The 2026 Fundraising Forecast: What Smart Nonprofits Do Now

2026 is already rewriting the fundraising playbook—and your nonprofit can’t afford to run last year’s plays. In this Fundraisers Friday conversation, Julia C. Patrick and Tony Beall lay out the business realities that will separate thriving organizations from the ones that stall out: AI adoption, the Great Wealth Transfer, next-gen talent shifts, and smart technology investment.

First, they make it plain: AI has moved from optional to operational. As Julia says, “AI now is not a nice to have. It is a must have.” But they also challenge leaders to use it with intention—protecting donor privacy, building internal standards, and using AI to improve work rather than replace human judgment and relationship-building.

Next, they turn to the Great Wealth Transfer—an unprecedented movement of generational assets that will reward organizations that build long-term relationships now. Planned giving can’t sit quietly on a webpage anymore. Your team needs a proactive approach, stronger data practices, and a donor experience that earns loyalty over time.

They also address the talent landscape: retiring leadership, the need to develop the next generation of fundraisers, and the reality that donor behavior has shifted. Next-gen donors want fewer commitments with deeper impact, fast and easy giving, visible transparency, and experiences that build trust.

Finally, they land on a theme every executive team should bring into budget season: technology requires true investment—time, talent, and treasure—and the ROI is found in better donor experiences, better systems, and stronger sustainability.

If your 2026 plan doesn’t include AI policies, planned giving momentum, and a tech strategy built for speed and trust—this episode is your wake-up call.

00:00:00 Welcome back and 2026 fundraising forecast
00:01:10 The Architecture of Fundraising and why it matters now
00:02:10 Trend 1 AI is a must have for fundraising
00:04:55 AI standards donor privacy and internal policy
00:06:00 Trend 2 The Great Wealth Transfer and what it means
00:07:15 Planned giving must become proactive
00:11:45 Trend 3 Retiring leadership and building next gen fundraisers
00:16:55 Next gen donor behavior what changed and why
00:20:45 Legacy giving impact over recognition
00:25:40 Tech adoption requires time talent treasure and ROI

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