “very much a concern” jumped to 46 percent in 2026, up from just under 30 percent in 2025. Nearly two-thirds of leaders expressed concern about their organization’s financial stability, and 57 percent said securing foundation grants has become harder since January 2025. The report, based on a survey of 380 nonprofit leaders, found that 39 percent of nonprofits ran a deficit in 2025, up from 22 percent in 2022, as organizations confront rising demand alongside federal funding freezes, grant terminations, and executive orders targeting specific causes.
Sources: Center for Effective Philanthropy
Chronicle of Philanthropy Reports Next-Generation Major Donors Demand New Fundraising Strategies
A Chronicle of Philanthropy report published May 13 examines how younger major donors differ sharply from current big givers in their motivations, communication preferences, and giving patterns. Gen X and millennial donors, now ages roughly 30 to 55, are already making major gifts as the long-anticipated “great wealth transfer” from older generations accelerates. The report finds these donors are more likely to give to causes than to institutions, seeking transparency about impact and a clear theory of change before committing large sums. Fundraising organizations such as KQED have responded by expanding their major donor staffs and adapting outreach strategies. The shift poses a challenge for traditional institutions that have relied on long-standing donor relationships built over decades of institutional loyalty.
Sources: Chronicle of Philanthropy
Alabama Attorney General Opens Civil Investigation Into Southern Poverty Law Center Fundraising
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a civil investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center’s fundraising practices, examining whether the Montgomery-based nonprofit violated the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. A subpoena orders the SPLC to produce documents by June 1. The state probe follows an April 21 federal indictment charging the SPLC with 11 counts of wire fraud, false statements, and conspiracy to commit money laundering for allegedly funneling more than $3 million in donated funds to informants in extremist groups including the Ku Klux Klan. The SPLC has denied all charges, calling the accusations “provably wrong” and stating that its informant program gathered intelligence that helped prevent violence and was known to federal authorities.
Sources: Insurance Journal
ZRG Acquires Sterling Martin Associates to Expand Nonprofit and Association Executive Search
Talent advisory firm ZRG announced the acquisition of Sterling Martin Associates, a Washington, D.C.–based executive search firm specializing in professional associations, trade organizations, and mission-driven nonprofit organizations. The deal, announced May 13, expands ZRG’s Education, Nonprofit & Social Impact practice and deepens its leadership advisory capabilities in sectors where governance, mission, and external stakeholders shape executive decision-making. Sterling Martin founder David Martin, who established the firm in 2006, will join ZRG as Managing Director alongside a geographically diverse team in Washington, Chicago, and Denver. The acquisition reflects a consolidation trend in nonprofit professional services as organizations seek integrated talent solutions.
Sources: GlobeNewsWire
Citizens Financial Group Commits Five Million Dollars to Massachusetts Workforce Nonprofits
Citizens Financial Group announced a series of community investments across Massachusetts totaling more than $5 million, aimed at strengthening the workforce pipeline from early childhood education through financial empowerment. The investments, disclosed May 13, include $100,000 to the Life is Good Playmaker Project for early childhood educator training, grants to organizations such as Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Way Finders, and Mothers for Justice & Equality for financial literacy programming, and support for affordable housing and small business initiatives. Citizens was also named to Newsweek’s America’s Most Charitable Companies 2026 list, ranking 15th out of 300 U.S. companies. Separately, the company’s foundation deployed $2.85 million in financial literacy grants to 135 nonprofit organizations across 23 states.
Sources: Citizens Financial Group
Combined Federal Campaign Goes Dark as Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Save Charity Program
The Combined Federal Campaign, which has raised more than $8.7 billion for charity through federal workplace giving since 1961, faces possible elimination after the Office of Personnel Management decommissioned its online donation portal. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers, led by Representative Jamie Raskin and Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, have urged OPM Director Scott Kupor to maintain the program in 2026 and beyond, warning that closure would “disrupt and destabilize” thousands of charitable organizations. OPM officials have cited low participation and “excessive administrative costs” as reasons for considering an end to the 63-year-old program. Many nonprofits that rely on CFC proceeds to fund operations say they would be forced to scale back programming if the campaign is eliminated.
Sources: Federal News Network
Major Donor-Advised Fund Sponsors Block Donations to SPLC, Drawing Backlash From Community Foundations
Fidelity Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and DAFGiving360, which collectively hold nearly $130 billion in assets, have blocked donors from using their donor-advised funds to contribute to the Southern Poverty Law Center following the organization’s federal indictment. The freeze drew sharp criticism from community foundations, which called it a capitulation to political pressure. The controversy highlights a structural issue in the fast-growing DAF market: sponsors are not legally obligated to follow donors’ grant recommendations. DAF accounts have surged from 1.6 million in 2020 to 3.6 million in 2024, and a separate lawsuit alleging a DAF sponsor refused to process $21 million in recommended grants underscores the power these financial intermediaries wield over charitable giving decisions.
Sources: Chronicle of Philanthropy
Nonprofit Leadership Groups Launch Voices in Action Initiative Ahead of 2026 Midterm Elections
Independent Sector, the League of Women Voters, Nonprofit VOTE, and the Alliance for Justice’s Bolder Advocacy Program launched Voices in Action, a collaborative initiative equipping nonprofits with tools, training, and legal guidance for nonpartisan voter engagement ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. New polling from Independent Sector shows that Americans overwhelmingly support nonprofit involvement in voter registration, polling location assistance, and candidate issue education. The initiative offers practical guidance, key election dates and planning tools, proven strategies for reaching underrepresented communities, and capacity-building training. The launch comes as nonprofit organizations navigate heightened scrutiny of their civic engagement activities and threats to their tax-exempt status from both federal and state authorities.
Sources: Independent Sector
Curated by JD · samwise.agency