Report: Nonprofit Fundraising Growth Tied to Organizational Capacity

As nonprofits plan for the next phase of fundraising, recent performance data reveals a widening gap in which nonprofits are positioned to grow. While some organizations reported meaningful gains, others struggled to maintain momentum — underscoring persistent differences tied to organizational size and internal capacity.

The newly released data found that about 60% of nonprofit professionals surveyed reported raising more in 2024 than they did the year prior. However, these gains were primarily concentrated among midsize and large organizations, while smaller nonprofits were more likely to see flat or declining revenue.

With an eye toward helping nonprofits strengthen their fundraising strategies in 2026, NonProfit PRO has released its “2025 Nonprofit Fundraising Study” — sponsored by Virtuous, and powered by NAPCO Research. Now in its second year, the report draws on responses from the same group of nonprofit leaders who contributed to the “2025 Nonprofit Leadership Impact Study” released earlier this year. Together, the findings show how internal staffing and strategy shape fundraising outcomes.

The study examines fundraising performance in 2024 across several critical areas, including donor acquisition and retention; year-end giving trends; and the growing role of digital fundraising.

Here are some of the standout findings from the survey, which was conducted from Feb. 20 to March 7.

Retention Remains Vulnerable 

While many nonprofits estimate retaining a majority of donors annually, organizations reporting retention challenges are far more likely to cite staffing instability, ineffective fundraising and weak planning. This suggest that retention outcomes are closely tied to organizational capacity and strategy — not donor behavior alone..

Digital Fundraising Adoption Skews Toward Large Nonprofits

According to the report, about 20% of nonprofits raise at least half of their revenue online. Despite this growth, smaller organizations still tend to report raising little to no money through digital channels.

Roughly one in five nonprofits said they raised at least half of their 2024 revenue via digital channels, though 11% still report no online fundraising. | Credit: "2025 Nonprofit Fundraising Study" by NonProfit PRO

Year-End Performance Linked To GivingTuesday Participation

GivingTuesday participation continues to decline, but the shift reflects a changing strategy rather than disengagement. More than a third of nonprofits opted out in 2024, yet organizations that participated were far more likely to report stable year-end revenue. At the same time, many nonprofits are moving away from reliance on a single giving day in favor of year-round engagement.

Download our “2025 Nonprofit Fundraising Study” for free to obtain more findings and insights from the second annual report.