Recent reports from Giving USA and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) indicate that global giving, including charitable giving in the United States, is at or near an historic high. Despite global and domestic conflicts and increasing polarization, people still give to one another and to charitable organizations worldwide.

According to Giving USA, total charitable giving in the United States reached $617.20 billion in 2025, an increase of 5.7 percent -- the highest recorded amount in current dollars and the second highest amount adjusted for inflation. All four giving sources (individuals, bequests, foundations, corporations) saw increases.

While individual giving remains the largest source of donations (64 percent for individuals and 10 percent for bequests), individual giving increased by only 1.4 percent when adjusted for inflation while bequests increased by 16.6 percent, possibly signaling the much-discussed great wealth transfer. Giving by foundations increased by 5.7 percent or 3.0 percent when adjusted for inflation, which is most likely attributed to strong market growth.

Religious organizations are the primary recipient of giving at $151.58 billion representing 23 percent of donated funds, but growth remained flat at -2.0 percent when adjusted for inflation. This is part of a long-term trend for the sector with religious giving only growing 1.0 percent, when adjusted for inflation, since 2005.

Giving to education, public-society benefit, and the environment experienced the most growth in 2025 with each of these sectors growing by more than 10 percent.

These results are consistent with a recent report on world giving by CAF. This report states that 6 in 10 people gave money to good causes globally in 2025 whether directly to people in need, to charity, or for religious reasons. According to CAF, people in Asia and Africa were the most likely to give money while those in South America were the least likely to do so (North Americans were in between).

On average, people donated 1 percent of their income in 2025 with Africans donating the highest at 1.6 percent and Europeans donating the lowest at 0.6 percent. North Americans donated 0.8 percent of income.

About a quarter (23 percent) of people gave to religious organizations, echoing the Giving USA report on American giving trends, with 36 percent of people giving directly to people in need and 34 percent to charities.

Around the globe, giving appears to be influenced by a variety of factors, which fall into three groups: personal, societal, and charity related.

On the personal side, a strong desire to make a change to society, a deep sense of belonging to a community, and a sense that making donations is affordable are all reasons to give.

A sense that giving is the societal norm, a willingness to discuss giving with others, and a perception that the government encourages giving can help from a societal viewpoint.

And a positive view of how trustworthy charities are, combined with a clear sense of the impact that charities have locally, can also positively affect increased giving to charitable organizations.

“Where we have seen charities tell impact stories that donors have really connected with, it has been easier to build the kind of trust and engagement that sets them up for longer-term success,” stated Ashling Cashmore, head of impact for CAF.

Granted, other variables such as economic health, market performance, consumer sentiment, political upheavals, natural disasters, tax incentives, and media attention can also help or hurt charitable giving in the short-term, but long-term growth in the sector seems to be the norm domestically and globally. This is good news for charitable organizations and their leaders even if they experience short-term dips in giving.

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Axios CEO Jim VandeHei recently published a call to action for CEOs during this time when Americans have lost faith in government, media, and organized religion.

According to the 2026 Edelman Trust Barometer, “my employer” is now the most trusted institution, and VandeHei suggests that this trust brings with it a special obligation for leaders to step up and fill the void.

While VandeHei’s call to action was directed at business leaders, there’s no reason why his recommendations can’t apply to nonprofit and foundation leaders as well.

Here are his ideas for leaders to act:

Level with your people. Tell the truth about the economy, about your organization, about jobs. People are hungry for honesty and direction. If other institutions like government, churches, and the media were more trusted, business and nonprofit CEOs could concentrate on running their organizations, but that is no longer the case, so leaders need to step up.

Speak frankly about AI. According to VandeHei, too many leaders are silent about AI because they are confused themselves. AI will create extraordinary wealth, but it has the potential to disrupt nearly every job in every organization. So, leaders need to master AI themselves and then talk to their employees about it transparently and candidly.

Model strong moral leadership. VandeHei believes that this country functions best when leaders demonstrate humility, competence, and the will to do hard things, but that people are not hearing this from our government leaders or on social media. Leaders can fill the void by showing honesty, hard work, respect, and personal responsibility.

Reward competence. Be real about demanding and rewarding competence and fairness with your people, and let your people know what success looks like. VandeHei thinks that this is how the country — and our organizations — work best.

Celebrate America with clear eyes. VandeHei feels that the decay in patriotism is a threat to our system because it atrophies the country’s civic muscles. Reminding your people on how we got here, and what it has meant to humanity, may be one of the best uses for CEO voices at this time.

Think bigger. While businesses and even nonprofits compete with one another for resources and attention, the greatest organizations have always been built with people working together. Run your organization for the long-term interest of the country, not just the next quarter or fiscal year.

VandeHei believes that leaders can start to take action immediately by engaging in simple tasks: schedule a town hall or staff meeting to talk about the state of the union honestly and compassionately; identify one smart investment in people – a new training program or initiative – and green light it fast; and engage others – teachers, community leaders, and parents – in this work.

