Greetings from the community foundation!
At the community foundation, we’re honored to partner with nonprofit organizations that are making a difference every day. We know that your work is both inspiring and challenging—especially as donor behavior evolves, economic conditions shift, and new tax laws begin to influence how and when people give.
This month, we’re focusing on what this moment means for your organization. Donors are paying attention in new ways, and with the right approach, this can be a powerful opportunity to strengthen relationships, refine your messaging, and build long-term support for your mission.
“Say what? The tax laws changed?”
Many donors are only now beginning to understand how recent tax law changes affect their giving. Let’s explore why donor behavior may feel unpredictable—and how you can stay proactive by communicating clearly, staying engaged, and helping donors navigate their options.
Are your messages out of date?
As tax incentives shift, traditional fundraising messages may no longer resonate the way they once did. Now is the time to refine your communications—focusing on impact, tailoring your message to different audiences, and adapting to changing donor preferences.
Big things can happen: Don’t give up on corporate donors!
Corporate giving may be evolving, but it is far from disappearing. The community foundation is happy to offer tips for maintaining strong relationships with corporate leaders and staying engaged to unlock meaningful opportunities, even in a changing environment.
Thank you for all you do! We are grateful for our partnership!
—Your community foundation
THIS MONTH’S
FEATURED ARTICLES
“Say what? The tax laws changed?”
If it feels like donor behavior has been a bit unpredictable lately, you’re not imagining it.
For many nonprofits, the past year has brought a mix of signals—continued generosity in some areas, hesitation in others, and a growing sense that something is shifting. Part of that shift is economic. But part of it is something more subtle: many donors are just now waking up to changes in the tax landscape that have been developing for some time.
Indeed, tax law changes have altered the incentives that once played a larger role in charitable giving. While attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors have been tracking these developments closely, many donors are only now beginning to connect the dots—often after going through the recent tax season and seeing the impact firsthand.
For nonprofits, this creates both a challenge and an opportunity.
The challenge is that some donors may pause. When people feel uncertain—about their financial situation, the economy, or how tax rules affect their giving—they tend to slow down and reassess. This can show up as smaller gifts, delayed decisions, or shifts away from larger commitments. In some cases, donors who previously relied on tax incentives may reconsider how much or how often they give.
But the opportunity is just as important. Moments like this create a natural opening for conversation. As the months pass by, donors are paying more attention. They’re asking questions. And they’re more open than usual to thinking strategically about how their giving fits into their overall financial picture.
This is where you can take action. Keep these points in mind:
—First, it’s important to recognize that not all donors are reacting in the same way. Some may be pulling back, while others are leaning in—especially those focused on long-term impact or who see increased community needs during uncertain times. The key is to stay engaged across your entire donor base, rather than assuming a single trend applies to everyone.
—Second, communication matters more than ever. If donors are just now becoming aware of how tax changes affect their giving, they may be looking for guidance—even if they don’t say it directly. While nonprofits should never provide tax advice, you can play an important role by helping donors understand that options are available and encouraging them to talk with their tax advisors. Simple reminders—such as opportunities with gifts of appreciated assets or Qualified Charitable Distributions—can prompt donors to have conversations with their advisors and keep charitable giving on track to support your organization.
—Third, this is a moment to emphasize purpose over mechanics. Tax incentives may influence timing, but they are rarely the primary reason people give. Donors give because they care about outcomes, about people, and about the future of their communities. When uncertainty increases, returning to that core message—your mission, your impact, and the difference donors make—can help anchor relationships and maintain momentum.
At the same time, it’s important to make giving as easy and flexible as possible. For example, some donors may want to bunch gifts, give through different vehicles, or adjust the timing of their contributions. Others may shift toward more strategic approaches, such as using donor-advised funds or making multi-year commitments. Nonprofits that are prepared for this flexibility—and that communicate clearly about how to give—will be better positioned to retain and grow support. In this area in particular, the community foundation can help. Here’s how:
—We will continue to keep you informed of charitable giving trends and tax law developments that may impact the way donors work with you.
—We’ll continue to encourage you to share these updates with your donors.
—We’ll encourage you to become a broken record! You may be tired of hearing about tax law changes, but your donors will appreciate the repetition. They are not always paying attention, and when they do, they will be grateful for your efforts to keep them informed and engaged.
Let’s connect soon! We appreciate the opportunity to work with so many nonprofit organizations that are improving the quality of life in our community every single day. Thank you for your partnership.
Are your messages out of date?
If your organization’s donor communications feel a little “routine,” you’re not alone. For years, many nonprofits relied on familiar messaging—especially around tax benefits—to encourage giving. But in 2026, the landscape has changed, and with it, the way your donors are likely to respond.
Recent analysis highlights a clear shift: changes in tax law are reshaping incentives for giving and challenging traditional fundraising approaches. The implication for nonprofits is straightforward but important—continuing to rely on the same messaging may not be enough to sustain donor engagement.
For decades, year-end appeals often centered on a simple idea: “Make your tax-deductible gift before December 31.” That approach worked when tax incentives were a primary driver for many donors. Today, those incentives have changed, and donor behavior is evolving along with them. Specifically, it’s not too early to start rethinking your year-end campaign strategy. Indeed, it’s essential.
