5 Nonprofit Trends to Help Your Organization Thrive in 2025
The new presidential administration has already begun to wreak havoc on nonprofit budgets and missions. With nonprofits fearing the full impact federal policies will have on their budgets as they continue to face fewer donors giving to their organizations, NonProfit PRO has created its annual compilation of trends for 2025.
We asked our readers to share their predictions (some are already becoming a reality) for the year ahead, and nonprofit professionals, consultants, technologists and educators have shared what they foresee to be the latest trends in the nonprofit sector. The list is broken down into six sections: big ideas; fundraising; technology and data analytics; donor engagement and behavior; leadership and board strategy; and mission awareness and impact.
Be sure to download the full “40 Nonprofit Trends for 2025” resource, but here’s your sneak peek at five of our trends for this year.
1. Social Cohesion
“In the aftermath of an election year marked by unprecedented division, the already-fragile relationship between service providers and the communities they serve is under even greater strain. This dynamic is particularly pronounced among those experiencing poverty — people who are inundated with politicized rhetoric while witnessing the dismantling of equity-focused systemic frameworks.
“Rebuilding social cohesion will be a critical focus in 2025. Organizations must prioritize meaningful engagement, moving beyond transactional engagement approaches to build authentic connections grounded in trust, empathy and mutual respect. This will require creative solutions — such as leveraging pro-social media initiatives (think YouTube’s Community Notes or Bluesky’s anti-toxicity tools) — which are designed to foster inclusivity and constructive dialogue. These emerging features offer a hopeful counterbalance to traditional social media, which often amplifies division and misinformation.
“By embracing innovative communication tools and doubling down on community-centered strategies, social good organizations can begin to repair frayed societal bonds and foster a renewed sense of shared purpose. Trust will become a cornerstone of sustainable impact, influencing everything from program design to donor relations.”
— Josh Jacobson, CEO at Next Stage Consulting
2. Surround Sound Communication With SMS
“Nonprofits will need to continue meeting their donors where they are in 2025, even if it means investing in the new wave of fundraising: SMS. Coming off of GivingTuesday and year-end giving season, many organizations learned if you aren’t connecting with your supporters where they’re spending most of their time, you may miss out on critical year-end revenue.
“Knowing how much we all live on our cellphones, SMS is set up to help boost your conversions, showing extremely high click-through rates and even driving stronger revenue results than email for some early-adopting organizations. If you’re looking for a new channel to diversify your digital strategy, leveraging SMS with content you’re already using on other channels can take your digital program to the next level and contribute to the surround sound communication you need to drive the strongest results.”
— Michelle Marquez, digital strategist at Streetlight Digital
3. Increased Need and Donor Support
“Within the Trump administration, we expect skepticism and worry that there are people abusing government human services programs, whether that be within women’s health or services for immigrants. This will likely result in some of these programs being defunded and putting a greater strain on nonprofits to fill the gap.
“In 2025, nonprofits need to engage donors with data and hard facts on their impact and how they are helping specific populations. As a result of government service cuts, we will likely see a wider pool of donors willing to support nonprofits, many of which will make smaller contributions that add up quickly.”
— Tristan Louis, CEO and president at Casebook
4. Board Members as Community Ambassadors
“With the continued trends by organizations toward focusing efforts on high-impact/high-value donors and participants, the role of boards in serving as the most visible ambassadors and as effective storytellers will become even more critical, especially in small and medium-sized organizations.
“Thanks to their standing in the community, these high-potential individuals are often the friends, colleagues, partners or neighbors of board members, and there is no one in a stronger position to help begin or strengthen their relationship with the mission. Organizations — now more than ever — will need to cultivate this skill, removing the fear of fundraising or opening doors, in order for their boards to effectively support their efforts.”
— Kate McGinn, CEO at The Bold Stripe
5. Online Prospect Research Tool Adoption
“In 2025, one of the most valuable technologies nonprofits should embrace is online prospect research tools. Maintaining clean, up-to-date donor data is crucial for building effective campaigns. Online prospect research tools allow nonprofits to deepen their understanding of supporters by providing access to detailed demographic, wealth and behavioral insights. This information helps organizations segment their audiences, personalize outreach and prioritize efforts where they’ll have the greatest impact.
“With online prospect research tools, nonprofits can identify potential donors, better understand existing supporters and ensure their data stays accurate over time. It’s about creating a stronger foundation for all your engagement efforts, whether through direct mail, digital campaigns or events.
“As we look ahead, technology like this will continue to reshape the way nonprofits connect with their supporters. Embracing these tools can help you stay ahead of the curve and make smarter, more informed decisions for your organization.”
— Jon McMahan, senior account director at AlumniFinder
To learn about the other trends our nonprofit experts shared, download NonProfit PRO’s free resource, “40 Nonprofit Trends for 2025.”
If you missed past iterations of NonProfit PRO’s “40 Nonprofit Trends,” you can still download them here:
