Findings from Church Mutual can help guide nonprofits as they navigate 2026 and changes in generational giving.
In December of 2025, the “2026 Charitable Giving in America” survey was conducted by Church Mutual, taking responses from 1,010 adults who contribute financially to nonprofits and other charitable causes. According to an article on the study from NonProfitPro, Church Mutual indicates multiple important trends within the nonprofit fundraising world, including the alarming reality that donors are planning to scale back their giving in 2026. Understanding the key findings from this survey is crucial for all those involved in the philanthropy space as the new year kicks off.
With that, here are five key takeaways from the Church Mutual 2026 survey:
One: Houses of Worship Still Take First Place
The Church Mutual survey found houses of worship continue to take in the lion’s share of donations. All four generations represented (Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers) donated primarily to places of worship, constituting 74% of charitable donations. Schools came in second place, followed by camps, with “other nonprofit organizations” coming in last. Organizations that have religious ties should emphasize this connection to donors, especially if they actively support houses of worship or schools.
Two: End of Year Sees Most Charitable Donations
Another important finding from the survey was that donors tended to make their contributions toward the end of the year (October–December). Across the four generations, end-of-year donations made up the highest percentage, with January–March taking second place, followed by April–June, then July–September. Boomers were more likely than the other three generations to give at the end of the year, whereas Gen Z, millennials, and Gen X were more likely to give than Boomers in the April–June period. Additionally, out of the four generations, Gen Z was most likely to give during the slowest time of the year (July–September).
Those who work in the nonprofit space should take note of the end-of-year influx in donations, which indicates that October–December campaigns such as Giving Tuesday events, matches, etc., could bring in a fundraising windfall. Not only that, but with January–March taking second place, nonprofits could also see the new-year benefits of seeking out renewals and other contributions during the giving season. That said, “slow-down” periods should not be ignored, as the younger generations may still be inclined to give even when the older ones are not.
Three: A Quarter of Respondents Plan to Cut Giving in 2026
The survey contains a section that details “donation expectations” for 2026, and it is these findings that may sound alarm bells.
On the one hand, around half of donors (48%) said they will not make any changes to their financial contributions, with Boomers being the group most likely to leave their charitable giving unchanged. On the other, 25% said they expect to reduce their giving in 2026. Millennials were identified as the group most likely to cut their giving, whereas Gen Z was not only identified as the group least likely to cut their giving, but also the group most likely to increase their giving in 2026.
Church Mutual has a few sections dedicated to the main financial concerns of donors, something that falls beyond the scope of this article. However, Church Mutual is right to note that these concerns will impact 2026 charitable contributions, even if “economic conditions show signs of improvement heading into 2026.” Taking increased cuts from donors into account with responsible budgeting can help nonprofits avoid increased financial strain in 2026.
Four: Financial of Health of Recipients a Growing Concern
One finding that nonprofits should also be aware of is that a majority of donors have concerns about the financial health of the groups they support. Church Mutual found that 54% of donors are worried about the financial health of the recipients of their donations. By generation, Gen Z was the most concerned, followed by millennials and Gen X respectively, while Boomers were the least concerned.
As Gen Z continues to advance in their careers and increase their giving, nonprofits should take note of potential issues affecting their organizations’ financial well-being. They should be prepared to address younger donors’ concerns and be proactive in addressing any issues afflicting the organization internally. Doing so could make a difference in winning over younger donors during economically uncertain times.
Five: Volunteerism Among Donors May Increase
While lower financial contributions may be worrisome for nonprofits, there may be some good news. Donors may plan to make up for decreased donations by increasing their volunteering efforts to aid the causes they support. When asked if they would increase “time and effort” to help in other ways should they reduce their monetary donations, a majority of donors indicated they would; 26% said they were “very likely” and 32% said “somewhat likely,” equaling 58% of donors overall.
The study suggests these responses could mean “strong potential to convert reduced monetary giving into more volunteering, advocacy, or other non-financial support.” In the face of smaller financial contributions, nonprofits should lean into other channels to engage their donors. Not only would this keep supporters engaged with the organization’s activities, but it could lay the foundation for donations down the road as see the work recipients are doing on the ground.
Conclusion
There are other findings from Church Mutual that were not covered in this article, such as donation methods and the top monetary priorities of donors, and so I encourage all those in the nonprofit space to read through the report. The findings from Church Mutual can help guide nonprofits as they navigate 2026, especially as Gen Z begins to take on a more prominent role in the giving world. Despite economic hardships and uncertainty with changing giving demographics, the “2026 Charitable Giving in America” survey can serve as a valuable tool for nonprofits as they continue in their missions, both in 2026 and beyond.