So what does that look like in practice? Here are three observations:
Year-long campaigns, not just year-end
Changes in the law mean you ought to consider shifting from solely tax-centered messaging to tax-centered and impact-centered storytelling. Donors still care deeply about making a difference, but they increasingly want to understand how their contributions translate into real outcomes. What changed because of their gift? Who was helped? What progress was made? Clear, compelling answers to these questions build confidence and deepen engagement.
Tax planning is not one-size-fits-all
It’s important to recognize that not all donors are motivated in the same way by charitable tax deductions. The new tax environment affects different groups in different ways. Some donors may give less because incentives have weakened, while others—especially those newly eligible for smaller, “above-the-line” deductions—may be encouraged to give for the first time or increase their participation. Nonprofits that tailor their messaging to different audiences, rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, can expand their reach and build a more resilient donor base.
Methods of giving are changing
It’s time to pay closer attention to how donors are actually giving. Donor-advised funds, for example, at the community foundation and through other sponsors, continue to play a significant and growing role in philanthropy. That means nonprofits need to make it easy for donors to recommend grants from donor-advised funds to their organizations, promptly acknowledge those gifts, and maintain strong relationships with the community foundation. Our team is here to do just that! Please reach out to learn more about how donor-advised funds work and how your donors are using them to support your organization and other favorite nonprofits.
The good news is that these changes, while challenging, also create opportunity. Organizations that refine their messaging now—making it clearer, more relevant, and more focused on impact—can strengthen relationships, attract new donors, and build long-term support. In many cases, this is less about saying more and more about saying the right things.
Please reach out anytime! The community foundation offers a range of insights and services to support your stewardship efforts, including supporting your planned and legacy giving strategies. We look forward to hearing from you!
Big things can happen: Don’t give up on corporate donors
You work in the nonprofit sector, and so you’ve likely heard (and felt!) the concern: will changes in the tax landscape—and broader economic uncertainty—cause companies to pull back on charitable giving?
It’s a fair question. Corporate leaders are navigating shifting conditions, from tax law changes to market pressures, and in some cases, companies are reevaluating how and where they give. Headlines about reductions or restructuring in corporate philanthropy can add to the uncertainty.
But here’s the important takeaway: this is not the time to step back from corporate donors. In fact, it’s exactly the time to lean in.
Even as some companies adjust their formal giving programs, others are finding new ways to support communities—and often in significant ways. Case in point: Liberty Mutual Foundation announced a $600 million endowment to provide long-term, stable funding and increase its grantmaking beyond recent levels, offering nonprofits greater reliability and flexibility.
For nonprofits, it can be tempting to interpret changes in corporate giving as a signal to shift focus elsewhere. But doing so risks missing meaningful opportunities. Many corporate leaders continue to prioritize community investment, even if the structure looks different from what it did in the past. In some cases, large-scale gifts are still happening—just in ways that are more targeted, more strategic, or more closely tied to a company’s mission and values.
Indeed, corporate philanthropy is not disappearing; it’s evolving. Behind every corporate gift decision is a group of individuals—executives, board members, and employees—who still care deeply about making a difference. That’s why relationships matter more than ever. Remember, your organization’s relationships aren’t with the companies themselves; they’re with the people who work at those companies. Everything else flows from there.
Here’s how to take action now:
Expand your stewardship list.
Review your donor cultivation lists and make sure you’ve included not only each company generically, but also specific individuals who work at those companies. Corporate leaders and other employees involved must be on the stewardship list.
Think beyond the “corporate hat.”
Executives and employees are individuals, too! They wear many hats, including personal commitments to charitable causes. They’re likely involved in giving through multiple channels, including donor-advised funds, family foundations, or personal philanthropy. A strong relationship with a corporate leader often can extend beyond the company itself, creating multiple avenues for support over time.
Think outside the box.
Now is not the time to get stuck in the past. The corporate engagement tools that got you where you are today are not the same tools that will get you where you need to go. Corporate donors will likely be looking for different types of partnerships than they did before. This could include supporting specific initiatives tied to measurable outcomes, engaging employees through volunteerism or matching gift programs, aligning charitable investments with business priorities, and exploring multi-year commitments that provide stability and impact.
As you build your organization’s endowment or reserve fund at the community foundation, our team is happy to serve as a sounding board, especially to help you and your colleagues stay focused on impact. If you’ve not yet established your organization’s endowment or reserve fund at the community foundation, let’s talk! Many organizations find our services to be extremely helpful, ranging from investments to assistance with complex gifts and much more.
Even in times of change, the need for strong nonprofit organizations—and the work they do—does not diminish. Corporate donors understand this. Many are looking for trusted partners who can deliver meaningful results and help them make a difference in the communities where they operate.
The bottom line? Don’t rule out a strong corporate fundraising program! Instead, continue building relationships, stay engaged, and share stories of impact. Even in a changing landscape, big things can still happen—and often do—when the right connections are in place.
This newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, accounting, or financial planning advice.