Raise More in 2025: Nonprofit Fundraising Trends, Tips, and Tools

As we embark on another year of impactful endeavors, let’s delve into the top ways you can increase your fundraising efforts in 2025. Fundraising is a pivotal part of your nonprofit’s ability to help change the world. Looking at the current state of fundraising, there are a few top trends and strategies to elevate your fundraising efforts that stand out among the crowd. Employing these latest trends and best practices can help you amplify your organization’s fundraising success! 

The current landscape of fundraising 

The fundraising landscape is constantly evolving, and that isn’t by chance. Fundraising has undergone a seismic transformation over the last decade. With technology and societal changes, organizations like yours must stay on top of the trends to meet donors’ shifting expectations. In 2025, there are new, unique challenges and opportunities in the fundraising landscape that require nonprofits like yours to take a strategic and dynamic approach to maximize your fundraising efforts. One trend that’s clear? Nonprofits that innovate and adjust their strategies are the ones that raise more funds and better support the communities they serve. 

Use these 10 tips to boost your fundraising in 2025: 

1. Analyze data with predictive Artificial Intelligence (AI)
2. Take advantage of hybrid events
3. Create clear policies for donor-advised funds
4. Apply for foundation grants
5. Customize your outreach for each generation
6. Promote recurring giving options
7. Acquire more mid-level donors with peer-to-peer fundraising
8. Create strong bonds with local community
9. Partner with social media influencers
10. Focus on sustainability efforts

1. Analyze data with predictive Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

AI is one trend that’s here to stay! Around 82% of nonprofits are already using AI. In the world of fundraising, artificial intelligence, or AI, is a game changer. With the right AI tools, you can analyze donor data, predict giving patterns, and provide personalized resources without breaking a sweat. There are a few different AI programs your organization can take advantage of including, but not limited to, ChatGPT, Jasper AI, and Google Gemini (formerly Bard)..

While you may be more familiar with generative AI tools, predictive AI tools are another useful option to analyze enormous datasets to identify donor patterns, predict future giving behaviors, and help refine your campaigns. In fact, around 15% of nonprofits are using AI for donor prospecting in 2023.

These tools often go beyond basic analytics, offering actionable insights that enable nonprofits to tailor their strategies to meet donor preferences. In a twelve month period, nonprofits using AI reported a 30% increase in fundraising revenue.

If your organization hasn’t explored AI tools yet, 2025 is the year to start. These tools are becoming more accessible, affordable, and a great option for any nonprofit’s toolkit. 

2. Take advantage of hybrid events 

After the pandemic, the world of fundraising events has been changed forever. With all the virtual events that happened, there are so many different options nonprofits can take advantage of to gather donors together. Hybrid events, blending in-person activities with virtual engagement, have secured their place as a go-to event type. According to Qgiv’s Sustainable Giving Report, 44% of organizations include some hybrid or virtual fundraising events. Why? Because hybrid events can reach a broader audience and provide the flexibility donors are now accustomed to. 

While 33% of donors prefer in-person fundraising events, 23% prefer virtual, making hybrid events the perfect compromise! Virtual components allow your supporters to participate from anywhere, offering more inclusive and accommodating options to show their love for your cause. Whether it’s a live-streamed speech, virtual silent auctions, or interactive Q&A sessions, hybrid events offer countless opportunities to engage donors both near and far. 

From walkathons to galas, hybrid events provide an inclusive experience while maintaining personalization. They also offer potential cost savings compared to entirely in-person events, allowing you to maximize their resources. 

3. Create clear policies for donor-advised funds

Over the last few years, donor-advised funds (DAFs) have gained prominence as a strategic fundraising avenue. And they are here to stay as a growing fundraising trend for 2025! With DAFs, your donors can contribute to your cause in a way that encourages long-term support while benefiting from tax deductions. DAFs provide a way for your donors to leave a legacy with your organization by contributing to a DAF account throughout their life or through a bequest in their will.  

