Since 2008, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations has tracked trends in effective grantmaking practices through its national field study. The 2025 National Study of Philanthropic Practice - the only survey about philanthropic practice sent to all staffed foundations in the U.S. - draws on responses from 765 grantmakers to highlight where philanthropy is making progress and where gaps remain. Among the study's key findings, more grantmakers are engaging in participatory grantmaking, a larger majority of funders are providing multiyear grant support, and nearly three quarters of grantmakers report that diversity, equity and inclusion are somewhat or very central to their organization's strategy.

CFLeads developed this resource in response to growing interest from community foundations across the country in community safety work and as a complement to our Gun Violence Prevention Network, now named Foundations for Community Safety. It draws from the lived experiences and lessons of Network participants and other community foundations advancing safety work in their own communities.

Based on survey responses from more than 400 nonprofit leaders and 200 foundation leaders from August to September 2025, this first look at the survey data offers a stark picture of the challenges facing nonprofits and philanthropy. With increasing demand for the services nonprofits provide clashing with a political climate that has had a notable negative impact on their ability to carry out their work, nonprofits are asking for additional support from their funders.

Each year, the Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Foundation Center analyze global disaster-related funding from foundations, FEMA, and other private donors. Philanthropic giving for disasters in this report is based on Candid data as of April 2025 and focuses on 2023. For that year, grantmakers provided $1.2 billion for disasters and humanitarian emergencies. The share of philanthropic giving for disasters as a proportion of overall giving in 2023 decreased by 0.5 percent compared to 2022. However, the long-term trend shows overall growth in disaster funding.

The Social Impact Playbook is a guide for addressing non-medical drivers of health and driving systems change. This guide derives from a pilot program aimed at addressing the social determinants of health in Robeson County, North Carolina, supported by the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation. The guide presents a replicable framework for approaching social impact initiatives, developed through work in Robeson County. While grounded in that specific experience, the framework is designed to be adaptable and applicable to a wide range of social impact efforts across North Carolina.

The biennial Bank of America Study of Philanthropy offers an in-depth look at the evolving philanthropic landscape among affluent households. The 2025 study is based on a nationally representative sample of 1,514 wealthy U.S. households - those with a net worth of more than $1 million (excluding the value of their primary home) and/or an annual household income of $200,000 or more. Looking at long-term trends, this latest study found that that total charitable contributions from affluent donors have surged more than 30 percent since 2015. In 2024, their giving was 10 times higher than the latest available levels for the general population. Yet participation in giving is narrowing: 81 percent of affluent households made charitable donations in 2024, down from 91 percent in 2015. By contrast, this year's report found that volunteering has been making a comeback, rising from 30 percent participation in 2020 to 43 percent in 2024.

Developed around the one-year anniversary since Hurricane Helene's landfall in Appalachia in fall 2024, AFN launched this interactive data tool aimed to make disaster giving easier. The platform is intended to help funders and other stakeholders visualize the need in the community, see the response to date, and identify where gaps may exist in between. Data points include federal disaster assistance, philanthropic commitments, food insecurity, and Census demographics. The dashboard also includes stories of disaster response and recovery, and offers links to helpful resources.

CECP's annual Giving in Numbers report provides data on both cash and non-cash corporate giving for the most recent year and provides both financial and operational benchmarks for corporate foundations and giving programs. The 2025 report reflects on the past 20 years while also looking ahead to the future of corporate purpose. It includes a retrospective on key trends dating back to the first edition and presents the latest insights on total community investments, employee engagement, operations, and measurement practices. New spotlights highlight how companies are reflecting on their own journeys and innovating for the future.

This first-of-its kind report looks into the behaviors, attitudes and preferences of second-home-owners. Through in-depth research, surveys, and dozens of conversations with second-home-owners as well as leaders and experts in philanthropy, the report offers a roadmap for nonprofits engaging new donors and building meaningful support. The study found that while locations may change, donors tend to maintain the same giving priorities between domiciles. Newer second-home-owners seek connection to their community and are often looking for trusted individuals to help guide their giving. Additionally, nonprofits seeking to connect with second-home-owners should take a patient approach while sharing their story and getting to know prospective donors' giving priorities.

In late January 2025, nonprofits nationwide began receiving notices of federal government funding cancellations and freezes. At the same time, federal agencies initiated reductions in force and offered buyouts to career staff, including program officers overseeing nonprofit grants and other awards. Using data from the 2025 National Survey of Nonprofit Trends and Impacts, this report offers an initial assessment of the scope and implications of these disruptions for nonprofits that deliver services or conduct programs. The report finds that a third of nonprofits reported experiencing federal, state, or local government funding disruptions, and these nonprofits were more likely to report reductions to staff, programming, and future hiring.