People are hungry for moral leadership and guidance, and our institutional leaders – business and nonprofit – are in the best position to provide it. Get started.

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Bonterra, a provider of technology for social good organizations, recently released its 2026 Impact Report, which states that charitable giving in the United States has remained at 2.5 percent of GDP for decades even though the way that people connect, transact, and participate in other parts of the economy has evolved significantly over the years.

Could Gen Z be the solution to raising charitable giving?

Bonterra’s report argues that increasing charitable giving by just 0.5 percent of GDP would unlock more than $155 billion in unrealized giving, and that providing donors with more evidence of measurable impact of their giving is one of the most effective ways to increase support. Three-fourths of donors say that when they can clearly see the outcomes of their contributions, they are more likely to continue giving. Likewise, 9 out of 10 nonprofit leaders say that technology has increased trust with supporters and improved their ability to reach and connect with them.

“Giving hasn’t kept pace with how people engage in the rest of their lives,” said Scott Brighton, CEO of Bonterra in a press release about its findings. “That disconnect is what stands between where we are today and reaching 3 percent of GDP. Closing it is one of the biggest opportunities to expand resources for communities, and it will require rethinking how organizations engage and retain donors.”

According to Bonterra’s research, 80 percent of donors and 65 percent of nonprofit leaders say that reaching 3 percent of GDP is achievable, but that giving is often limited by a combination of personal and structural barriers, including affordability, limited visibility into the impact of giving, and a lack of simple ways to get involved. At the same time, many nonprofits face challenges in moving beyond one-time campaigns to fundraising approaches that build long-term relationships with supporters.

This report comes on the heels of a study by GoFundMe and GivingTuesday that states that Gen Z participates in philanthropy at higher rates than other adults and supports causes through sharing, donating, advocating, and community fundraising often in visible, digital formats that inspire their peers to give as well.

According to their research, Gen Z gives in more ways, and more often, than other adults, and they are more likely to give money despite being more likely to have lower incomes, be students, or be unemployed, given their life stage. Additionally, Gen Z giving is more distinctly personal and relational, and stands ahead of other generations in advocacy, giving directly to individuals, informal giving, and volunteering.

Nearly 60 percent of Gen Z givers say family and peers shape their giving decisions, compared with nearly 45 percent of other adults, and their use of online platforms for giving make them more likely to give to registered nonprofits than others who don’t use those platforms.

“Gen Z is showing us that generosity does not begin with financial capacity alone,” said Tim Cadogan, CEO of GoFundMe in a press release announcing the findings. “It begins with participation, trust, relationships, and a willingness to make support visible. These findings reinforce that Gen Z is not a future donor segment. They are already reshaping giving today: socially, publicly, and online. That creates a clear call to action for nonprofits: build for the ways Gen Z already engages by making it easier to share causes, rally communities, fundraise, and give in digital spaces. The nonprofits that embrace these behaviors now will be the ones that turn Gen Z participation into long-term support and growth.”

In order to increase charitable giving in the United States, nonprofit organizations will need to fully utilize technology and online platforms to communicate measurable results and build meaningful relationships with current and potential donors. Gen Z has the opportunity and momentum to lead the way to a brighter future for charitable organizations and the communities they serve.

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As we transition out of Earth Month 2026, it’s worth taking a look at what philanthropic and business investments in nature and the environment can mean to our country and the planet at a time of continued environmental challenges and policy uncertainty.

In The Nature Conservancy’s recent report entitled, Nature’s Dividends: The Economic, Health, and Safety Benefits of Investing in Nature, Americans overwhelmingly support funding to protect our land, air, and water even when budgets are tight and other community needs are priorities.

“The numbers reaffirm that nature is fundamental to the well-being of our country and has been since it was founded 250 years ago,” said Kameran Onley, The Nature Conservancy’s managing director of North America Policy and Government Relations. “Forests, oceans, rivers and other natural areas are the backbone of our country, not just something pretty to look at.”

According to the report, in 2023, the outdoor recreation economy accounted for $640 billion or 2.3 percent of the GDP and supported nearly five million jobs or 3 percent of national employment. In 2022, 39.9 million Americans fished, 14.4 million hunted, and 148.3 million participated in wildlife-watching, generating $395 billion in economic activity. Conservation investments helped support hundreds of thousands of farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners as well as commercial fisheries and the livelihoods of fishing communities.

“We’ve long understood nature as something meaningful – something that inspires us, grounds us, helps us feel and be healthier, and makes places worth calling home. And that matters deeply,” said Bill Ulfelder, executive director of The Nature Conservancy in New York. “And nature is also doing essential, practical, business-like work on our behalf. Nature isn’t just scenery, it’s infrastructure we rely on everywhere – to clean our air, clean our water, reduce the impact of severe storms, improve property values, and so much more.”

