What is the state of nonprofits in 2026?
Strained. The Center for Effective Philanthropy reports that the share of nonprofits reporting a deficit rose to 39% in 2025, up from 22% in 2022, and the share of nonprofit CEOs calling their own burnout very much a concern jumped to 46% in 2026, up from just under 30% in 2025 (CEP, State of Nonprofits 2026).
- 39%
- of nonprofits reported a deficit in 2025, up from 22% in 2022 (CEP)
- 46%
- of nonprofit CEOs say burnout is very much a concern in 2026 (CEP)
For overstretched leaders, an outside publicist can take on media work that would otherwise fall on already busy staff.
Giving: growing, but with fewer donors
- $557.16B
- estimated U.S. charitable giving each year (Double the Donation)
- 67%
- of giving, over $374.40 billion, comes from individuals (Double the Donation)
- +4.3%
- estimated growth in dollars raised, Q1 2026 vs Q1 2025 (FEP)
- -0.8%
- estimated change in donor counts year over year (FEP)
The Fundraising Effectiveness Project notes growth slowed from 5.4% a year earlier, and that donor counts and dollars grew across Small, Midsize, Major and Supersize donors, with only Micro donors ($1 to $100) still declining (AFP and FEP). Double the Donation reports the average one-time gift rose to $121 from $115, and more than 9% of donors take part in workplace giving (Double the Donation).
Where audiences are
Nonprofit Tech for Good reports that Facebook has 3.07 billion monthly active users, 65% of whom visit daily, and that 93% of nonprofits use Facebook Pages, down from 96% in 2023 (Nonprofit Tech for Good). Social channels are crowded with nonprofits, which is one reason earned coverage in news outlets and podcasts can help a cause stand out.
What these numbers mean for cause PR
- Individuals give most of the money, so reaching individuals through trusted outlets matters.
- Donor counts are still slipping slightly, so finding new supporters is worth the effort.
- Leaders are stretched, so outside help with media can free up their time.
See how this plays out in fundraising PR in LA or the nonprofit PR Los Angeles guide.
Common questions
- Is earned media better than paid ads for a cause?
- They do different jobs. Paid ads guarantee placement and timing; earned media offers third-party credibility but no guarantee. Individuals gave over $374.40 billion, 67% of U.S. giving, according to Double the Donation, so reaching individuals through trusted coverage is one reason causes invest in PR.
- What is the difference between PR and advertising for a nonprofit?
- Advertising is paid space your organization controls; PR is earned coverage that an editor or producer chooses to run. Richard Branson, quoted on Susan von Seggern’s site, put it this way: a good PR story is infinitely more effective than a front page ad. PR cannot guarantee placement, but earned stories carry outside credibility.
- Can a small nonprofit afford a publicist?
- Often yes, if the scope is narrow. Because Susan von Seggern individualizes campaigns rather than selling fixed retainers, a small nonprofit can focus on one fundraiser, one launch or one partnership announcement. Lead service monitoring and targeted email servicing can also produce coverage without event or wire costs.
- What is hyper-local coverage and why does it matter for causes?
- Hyper-local coverage is news from neighborhood and community outlets that serve a specific area. Susan von Seggern lists it among the latest PR tactics she uses. For a cause, local readers are often the people most likely to attend a benefit, volunteer or give, so community outlets can matter as much as national ones.
- What if our nonprofit has no news right now?
- You can still earn coverage. Lead service monitoring matches your experts to journalists already asking for sources, and podcast pitching offers interview slots that do not depend on a launch. Susan von Seggern uses both, and her lead service work has produced placements in outlets including Good Housekeeping and the New York Times.