Fundraising today feels different than it did even a few short years ago. Donors want more transparency, more connection, and more reassurance that their gift is truly making a difference. And nonprofits – big and small – are doing their best to juggle limited budgets and shifting donor behavior.
If you’re feeling that pressure, you’re absolutely not alone. We work with thousands of organizations every year, and we hear the same thing: “We want to raise more, but we can’t afford expensive tools or complicated strategies.”
Luckily, raising more doesn’t have to mean doing more. Sometimes, it’s about doing the right things with the time and resources you already have.
Below, we’re sharing the most effective fundraising tips you can use going into 2026 to help your nonprofit grow, connect, and change the world.
Across the nonprofit community, these are the practices that continue to inspire donors and lead to more successful campaigns.
Outcome-based goals continue to outperform generic fundraising targets because donors want to understand the tangible result of their gift.
When appeals include a clear, moral, and mission-focused outcome, they drive higher engagement and conversion.
Instead of:
“We need to raise $25,000.”
Try:
“Your gift will help us provide 3,000 warm meals to families facing food insecurity.”
This simple shift connects donors to the impact, not the dollar amount. And research backs this up – donors respond more to goals tied to specific positive outcomes and timelines than to broad financial or prevention targets.
Privacy changes are reshaping digital fundraising, which means the information you collect directly – your first-party data – is becoming one of your most valuable tools. This includes things like your email list, past event registrations, volunteer sign-ups, and auction history.
These aren’t just records. They’re clues about how people prefer to engage with your mission.
And it’s worth the effort. For example, 33% of donors say email is the channel that most inspires them to give.
To make this practical, think of segmentation as gently grouping donors based on what they’ve already shown you:
Personalization doesn’t have to be complex or invasive. Even a small touch, like acknowledging that someone last supported you during an auction, can help donors and supporters feel seen and appreciated.
These simple tweaks make your messages feel more relevant, human, and thoughtful, which is what donors value most.
Short-form video has become one of the most powerful storytelling tools for nonprofits on social media platforms. And don't worry, you don’t need a professional camera or a large production team to make it work. You can keep it simple.
What donors respond to most is sincerity, like a:
Many nonprofits are leaning on ethical AI tools to help draft and personalize emails. Not to replace human warmth, but to support small teams and keep content flowing.
AI email tools can help you:
The key is to keep everything human at the final pass. Donors can always feel the difference between a copied message and one written with genuine care.
Mobile giving continues to rise year over year, with 57% of nonprofit website traffic now coming from mobile devices.
Your donation page should be:
Peer-to-peer fundraising is when supporters raise money on your behalf by sharing your mission with their own friends, family, or community. Think of it as giving your biggest fans their own small fundraising page so they can tell your story in their own words.
And it works. The top thirty U.S. peer-to-peer programs experienced a 3% growth in 2024, according to EIN Presswire.
So, invite a few supporters who genuinely love your mission, like a teacher, volunteer, parent, or local creator, to create a small fundraising page.
When supporters sign up, your fundraising platform automatically gives them their own personal page link. Your job is simply to equip them with the resources they need to share it confidently.
Here’s what to provide:
A hybrid event is an event that people can join in person or online so that more people can participate. It gives donors more flexibility, which matters because not everyone can attend at a specific time or place – even when they truly care about your mission.
Hybrid events are especially helpful for supporters who live far away, have limited mobility, or need to watch at a time that fits their schedule.
To make your hybrid event feel smooth and inclusive, try adding:
A monthly giving program allows supporters to make an automatic donation each month. These donors become your most steady and reliable source of funding, so even modest contributions make a big difference over time.
Monthly donors also tend to stay involved longer because giving becomes part of their routine. And the trend is strong: Monthly giving now makes up 31% of online revenue.
You don’t need complicated tier systems or expensive perks.
Just help donors feel like part of something meaningful by offering:
These simple touches make the program feel special without adding extra work for your team.
A stewardship flow is a series of thoughtful messages sent to donors after they give. These messages help donors feel appreciated and connected, so they’re more likely to give again in the future.
The challenge is that manual follow-up can overwhelm small teams. This is where light automation can help without replacing human warmth.
Set up a simple sequence in your existing email platform that includes:
Fundraising today looks different than it did even a few years ago, and it’s completely understandable if it sometimes feels like you’re trying to keep pace with a world that keeps moving faster.
But every step you take helps your community feel more connected to your mission.
Your supporters don’t need perfection or polished campaigns. They just want to understand the impact of their gift, see the heart behind your work, and feel invited into something meaningful.
When you boost your outreach with the above fundraising tips, you give them exactly that.
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