Trends in Philanthropy 2026: What We Expect to See in Charitable Giving
Philanthropy has been around for millennia, the value of helping others a cornerstone of humanity. Yet, while the fundamentals of charitable giving stay the same, the details are always shifting and evolving. How people see and understand charitable giving, where people are drawn to give, the vehicles and strategies they use – these factors change over time.
We’ve been paying attention to the trend data in our area and across the nation, and we think we’ll be seeing more of these three philanthropic trends in 2026. These trends might inspire you in your giving this year, and Central Florida Foundation is here to help you make your charitable goals a reality.
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3 Philanthropic Trends We Expect to See in 2026
#1: Donor-advised funds are on the rise.
This charitable giving vehicle is growing – and for good reason.
Fact: Growth in giving from DAFs is outpacing growth in overall charitable giving. (Source: National Philanthropic Trust, 2024 Donor-Advised Fund Report)
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) offer a simple, flexible giving tool that streamlines giving. These funds are easy to establish and allow the donor to remain an “advisor” on the fund to recommend grants. This is ideal for donors who give to multiple organizations, as recommending grants is as easy as a few clicks. No more multiple check writing, and all the administrative burden is on the DAF sponsor (the organization holding the Fund).
Think of a DAF as a charitable checking account. You add money, receive an immediate tax deduction, and then get to decide where those philanthropic dollars go over time through grant recommendations.
The DAF space has become overcrowded – seemingly every financial institution offers this giving vehicle. So why partner with Central Florida Foundation, a local community foundation?
You’ll know our team members by name, and we’ll know yours.
We think you’re important, and it’ll show. We get to know you, your goals, and your values. We build relationships with our donors, which is often not the case with large financial institutions.
We’ll help you get connected to local causes and nonprofits that match your interests.
We’re deeply connected to the Central Florida community. We have relationships with hundreds of local nonprofits, we know what efforts are taking place in the community, and we know what our most pressing issues are. We also offer our Nonprofit Search platform to the community – for free.
The fees you pay go to fuel more community work – so your fund has two-fold the impact.
Unlike large financial institutions, your fund fees support the community work of CFF. We specialize in looking at root-cause, systems-level issues and finding innovative solutions to these problems. Your fees also support our work in supporting female philanthropy, women and children’s issues, social entrepreneurship, cross-sector collaborative projects, bolstering local journalism, and more.
Interested in opening up a fund? Fill out this form, or give Steven Jerina a call at 407-872-3050 or by email at sjerina@cffound.org.
#2: Community-centered giving is increasing.
Apathy towards giving far from home has grown.
Fact: Over 70% of Americans say they trust local institutions more than national ones, including nonprofits, local foundations, and community organizations. (Source: Edelman Trust Barometer, 2024)
The result is that donors are looking to find ways to make a difference locally. This allows charitable givers to be closer to their charitable investments, develop relationships with the organizations they support, and see visible change in their community.
We are community experts. As mentioned above, CFF is in the community, building trusting relationships with nonprofits, sitting at solutions-focused tables, studying models that have potential, and gathering national and local data to help inform how we show up for our community.
A free community tool: Nonprofit Search
Nonprofit Search is a database of reviewed local nonprofit profiles. Organizations submit documentation and information, and our team verifies their 501c3 status and ensures they have submitted all data in order to have a public profile, which is updated annually.
Donors use this tool to learn more about local organizations working in spaces that matter to them. You can view an organization’s mission, programs, financials, board and staff, and more in each profile. Plus, get direct links to the organization’s website, social media channels, best contact information, and direct donation link.
#3: An increased focus on resilience and sustainability.
Many philanthropists share with us their desire to help during the federal funding cuts in 2025, especially during the SNAP cuts. As a community foundation, we found that both donors and nonprofits were largely panicked and unsettled by the sudden changes. Donors wanted to know how to help and nonprofits were desperate to keep their doors open. One way philanthropy can help during times of uncertainty is to focus on supporting community resiliency and sustainability.
Fact: Over 60% of nonprofits report that government funding is flat or declining, while demand for services continues to rise. (Source: Nonprofit Finance Fund, State of the Sector Survey)
Donors increasingly see that investing in the resiliency and sustainability of nonprofits is critical. Resiliency and sustainability mean that, when changes happen out of their control, our community is able to adjust, pivot, and continue to function.
We help to strengthen the nonprofit community by strengthening charitable giving in our region. We offer educational opportunities for our fundholders and community members to learn more about root-cause thinking, stronger giving decisions, and ways philanthropy can support nonprofit resiliency.
- Thrive Venture Philanthropy Cohort: A small group of locals who contribute to a collective grant and take part in the grant selection process. The cohort commitment is 3-4 months long. Together, the cohort learns about root-cause thinking, works through CFF’s grantmaking process, and invests their collective grant in the community.
- First You Talk: CFF’s podcast focused on tackling complex issues in our community so that listeners feel better informed, more empathetic, and ready to be part of the solution.
- Philanthropic Services: We offer philanthropic consulting for individuals, families, private foundations, and organizations that foster strong giving decisions with high-impact, community-centered charitable investment strategies. Contact Steve Jerina to learn more.
Trends in Philanthropy 2026: The Takeaway
These philanthropic trends are expected to grow in 2026, but we also know each and every philanthropist is unique. Do you have charitable giving goals or interests you’re looking to achieve this year? We’d like to help you get there and make 2026 your most impactful giving year yet.
Vice President of Philanthropic Strategies and Partnerships
407-872-3050 sjerina@cffound.org