With the rise in popularity of DAFs, your nonprofit should create clearly defined policies that outline how your organization accepts and processes DAF donations to foster trust and transparency among potential donors. Without clear guidelines, you risk losing access to this growing funding stream. 

DAFs aren’t going anywhere—make it seamless for donors to contribute to your cause and provide clear information about how these funds can be used. 

4. Apply for foundation grants 

Another revenue stream you should take advantage of in 2025 is foundation grants. Foundation grants continue to be a steady and lucrative resource for nonprofits. In fact, 92% of grantmaking entities are foundations. Foundations, both private and public, offer for grants a wide range of societal issues, from education and healthcare to environmental sustainability and social justice. 

Don’t just apply to large, well-known foundation grants! Foundations that gave under $1 million reported funding more of their grant requests than foundations that gave over $10 million. You can build relationships with foundation representatives to understand their priorities and decision-making processes and give your organization a better chance of writing a convincing grant proposal. 

By researching aligned foundations and applying strategically, nonprofits can significantly boost revenue. Foundation grants not only provide financial support but also validate your nonprofit’s efforts, attracting additional donors and partners to your mission.

5. Customize your outreach for each generation

One nonprofit trend that’s here to stay in 2025 is personalizing your outreach efforts for different generations. Each generation has unique preferences, and understanding these differences can significantly boost your fundraising appeals.The torch is slowly being passed to a new generation of donors! Over half of Generation Z has reached adulthood and more are on their way to entering the next stage of their life. Tapping into this demographic is going to be crucial for fundraising, and your organization will need innovative and tech-savvy approaches. Gen Z is known for their social media presence and constantly changing trends, and with over half of Gen Z willing to participate in a peer-to-peer fundraiser, you can use their social media skills to recruit even more donors! 

However, you can’t forget about your other generations of donors! Over 90% of Millennials, Gen X, Baby Boomers, and the Silent Generation have given in the past year. Ensure all your donors feel appreciated with customized outreach, but take advantage of strategies that can reach all generations to keep from overworking your team. A well-customized approach can foster meaningful connections and maximize donor engagement across the board. 

6. Promote recurring giving options

Another giving trend staying in 2025 is giving options! Giving, like technology, doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution. In 2025, your donors will be expecting flexibility when it comes to giving options. Diversifying your fundraising channels can help you reach more donors by making giving convenient for them. Some giving options your nonprofit can consider are: 

• Recurring giving 
• Digital wallets 
• Mobile donations 
• Matching gifts 
• Giving apps 
• Crowdfunding platforms 
• And more! 

Recurring donations are shaping up to be one of the best giving options for nonprofits to offer in 2025 and beyond. In fact, Monthly giving made up 28% of all online giving. With a subscription-based giving model, you can create a steady, predictable revenue stream while deepening your relationships with donors who value ease and continuity. By using a prompt for recurring giving, you can increase your recurring donations by 25%.

A donor who knows their small monthly gift can create significant change is much more likely to stay invested. Empower your supporters to choose their giving preferences and foster a sense of ownership and commitment to support your cause! 

7. Acquire more mid-level donors with peer-to-peer fundraising

Peer-to-peer fundraising has been a fundraising trend for years, and it’s not going anywhere! Don’t limit your peer-to-peer fundraising to a seasonal trend–make it a year-round strategy! Peer-to-peer fundraising is one of the most effective ways to recruit new donors. According to data pulled from Qgiv’s platform, peer-to-peer campaigns recruit an average of 300 new donors for nonprofits like yours, making it a great opportunity to acquire more mid-level donors.  

This fundraising method empowers your community of supporters to champion your cause and raise money on your behalf by reaching out to their personal networks. Around 39% of Americans have donated to a cause because of a request made by a friend or family member. Peer-to-peer fundraisers are great at providing new supporters with an emotional connection to your cause and a sense of urgency around donating, making their friends and family more likely to give. 