Studies show that investing in nature also helps protect people from multiple hazards. Good forest and grasslands management, like the strategic removal or modification of live and dead vegetation, reduces the risk of catastrophic fires. Investing in floodplain protection — the natural areas along rivers, streams, and coasts — can save $7 in future disaster costs for every $1 spent on conservation. Protected watersheds — the lands and streams that collect and carry our water — can supply clean drinking water much more cost-effectively than water treatment plants. Treating drinking water from an unprotected watershed can cost 10 times as much as from protected watersheds.

“And when you look at extreme weather events, nature is often the first line of defense,” said Ulfelder in an email message to this writer. “Wetlands, forests, oyster reefs, mangroves, and coral reefs reduce the severity of floods and storms in ways that are hard to replicate with built infrastructure alone, while providing multiple other benefits like open space. New York proves this point: during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, it is estimated that wetlands prevented nearly $140 million in flood damage.”

Another benefit is risk management for businesses. Supply chains depend on stable and clean water supplies, predictable conditions, and functioning ecosystems. When those start to break down, it’s no longer an environmental issue according to Ulfelder. It’s an operational one.

Most Americans understand these facts and believe that investing in nature and the environment is essential to our safety, our health, and our economy. Broad majorities of Americans across party and demographic lines want to see funding for water quality, land, and wildlife habitats, and access to nature maintained. Most voters want to see increases in funding from the federal government, and very few want to see these programs cut.

Private philanthropy can continue to play an important role investing in our natural resources. “We see this a lot in New York and beyond — in many cases, philanthropy is what gets these projects started before the full value is visible or priced,” according to Ulfelder. “It begins with nonprofits committed to the work, and it grows through partnerships that bring others in to make a tangible difference.”

Businesses, foundations, and individuals can compensate for federal government funding cuts and help nonprofits like The Nature Conservancy continue their important work. They can also assist organizations in starting and scaling up projects that have real impact in local communities before larger investments by government agencies return to the forefront.

We can all play a role to ensure that there will be many more Earth Months to celebrate in years to come.

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The nonprofit sector is the third largest employer in the United States, but nonprofit organizations often lack the expertise and staffing in Human Resources to fill critical positions with the most qualified candidates.

One way of addressing this challenge is through pro bono skills-based volunteers with HR expertise. Recently, the Taproot Foundation, in partnership with the SHRM Foundation and with the support of Walmart, launched an initiative called Skills-First Hiring for Nonprofit Impact, which hopes to unlock the expertise of pro bono consultants to assist nonprofits with transforming their HR functions to focus on hiring candidates with the appropriate skills rather than candidates who might fit a prescribed set of qualifications such as college degrees or job titles.

Many employers are rethinking their approach to hiring by focusing on skills, competencies and talents that an individual might have for a job rather than whether they possess a degree or a referral or other qualifying signal. Today, more people are building skills through a variety of paths, including apprenticeships, community colleges, military service or other types of work. According to Britebound, fewer than half of U.S. high school graduates now plan to go directly to college down from nearly three quarters of high school graduates just eight years ago.

Nonprofits can take advantage of this shift in job focus and training and tap into the full spectrum of qualified candidates for their positions by changing the way that they hire as well, but they need to develop the expertise to do so, and that’s where pro bono skills-based volunteering comes in.

“The nonprofit sector employs more than 12 million people in the U.S. and is one of the country’s greatest champions of economic opportunity,” said Cat Ward, the Taproot CEO. “It’s time their hiring practices unlock that potential.”

The initiative is designed to take advantage of learnings and expertise from SHRM to form a cohesive cycle of learning and practice by mobilizing skills-first hiring pro bono consultants, including SHRM members and HR professionals sourced through Taproot’s network of pro bono consultants. Nonprofits will receive HR guidance to implement inclusive, skills-first hiring strategies and tools, and the nonprofit sector will gain practical case studies, learnings, and proof points to accelerate adoption of these practices across the sector.

As the nonprofit arm of SHRM, the world’s largest HR association, the SHRM Foundation mobilizes HR and employers to take action around complex societal issues that impact the workplace. “Activating our members to bring skills-first expertise to nonprofits is the perfect next step for us – and Taproot is the perfect partner to do it with,” stated Wendi Safstrom, SHRM Foundation president.

April 19 to 25 is National Volunteer Week, which seems like the perfect time for individuals with HR experience and expertise to commit to helping nonprofit organizations make this journey. HR professionals and nonprofit organizations can reach out to Taproot through its application process here.

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According to a new report by CCS Fundraising, over 60 percent of nonprofit organizations reported revenue growth last year -- with Public Society Benefit and Education organizations leading the way – but a quarter of organizations reported decreases with Associations and International Affairs groups showing the biggest declines.

Overall, larger organizations – those with operating budgets over $500,000 – fared better than smaller organizations, but organizations that showed increased donor acquisition also reported increased revenue, signaling the importance of new donors.

