The 2026 Trust in Civil Society report showed that trust in nonprofits held study from 2025, fueled by the belief that nonprofits are making things better in America. Trust in philanthropy dipped slightly in 2026 and remains significantly lower than trust in nonprofits. The perceived independence of nonprofit organizations from profit motives drives stronger trust in their integrity and societal role compared to corporations. Over half of respondents believe nonprofits serve a unique role in driving community access to voter registration. Further involvement in election activities splits public opinion, but trust in nonprofit election activities has risen significantly from 2025.

Recent research has highlighted that the social sector is in a state of distress. Funding cuts and political pressure have resulted in financial instability for many nonprofits, leading to difficult choices around winding down programs, roles, and sometimes entire organizations. Data on nonprofit cuts or closures is notoriously hard to find. This post discusses Candid's steps to utilize artificial intelligence and other technologies to develop new and innovative methods of tracking nonprofit closures and job cuts.

Capital is the fuel that drives the operations and growth of an enterprise, whether it's structured as a for profit company or a nonprofit organization. But the capital markets that serve these enterprises differ significantly in how they invest - differences that often compromise the financial strength and resilience of the nonprofit sector. This publication outlines the challenges that nonprofits face when seeking funding from the capital markets that serve nonprofits and describes the role and value provided by providing "enterprise-level capital", or philanthropic equity, as a best practice. The Blueprint also offers a product design and program delivery structure for use by funders and investors ready to launch an initiative. It closes by calling for the creation of 21st century nonprofit capital markets where enterprise capital plays an essential role in ensuring that philanthropy rises to this challenge.

Each year, Candid surveys U.S. foundations to learn more about their recent grant payments, giving forecast, and grantmaking practices. Nearly half of respondents (44.3%) expected their foundation's giving to increase year-over-year in 2026, while another 46.9% expect it to remain about the same. Only 8.8% expected a decrease. Despite calls for foundations to increase giving in response to Federal funding changes, foundation payout rates in FYE 2025 overall did not meaningfully change from previous years for independent foundations and remained at 5 percent. Furthermore, when comparing self-reported payout rates over the last five years of survey data, the median has been locked at 5 percent. The average has fluctuated from 6.7% to 7.5%, with higher-outliers driving up rates. This lack of change has persisted despite external shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic, market swings, or high inflation.

This report offers an overview of foundation funding in support of LGTBQ communities and issues for calendar year 2024. The report documents 5,043 grants awarded by 445 funders for a total of $178.2 million in 2024, which represented a decline of 15 percent in terms of grant dollars. When adjusted for inflation, funding fell by 17 percent from 2023 to 2024. This means that for every $100 awarded by U.S. foundations in 2024, only 16 cents specifically supported LGBTQ communities, which was a decrease from 20 cents per $100 awarded in 2023.

The 2026 Kids COUNT Data Book tracks child well-being across the U.S., showing a mixed and uneven picture of child well-being across the country. Since 2019, seven of the 16 key indicators have improved, seven have worsened and two remain unchanged. It highlights persistent disparities and calls for continued investment and data-driven policies to ensure all children can thrive. The report ultimately emphasizes the need to prioritize children's needs and build a stronger future for all by addressing critical issues like economic well-being, education, health, and family and community support.

Dogwood Health Trust offers this disaster response playbook to capture lessons learned from their experiences responding to Hurricane Helene in 2024. The playbook and downloadable readiness and response checklist offer practical guidance for how philanthropy and other organizations can help stabilize communities in the immediate aftermath of a disaster and lay the groundwork for long-term recovery. The online resource also includes a timeline of Dogwood's response to Hurricane Helene and a list of grants awarded for response and recovery.

Drawing on extensive organizational learning research, this report features eight case studies from foundations that have implemented various forms of organization-wide learning agendas. These case studies are not intended to showcase "best practices", but to illustrate a range of possibilities and provide practical examples that others can draw from.

This report from the Advancing Black Workers in the South study, an initiative of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and a Minority-Serving Institution (MSI), focuses on the challenges Black workers in the South face at work and Black workers' experiences with and attitudes toward unions. Variable work hours, work load, and workplace safety were among the top concerns for Black workers interviewed as part of the study. The majority of the respondents report positive attitudes toward unions. The authors conclude with policy recommendations to address workplace concerns and promote employee organizing.

This decision-making tool uses practices that the Annie E. Casey Foundation has honed over its years of impact investing to ensure each investment decision incorporates factors important to the Foundation in a systematic way. The tool scores opportunities across 10 criteria, and this approach allows funders to systematically compare investments and prioritize options with the greatest potential for both financial and social returns. While Casey uses this tool to further its mission of advancing well-being for children, youth and families, other investors with different social missions also may find it useful to apply the process. Throughout this tool, short case studies illustrate how these factors led to successful Foundation impact investments.