There are many types of peer-to-peer fundraisers, including: 

• Fitness challenges 
• Social media challenges 
• Network fundraisers 
• DIY fundraisers 
• Team-based games 
• And more! 

With the right fundraising tools and engagement strategies, peer-to-peer fundraising can become a cornerstone of your year-round fundraising efforts. 

8. Create strong bonds with local community

While having a global reach is great, don’t underestimate the value of connecting with your local community in 2025. By engaging with your donors close to home through events, partnerships, and initiatives, your nonprofit can build a foundation of trust and loyalty among local residents. These relationships can help you enhance your reputation while creating a network of passionate supporters who truly understand your mission. 

Here are some ideas to get connected with your community:

• Collaborate with local businesses for cause marketing campaigns that benefit both of you and highlight shared values. 
• Host events in community spaces like libraries, parks, or schools to encourage involvement and promote awareness. 
• Share local success stories that feature individuals or groups positively impacted by your nonprofit’s work. 
• Connect with other local nonprofits to host joint fundraising campaigns to bring your community together.

Engaging with your community brings your mission to life in a tangible way and fosters awareness that can extend far beyond your immediate region. A strong local presence can often serve as a launching pad for larger-scale initiatives.

9. Partner with social media influencers 

With the changing terrain of nonprofit marketing in 2025, amplifying your digital presence is a must. Social media continues to dominate modern fundraising and outreach strategies, offering a powerful way to connect with supporters. Social media has become a vital tool to engage with younger, tech-savvy audiences. By partnering with social media influencers, you can supercharge these efforts and give your campaigns both authenticity and wider exposure. There’s over 308 million social media users in the United States, and influencers have larger followings and reach than most nonprofits.  

You don’t need to worry about finding huge influencers to partner with—even smaller micro-influencers can help drastically expand your reach. Even having supporters share your organization on Facebook can boost fundraising, as Facebook Fundraisers result in an average of 4 gifts.  

To get started, identify smaller or local influencers whose values align with your nonprofit’s mission. They can share your story, create meaningful content, and help you reach audiences you might not otherwise access. Whether it’s a video series about your work or a live Q&A, these collaborations can amplify your message and grow your support base exponentially.

10. Focus on sustainability efforts 

One 2025 nonprofit trend that’s been growing in popularity over the years is sustainability. Sustainability is no longer just nice to have—it’s an essential part of gaining and maintaining donor support. With the economy constantly changing, sustainability efforts can help your organization continue your work, even if funding decreases. During times of economic uncertainty in the last three years, 44.2% of organizations have noticed a decrease in fundraising revenue.  

Donors increasingly look for nonprofits whose actions reflect their own values and continue to make change for years to come. No matter what your organization’s mission is, a focus on sustainability can help strengthen your nonprofit’s credibility and appeal. 

Highlighting your sustainability efforts in your campaigns not only demonstrates your commitment to a better future but also builds trust with supporters who value transparency. Sustainability is great for building relationships with donors for long-term success.

Let 2025 be the year your nonprofit shines in the marketing landscape, forging meaningful connections and making a lasting impact! 

Final thoughts 

In 2025, a strategic approach that takes advantage of the top trends will be key to fundraising success. Empower your nonprofit with cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions to make 2025 a year of remarkable impact for your cause. Effective fundraising is the first step to changing the world.  

Additional resources 

Looking for more ways to boost your fundraising in 2025? Check out these additional resources:

• How to Work Smarter, Not Harder with Fundraising Automation. Learn how you can automate some of your admin tasks and spend more time on changing the world! 
• Peer-to-Peer Fundraising: Top Tips to Revolutionize Giving. Use this guide to host a successful peer-to-peer fundraising campaign. 
• Strategies to Leverage Donor Advised Fund Philanthropy – FAQs. Have questions about DAFs? Check out this FAQ! 

Cheers to a year of amplifying good, and happy fundraising!