Based on insights from over 600 nonprofit organizations across sectors and geographies, 2026 Philanthropy Pulse provides a helpful snapshot of how nonprofit leaders are responding to current fundraising and organizational pressures, and where they are finding stability or growth.

“This year’s Pulse Report points to a nuanced environment, where results vary across the sector,” stated Melissa Rothberg, Executive Vice President, CCS Fundraising, in an email message to this writer. “A clear throughline is emerging: organizations gaining traction are approaching fundraising with greater discipline, pairing data-informed engagement with more intentional donor acquisition and targeted digital strategies.”

While almost half of respondents said that recent federal and state government policy changes have negatively impacted their organizations, more than half of these organizations expect that state and regional grants will remain flat rather than decreasing.

40 percent of nonprofits have adjusted their communications language and nearly the same percentage have reduced operating budgets, but fewer organizations have changed the programs or services that they offer.

Those organizations experiencing negative impacts from changes in government policy tend to be Advocacy, Arts and Culture, Environmental, and Higher Education groups while Primary and Secondary education organizations and Religious groups are less negatively impacted.

Fundraising teams at nonprofits feel most confident in event planning and donor communications while leaders feel less confident with planned giving, prospect research, and data-driven decision-making. And while familiarity with AI is rising, the use of AI in fundraising remains one of the lowest reported capabilities of fundraising staff.

Among organizations with fundraising staff, over 80 percent either grew or maintained their teams but over 70 percent cited limited budget for salaries as their major challenge. Half of organizations also cited the difficulty in finding qualified candidates. Heavy workloads, burnout, and limited career growth are cited most frequently as the main challenges in retaining fundraising staff.

These retention challenges are less common among organizations that invest in flexible work arrangements, competitive compensation, and team-building activities according to the report.

In addition to recruitment and retention challenges, donor acquisition is the most commonly cited challenge, followed by donor retention, and the need to better leverage data for decision-making. While nonprofit organizations for the most part are utilizing databases and software packages to aid in fundraising, it appears from the report that fundraising teams are struggling to more effectively use their fundraising data.

That being said, nonprofit leaders appear to have more confidence in their individual giving goals than institutional ones. More than half of respondents in the 2026 Philanthropy Pulse expect growth in major gifts and mid-level individual donations while many expect declines in federal government support, foundation grants, and corporate giving.

Accordingly, nonprofits are emphasizing personal contributions from their board members rather than expecting them to engage in fundraising, although many have a balanced “give or get” approach. Organizations with more engaged boards are more likely to see revenue growth than those with less engaged directors.

Given the many challenges, nonprofit organizations will need to increase or introduce new income streams and better utilize AI and technology in their internal practices and external fundraising strategies in order to meet revenue goals in the future.

“Looking ahead, nonprofits will need to navigate growing complexity with intention,” said Rothberg. “Policy shifts, evolving donor expectations, and the rapid emergence of AI are reshaping the sector—placing a premium on investing in talent and thoughtfully adopting new tools to drive long-term resilience.”

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A recent report from the Taproot Foundation, a national organization that connects skilled business volunteers with under-resourced nonprofit organizations, found that more than 70 percent of respondents say that pro bono service builds critical, hard-to-teach skills like problem solving, adaptability, and empathy, which are essential human skills in the modern workspace.

Human Skills at Work shows that skills-based volunteering consistently outperforms many traditional training approaches in building human skills that are increasingly critical in AI-enabled organizations. While many organizations increasingly prioritize skills such as collaboration, adaptability, and critical thinking, many continue to depend on formal training programs that may be less effective at building those capabilities.

Based on insights from 130 professionals who have participated in pro bono engagements supported by their employers, the report underscores a growing gap between the skills that employers say they value most, and the learning approaches they rely on to build them.

“Human skills are no longer the ‘soft’ side of work – they’re the differentiator,” said Cat Ward, the CEO of Taproot in an email message to this writer (who is also a member of the board of directors of Taproot). “Our research shows that 82 percent of professionals see human skills as just as important as technical expertise, especially as AI reshapes the workplace. The organizations that invest in building those capabilities won’t just adapt to change – they will lead it.”

The report found that respondents consistently rank experience-based learning, including on-the-job learning and pro bono service, as more effective for building human skills than in-person or online training programs. Less than 60 percent of respondents feel that formal training effectively strengthened their human skills, consistently making it the lowest ranked learning mode.

Nearly half of respondents’ companies are proactively adapting employee development strategies to prepare for AI, and nearly 60 percent believe their organizations value employees who proactively develop their human skills. Pro bono service sits at the center of these priorities – aligning employee motivation and emerging skills needs.

“For years we’ve tried to build human skills in classrooms and online modules, but these skills are formed through experience, not theory,” said Ward. “Experiential learning, including pro bono service, puts professionals in situations with real-world complexity where collaboration, problem-solving, and adaptability get practiced.”

