In 2025, shifts in the political landscape left many of our nonprofit partners uncertain about program funding and forced them to rethink how they described their work under new restrictions on DEI-related language.
Our own studio has faced challenges as one of the few creative tech firms (0.1%) that are women of color founded and led. While we lead with our work and expertise first, our diverse perspectives have always been a differentiator in how we naturally connect with our work and our clients. Overnight our minority-owned business certifications and related programs disappeared from governments to corporations.
The nonprofits and companies that are navigating this moment successfully aren’t the ones trying to bend to every political or cultural shift. They’re the ones doubling down on what endures: clear communication, donor engagement rooted in impact, and marketing strategies that keep people at the center. 
So what are the top nonprofit trends in 2025 that leaders and marketers should prepare for? Nonprofits today will continue to beat the headwinds if you stay transparent, adapt digitally, and focus on long-term impact with personable storytelling.
Here are the top nonprofit trends for 2025–2026 and the steps nonprofit leaders can take to stay ahead of changing landscapes.
Nonprofit Trends 2025: What CEOs and Marketing Leaders Need to Know
The nonprofit landscape has been reshaped by recent political decisions, including the removal of DEI language in government funding contexts. Organizations are being forced to adjust their messaging without losing the integrity of their values. Organizations with history know that terminology shifts with each administration, but authentic values and more importantly, tangible impact, endure.
This has made transparency non-negotiable. Today, 75% of donors look for concrete information about a nonprofit’s achievements before giving (nptechforgood). Donors want to see proof that their dollars make a measurable difference.
⚡️ Our Tip: Communicate results often, even if the story is imperfect. Transparency builds trust and long-term loyalty.
What are the best nonprofit fundraising strategies for 2026?
Marketing leaders know that attention is fragmented, but some strategies continue to outperform. Email remains king with nearly 48% of donors preferring it over social media, text, or phone for updates, and 33% say it’s the channel most likely to inspire them to give (bloomerang).
Social channels help with visibility, but email is where giving decisions are made.
⚡️ Our Tip: Invest in consistent and compelling email marketing. Segment your list, personalize messages, and center every appeal on impact. UX Tip: make sure it is easy and seamless for your donors and supporters to take action on giving (1-2 step).
Donor Engagement: Building Trust Through Transparency and Storytelling
Donor retention rates are low across the sector, under 50% by some benchmarks. The fix isn’t another quick campaign. It’s sustained trust-building.
Organizations that keep donors engaged year-round — through quarterly updates, thank-you messages, and impact reports — create a sense of partnership rather than a one time transaction. We are all susceptible to remembering what is top of mind.
Video is a powerful tool here. Video content generates 1,200% more shares than text and images combined, and 89% of viewers say video convinced them to take action (vidico). Whether embedded in emails, microsites, or donor thank-you notes, short and authentic videos drive connection.
⚡️ Our Tip: Use video to show donors the real impact of their giving. Keep it short, real, and human. If video editing feels like a hefty lift (because it can be), remember that you can always repurpose videos and social clips that your supporters or people on the fields have made. It’s not about perfectly curated and edited clips. It’s about authentic storytelling.
Nonprofit Fundraising in the Digital Era: Email, Video, and Microsites
Digital giving is steadily climbing. For smaller nonprofits, online donations now make up 13.4% of total revenue; for mid-size, 8.3%; and for large, 4.1% (nptechforgood).
The organizations adapting fastest are those making the digital donor journey frictionless: optimized giving pages, mobile-ready campaigns, and recurring donation options.
⚡️ Our Tip: Audit your donor funnel. Is your donation page easy to use? Is mobile giving seamless? Are you asking for recurring gifts? Can supporters find the donate call-to-action in 1 to 2 steps wherever they are on your website, email, or social accounts?
How can nonprofits use digital transformation to engage donors?
Nonprofit Digital Transformation: From Static Reports to Interactive Experiences
Annual reports are no longer just compliance documents. Leading nonprofits are turning them into interactive microsites — web-based reports with video, data visualization, and real stories. This is an engaging way to reimagine the yearly report that needs to go out anyway. By replacing static PDFs with microsites, nonprofits can guide supporters through a more interactive and engaging journey.
Microinteractions provide moments of emotional pull and response that static reports may be limited by.
Organizations like Feeding America and Girls Who Code use these microsites to highlight impact, thank supporters, and make the donor experience engaging and shareable.
⚡️ Our Tip: Reimagine your annual report as a marketing tool. A well-designed microsite can double as a fundraising asset and a trust-building platform. And plus, it’s much easier to share (copy and paste a link) versus a PDF download or a physical report which increases reach and brand awareness.
Thinking about reimagining your annual report as a microsite?
We’ve helped mission-driven organizations like One Million Degrees create digital reports that engage donors, increase reach, and build credibility.
True Value Outlasts Short-Term Trends
The next few years may bring more political and economic uncertainty. But we believe nonprofits that anchor in transparency, invest in digital, and tell their story with clarity will continue to grow, even in a turbulent landscape.
Start here:
- Invest in email marketing with segmentation and storytelling.
- Create microsite experiences that embed video and interactive content.
- Commit to transparent reporting that builds trust beyond trends.
At Oak Theory, we’ve seen firsthand how nonprofits navigating these shifts can unlock deeper donor loyalty and long-term impact. True value always outlasts short-term trends.
As nonprofits navigate 2025–2026, the opportunity lies in making digital work harder for you through email, video, and microsite experiences that deepen donor engagement.
If you are a nonprofit organization looking to make a bigger impact through storytelling in 2026, reach out to us here.
