Raise $$$ for your organization! Major Gift Campaigns in 2026
- Craig Clemons
- Oct 1
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 18
GOOD NEWS!
This year, we anticipate charitable giving to be up by 5-10% and your nonprofit, ministry, or educational institution should be considering a MAJOR GIFT campaign in 2026.
The Giving USA 2025 report shows that total charitable giving in the United States was up 6.3% and reached nearly $600 billion in 2025. Charitable giving is outpacing inflation.
In its 70th year, Giving USA is the most widely cited annual report and one of the most trusted resources in Development/Giving. The report tracks giving from individuals, foundations, bequests, and corporations and provides insights across nine nonprofit subsectors. And while the headline is encouraging (i.e. Donors gave more), nonprofits still struggle with designing, launching and managing successful major gift campaigns in the six to eight figure range.
LOOKING FORWARD: IS 2026 YOUR YEAR?
Yes. There are some fears, trepidations and unknowns. And a few organizations have experienced funding cuts, increased demand for services, and/or a mini wave of staff reductions.
At the same time, strong economic performance in 2024-2025 may suggest it’s time for you and your team to engage in campaign planning. According to research and reports, donors are capable (and willing) of making significant commitments to their favorite charitable organizations in 2026 and beyond.
Consider also that Clemons-Associates nearly always recommends a 3-5 year ‘giving window’ within a major gift campaign. In other words, if a donor is inspired to make a $1M gift, they can pledge a multi-year commitment and take $200,000 as a charitable gift deduction in five consecutive years. Your donor is ‘smoothing out’ tax deductions amidst market volatility…and you’re booking pledged gifts and ensuring your system helps handle reminders, ‘invoices’ and the charitable gift receipt(s).
YOU WILL WANT SOME LEAD GIVERS AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID
According to The Giving USA report, most of the gains in total dollars have come from wealthier donors (thus, the small to mid-tier donor segment is slightly shrinking).
This dynamic could have implications for major gift campaigns. Major lead gifts are not just important — they are essential. Campaigns are built on leadership gifts, often from a small number of individuals. But when those gifts come from an even narrower group, the risk of a short-sided campaign increases. If one or two prospects delay, reduce, or redirect their giving, a campaign launch can be thwarted and/or lose momentum. This emphasizes the importance of your Board, your team and your external consultant designing a brilliant campaign to incredibly strong case for support!
MAJOR GIFT CAMPAIGNS SHOULD NOT WAIT
If you, your team and Board is waiting on the perfect storm to design, launch and manage a campaign, you might re-think your position.
The top tier of donors is still giving, and in some cases, giving more. Many of them benefited from market gains in 2024-2025 and are in a strong position to support capital or endowment priorities/look to reduce their tax burden through philanthropic giving.
Campaigns should acknowledge these motivations and include clear ways for donors to become educated, inspired and engaged in giving opportunities.
WHAT CAMPAIGN LEADERS SHOULD DO NOW
1. Move forward when you are ready. Waiting for a better time can result in missed opportunities. Wealth is increasingly concentrated [over the last 25 years, Clemons-Associates has observed the 80/20 rule is moving toward a 90/10 model], and many of those with capacity are actively giving. If your organization has a clear and compelling case for support and a list of strong prospects, it is better to engage now than to postpone based on external signals.
2. Keep the focus on major gifts. The structure of a capital or endowment campaign relies on a handful of large commitments. That has not changed. The data supports continued engagement with high-capacity donors who are well positioned to give in 2026.
3. Pay attention to broader donor sentiment. While major gifts carry the weight, middle and lower-level donors are still watching. Many are ready to contribute when they see urgency, transparency, and action. Make sure your messaging speaks to those elements — especially in the public phase — even if their financial impact on the campaign is modest.
4. Focus on campaign case, storytelling and donor cultivation/solicitation within a specific giving segment. As 2024-2025 philanthropic dollars crossed the $600 billion mark, pay attention to who is giving. For example, Family Foundations have more than doubled since the mid-1980s. And relative Program Directors are helping Foundation Leaders give away funds via grants, gifts and multi-year pledges. And don’t forget that corporations often seek public recognition for their generous sponsorships to worthy charitable causes. The lines can be blurred with respect to corporate citizenship, philanthropy and public relations…with your organization being the beneficiary.
Focus on campaign case, storytelling and donor cultivation/solicitation for a well-profiled giver. Since the mid-1980s, religion is down by more than 50% (in-person church attendance is on the decline and the dynamic of ‘passing the plate each Sunday’ has changed dramatically). Conversely, Human Services has doubled from this same period. Pay attention to what factors move donors in each segment and identify which sector(s) your organization participates. Many organizations have programming/projects which overlap in several areas.
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR CAMPAIGN SUCCESS IN 2026
The Giving USA numbers show that giving remains strong when the economy supports it. But campaign leaders should not assume that national trends reflect their local reality. What matters most is donor alignment with your mission, clarity in your messaging, and momentum in your outreach. You also have to consider your Board’s leadership qualities, capacity and market influence with respect to private, corporate/tribe and foundation giving.
There may never be a perfect moment to launch a campaign. But for many organizations, 2026 is still a good time to act. The conditions may be more uncertain than last year, but the opportunity to raise significant funds is still present. Campaigns that move forward with confidence, clarity and an outside consultant have every reason to succeed — and the Clemons-Associates team is seeing clients, from Texas to South Korea, raise more money than they ever imagined.
If you are considering a major gift campaign in 2026, the Clemons-Associates is happy to ‘talk turkey’ with you relative to your needs, objectives, SWOT analysis, strategic planning, campaign opportunities and potential next steps at no cost. The Clemons-Associates team has assembled/is sharing key links, articles, blogs
which can help you navigate planned next steps relative to a mission-critical campaign. Areas include Board prep, pre-campaign planning, design and development, execution and donor stewardship/celebration.
8 Deliverables of the Campaign ConsultantWhat NOT to expect from a Campaign
ConsultantTracking & Reporting in a Major Gift CampaignDesigning your Case for Support
Pictured: Craig Clemons with his close friend; the late Philanthropist and President/Founder/Board Chairman of Express Employment Professionals, Bob Funk, Sr.
Seeking expert assistance from seasoned professionals?
Contact Craig Clemons at craig@clemons-associates.com or one of our rock star associates for more details. Clemons & Associates is on standby to help you with brand identity, strategic messaging, campaigns, digital assets and programs/projects.