As leaders of companies and organizations look for more effective ways of building essential human skills in the AI era, there is an opportunity to elevate pro bono service from a “nice to have” volunteering initiative to a core workplace strategy.

“’When companies embed pro bono into learning and development, employees build human skills that modern work demands, while nonprofits gain the expertise they need to drive their missions forward,” said Ward. “Pro bono service helps professionals grow while strengthening nonprofit capacity and communities at the same time.”

Victoria Russell, PwC’s inclusion and sustainability strategy leader, offers the following advice for leaders who are looking to add pro bono service into their learning and development programs:

· Integrate pro bono work into the workday rather than making it off-hours.

· Start early. PwC includes skills-based volunteering as part of its internship program.

· Connect the work to something meaningful for people. Help employees find projects that fit their interests rather than one-off volunteer projects unrelated to their work.

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According to a new study entitled 2026 Predictions: Technology & AI in Social Impact by technology company Bonterra and Hanover Research, economic pressures and rapid technology advances will cause nonprofit and charitable organizations to embrace AI and become a more collaborative, data-connected, and outcomes-driven social sector this year.

“Our latest report confirms what we’re hearing every day from the social good leaders we partner with,” said Scott Brighton, CEO of Bonterra. “The sector is not asking for incremental improvement. It is demanding clarity, accountability, and technology that strengthens human relationships. AI will reshape how impact gets delivered, but only if it is deployed ethically with rigor and transparency. When innovation amplifies human judgment, the social good sector doesn’t just move faster. It unlocks new levels of collective impact.”

Based on interviews and information from 249 nonprofit, foundation, and corporate leaders across the nonprofit and donor sectors, the report lists nine predictions that Bonterra believes will drive rapid change in the sector in 2026. Among them are:

· Funders will prioritize and reward collective outcomes. Foundations and other institutional funders are shifting their focus to demand that nonprofits collaborate and share information when working toward similar goals. They want a simple, comprehensive source of information across the organizations they support in a given cause. The study found that over 60% of nonprofit funders say that they will factor collective outcomes into their funding decisions this year, and over 70% of them view sharing data as important to their work. Bonterra predicts that AI tools will allow this kind of collective information sharing in real time, and that 2026 will see the first large scale collaborations among nonprofits take place.

· Nonprofits will replace quarterly reports with real-time impact dashboards. In an effort to stay relevant and to more quickly respond to donor questions and reporting requirements, the report found that over half of nonprofit leaders say that real-time communications and insights will replace static periodic reports. Nonprofits will utilize AI to reduce administrative burdens and use the saved time to maintain more strategic oversight of their work resulting in more measurable outcomes. Over half of nonprofits are already adopting AI tools to help them achieve their goals this year and these efforts will accelerate over the next year. But these changes will only come about if AI tools are easy to adopt and use.

· AI-powered personalization will only work if it still feels human. While AI tools can help organizations achieve more efficiencies and reach more beneficiaries, the study also emphasizes that donor trust still relies on messages that feel personal, heartfelt, and grounded in real stories. An overwhelming 84% of nonprofit leaders agree that AI-powered communications must remain human-centered, and 75% say that authenticity and tone are critical for maintaining donor trust. Ultimately, donors to causes want to see themselves in the work they support, so utilizing AI tools that help nonprofits be more effective still requires a human touch and attention to donor concerns such as privacy and accountability.

Another recent study from The Conference Board (2026 Outlook for Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy), which surveyed 70 US corporate philanthropy and citizenship leaders, found that a majority of corporate social responsibility executives are incorporating AI tools into their work with the top-cited areas of focus being AI literacy and staff training (50%), followed by data analysis or reporting automation (39%), and enhanced measurement and evaluation tools (30%).

These results reflect a focus on internal efficiency and decision support rather than front-facing programmatic use by these corporate leaders. As their teams build AI capability in 2026, executives are emphasizing strong foundations – staff literacy, data quality, and clear processes – alongside early alignment with legal, risk, and IT internal partners.

Ultimately nonprofit and corporate citizenship leaders will fully embrace and advance the use of AI tools in their mission-driven work. According to both Bonterra and The Conference Board, current economic and political pressures -- as well as encouragement from donors and grant recipients -- will accelerate the adoption of AI tools this year, and 2026 will prove a turning point for these sectors.

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According to a new study by The Conference Board (2026 Outlook for Corporate Citizenship and Philanthropy), affordability is becoming a key framing strategy for corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropy, and citizenship programs. Defined as the rising cost of living, including housing, food, healthcare, childcare, transportation, and other essentials, affordability is now considered “important” by 62% of corporate philanthropy and citizenship executives.

“Affordability presents both opportunity and risk for citizenship leaders,” states Brian Campbell, Governance & Sustainability Center Leader at The Conference Board in an email message. “It offers a broadly resonant, non-ideological entry point for addressing food access, housing stability, and essential services, but its growing political salience – especially ahead of the midterms – raises the risk of perceived partisanship. This underscores the need to ground initiatives in business relevance, local context, and workforce realities.”

The study was based on a survey of 70 philanthropy and citizenship executives at large US and multi-national companies, and it looks at how they are adjusting budgets, priorities, and partnerships for the year ahead.

Among other findings in the report, corporate executives are deprioritizing areas under higher political and reputational scrutiny while increasing focus on core economic issues. Planned reductions in giving are highest in racial equality (29%), environmental justice (24%), and gender equality (22%) while increased in giving include food security (45%), digital inclusion (41%), and housing (38%).

“Overall, this pattern reflects pragmatic portfolio management in a more constrained environment, with companies favoring themes that offer clearer, more defensible value while reducing emphasis where external risk and scrutiny have risen,” says Andrew Jones, author of the report and Principal Researcher at The Conference Board.

In a cautious environment, more companies are favoring flexible, people-centered approaches that reinforce workforce connection and purpose. Over half of corporate executives expect employee volunteering to grow compared with only 5% who expect a decline.

In addition, most corporate executives surveyed expect the new 1% charitable deduction floor to result in tighter budget allocations, with about one-third also anticipating changes to timing and pacing of grant disbursements. Any changes that result in fewer or smaller or less frequent grants may exacerbate the fragility of nonprofit organizations. Most surveyed leaders described their nonprofit partners as unevenly stable or fragile, which affect their ability to deliver measurable results.

While corporate citizenship leaders remain optimistic about their ability to meet the challenges ahead, competing corporate priorities, difficulty demonstrating return on investment for these programs, and limited CEO or senior leadership support remain the most frequented cited barriers to advancing their goals.

“Against this backdrop, the biggest opportunities for the year are pragmatic and incremental,” states Jeff Hoffman, Institute Leader, Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy for The Conference Board. “Engaging employees in traditional or skills-based volunteering, aligning more closely to business strategies, leveraging technology, and collaborating with peer companies and funders are seen as effective ways of increasing positive impact on both communities and companies in 2026.”

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January is National Mentoring Month, which celebrates individual mentors and nonprofit organizations who are supporting, training, and encouraging mentoring, especially of young people.

Ever since Socrates mentored Plato who mentored Aristotle, successful people have been relying on the advice and guidance of others who have taught and mentored them along the way.

Steve Jobs reportedly mentored Mark Zuckerberg, Ray Charles mentored Quincy Jones, Maya Angelo mentored Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet was Bill Gates’s mentor, Mahatma Gandhi is said to have mentored Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King was known to mentor several civil rights leaders. I myself have benefited from wise and supportive mentors for most of my professional career.

What makes a good mentor? According to Oprah Winfrey, a mentor is “someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself.” Ralph Waldo Emerson once said that “our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.” And David A. Stoddard, author of The Heart of Mentoring, stated that “mentoring is not about making people like you but about helping them become the best version of themselves.”

Stoddard’s book contains 10 principles that he feels get to the heart of successful mentoring, which include, understanding that living is about giving, seeing mentoring as a process that requires perseverance, helping people find their passion, opening the world to their mentoring partners, modeling character, and helping to turn personal values into practice.

According to experts, a good mentor is someone who is willing to work closely with a student or colleague to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and goals; to provide direction, advice, and resources; to offer new challenges and help in developing problem-solving skills; and to provide support, perspective, and encouragement. Mentors can be advisors, coaches, sponsors, connectors, protectors, teachers, and work colleagues. Famously, Michelle Robinson (now Michelle Obama) was designated as Barack’s mentor when he was a summer associate at her law firm.

Here are some mentoring organizations that are making a difference.

100 Black Men of America works to improve the quality of life for African Americans and other underserved communities through programs in education, health and wellness, economic empowerment, and leadership development. As the nation’s top African American led mentoring organization, 100 Black Men is dedicated to developing young people into future leaders by surrounding them with a positive network and giving them the opportunity that they may not have thought was possible.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America provides one-to-one mentoring for children and youth facing adversity. Its mentorship programs are designed to help young people develop positive relationships, improve their academic and social skills, and achieve their full potential. BBBS believes that one of most powerful ways to change the trajectory of a young person’s life is a consistent relationship with a positive, caring adult mentor.

iMentor matches 11^th and 12^th grade students in its partner high schools with committed adult mentors that help build connections that unleash students’ unique potential and offer guidance as they pursue college access and career success. iMentor believes that every student has potential, and it works to ensure that each student can reach it fully.

Step Up is a mentorship nonprofit that provides the structure for girls (and those who identify with girlhood) to define their ideal destination and get there – wherever that destination may be. Through its mentorship programs, Step Up creates safe spaces for girls to connect, learn, and grow alongside of supportive and committed mentors.

Mentoring has always been an important part of my life. After he retired, my father was a mentor to small business owners through SCORE (previously the Senior Corps of Retired Executives). Created to help foster a vibrant small business community, SCORE has helped more than 17 million entrepreneurs start, grow or successfully exit a business since 1964. Its 10,000 volunteers provide free, expert mentoring, resources, and education for small business owners in all 50 states. And I’ve had the privilege of mentoring several students and young people myself.

Whether you are currently a mentor, seeking a mentor, or benefitting from the advice and encouragement of a mentor, now is a good time to remember, recognize, and thank the individuals who help others achieve their full potential as students, workers, leaders, and human beings. Thank you!

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The state of charitable giving in America is strong and growing.

According to Giving USA 2025, the most comprehensive report on the sources and uses of charitable giving in America, individuals, foundations, and corporations gave an estimated $592.50 billion to U.S. charities in 2024 – a growth of 6.3 percent from the previous year and a new high. All recipient types saw donations increase in current dollars, and when adjusted for inflation, giving to seven of the nine categories of nonprofits rose while giving to foundations remained relatively flat and giving to religious organizations decreased slightly. The report attributes a strong stock market and growth in the GDP for the increase in giving, which was driven primarily by individuals and corporate giving.

Giving By State

A new study by GamblingSites.com ranks all 50 states by per capita charitable donations, share of income given, and total dollars contributed – based on IRS charitable contribution data combined with income and populations figures.

California leads the nation in total dollars donated, contributing $34.8 billion annually or about $880 per person. With nearly 40 million residents and one of the world’s strongest economies, the state’s wealth is matched by an extensive and expansive philanthropic network. Texas and New York were the second and third most generous states respectively with $27.3 billion and $21.1 billion given.

Wyoming tops the list of states for the most giving per person with residents donating an average of $2,088 each year. The report credits Wyoming’s strong sense of community and self-reliance for keeping charitable giving close to home.

In Arkansas, residents donate 2.54 percent of their earnings, totaling $809 per person, to charitable causes according to the report. Despite lower average incomes, Arkansans prioritize giving as a community value with church tithes and neighborhood fundraisers leading the types of giving.

“States with larger economies dominate in total charitable giving, while per-capita leaders are shaped by donor capacity, tax advantages, and strong traditions of community generosity,” according to Kevin Roberts, a writer for GamblingSites.com, in an email message to this writer. “California illustrates this dynamic well, as its economic scale, major foundations, and robust nonprofit sector drive the highest level of total giving in the country, whereas Wyoming’s position at the top of per-capita rankings reflects a different set of conditions, including a favorable tax environment, meaningful contributions from high-net-worth residents, and a strong culture of community generosity within a very small population. Washington and New York stand out for performing strongly on both measures, combining sizable economies with above-average individual giving patterns.”

Giving Platforms and Promotions

GoFundMe, an online crowdfunding platform, also tracks charitable giving and is a particularly strong indicator of giving by young people.

“A quarter of all annual nonprofit giving happens on our platform between Giving Tuesday and year-end, and more people than ever are turning that generosity into a substantial habit – with thousands signing up for recurring giving in a single day,” stated Margaret Richardson, GoFundMe’s chief marketing and corporate affairs officer, in an email message to this writer. “Despite this momentum, charitable giving in the U.S. is stuck at 2 percent of GDP for decades. GoFundMe is working to change that. We’re investing in innovative products and technology to help drive more giving overall and accelerate impact across the entire nonprofit sector. From Giving Funds that make tax-smart charitable giving accessible to everyone, to new social challenges, creator-led campaigns, livestreams that activate younger digital audiences, and AI-powered tools used more than 65 million times, our innovations are driving greater giving and deeper participation across the entire nonprofit sector.”

Giving Tuesday was created in 2012 at the 92^nd Street Y in New York City as a day that encourages people to do good in their communities. Held on the Tuesday after Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday was meant to be a single day to counter consumerism by giving back. Since then, it has grown into a year-round global movement that helps to inspire hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.

In 2025, the organization claims that Americans donated over $4 billion to nonprofits on Giving Tuesday, an increase from the $3.6 billion they gave in 2024, an increase of 8.1% when adjusted for inflation. In addition, 11.1 million people in the United States volunteered their time, up from 9.2 million last year.

According to a report from PayPal Newsroom, New York City maintained its lead as the most charitable hub, supporting more than 5,200 charities on Giving Tuesday. Houston saw the strongest growth in both donor volume and dollars donated. Washington, DC recorded the highest median donation at $52.77 while Los Angeles donors contributed nearly $1.5 million to over 2,000 charities.

The Changing Landscape

Whether attributed to more sophisticated promotions such as Giving Tuesday or online platforms such as GoFundMe, it’s clear that charitable giving in the United States, and many countries around the world, is growing and sustainable. While older generations are giving generously and younger generations are volunteering their time, a global movement in support of charities and nonprofit organizations is undeniable.

“The way people give is changing, and younger generations are leading that shift. Millennials and Gen Z aren’t just giving – they’re taking action. On GoFundMe, we see this every day across our community of more than 200 million,” stated Richardson in an email interview. “Gen Z is ten times more likely than Boomers to share their donations on social media, and nearly half believe that doing so inspires others to act. Younger generations are also quick to respond with generosity in moments of crisis and are more willing to trust influencers to give on their behalf. What’s clear is that this generation wants philanthropy to be participatory, social, and action-driven – and we’re building the technology that helps nonprofits connect with this dynamic, deeply engaged audience.”

2026 brings with it a variety of existential challenges for companies and nonprofit organizations, and recent federal government actions promise to change institutional policies and practices that many business and nonprofit leaders have embraced for years.

Here are a few trends in corporate social responsibility and philanthropy that are worth tracking in the new year. Some of these trends are not new – they are really multi-year trends -- but 2026 will see them accelerating in the current political landscape.

More inclusion and belonging and less diversity and equity. While many companies and nonprofit institutions will continue to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs as a competitive advantage or business necessity, others will follow the lead of companies such as Target, Meta, and John Deere, and universities such as Ohio State University, University of Texas, and University of Pennsylvania, in de-emphasizing or discontinuing these efforts, which some consider too “woke.” Watch for business and nonprofit leaders to talk more about the importance of “belonging” to their teams, families, and enterprises, or as Walmart puts it, “everyone included.”

More sustainability and less ESG. While climate change and natural disasters will continue to be managed as potential existential risks for many businesses and nonprofit organizations, the Trump administration has succeeded at turning the concept of ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) into a four-letter word effectively diminishing its once growing impact. However, many nonprofit organizations – particularly universities – have increased their attention to policies and practices -- such as recycling, waste management, alternative energy sources, and water conservation – that limit their negative impact on the environment. Expect to see companies and nonprofits use different language to explain why managing environmental and natural risks is critical to not only their own business and community interests but the security of their people in areas that are prone to natural disasters and the effects of climate change.

More silence from leaders and less employee activism. While the rise of corporate and nonprofit leaders speaking out on social issues reached a peak during the first Trump administration as employees demanded that their leaders fight against conservative attacks on programs and priorities that they supported, this kind of leader activism has been mostly muted in the past year, and it’s possible that employees now want it that way. According to research by The Conference Board, corporate neutrality on social issues may boost employee’s sense of alignment with the business. With many business and nonprofit leaders working to gain favor with the new administration, and with many important senior government jobs going to former corporate leaders, progressive corporate positions on matters of public policy will be largely silenced, and efforts to allow employees to speak their minds freely will be channeled into internal online forums.

More tax rules and less philanthropy from companies. The impact of changes incorporated into the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (or HR 1) will be felt by corporations in 2026 potentially resulting in fewer grants to nonprofit organizations. Corporations are now facing limits on their ability to deduct contributions from their taxable income (i.e., a corporation’s charitable contributions are deductible only to the extent that they exceed 1% of taxable income). The Council on Foundations estimates that this change will result in an annual reduction in corporate charitable giving of $4.5 billion. In addition, many companies had already cut back on supporting traditional charities such as higher education, arts and culture, and national humanitarian organizations in favor of assisting social justice programs and health-related organizations during and immediately after the pandemic. Expect to see fewer corporate philanthropic initiatives and more corporate sponsorship efforts geared toward small businesses, entertainment venues, athletic teams, and commercial enterprises where products and services can be displayed and promoted.

More employee volunteering and less remote work. As companies like AT&T and Amazon require their employees to be in the office four or five days a week, this change will encourage companies to engage employees in volunteer efforts that have lagged since the pandemic. With many employees working remotely in different locations, traditional in-person volunteering took a back seat to online consulting and technical assistance programs like Taproot+ and Catchafire where employees could assist nonprofits and small businesses from the comfort of their homes. But with more employees working in offices and customer service centers, there is a renewed interest in finding ways of rebuilding teams and engaging employees in the communities surrounding their facilities.

Of course, many companies and nonprofits will stay the course and continue DEI, HR, and CSR efforts that represent decades-long commitments, but others will find new approaches and new language to deal with different political realities and government leaders. Long-term results from this ongoing retrenchment are unknown, but the trends are clear, and the paths forward will continue to be challenging for unwary or unprepared corporate, foundation, and nonprofit leaders.

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I’ve spent my career leading corporate responsibility and philanthropy at two major companies (American Express and AT&T), managing nonprofit organizations, serving on numerous boards (e.g., Independent Sector, Taproot Foundation, Americans for the Arts), teaching nonprofit management at three universities (NYU, Johns Hopkins, Brooklyn College), and consulting with several companies and nonprofit organizations.

Here I will share my insights on the current state of giving, trends in CSR, and profiles of leaders who are making a difference.

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