How mid-sized nonprofits are growing in 2026: what the top performers do differently

Nonprofits are entering 2026 with a significant challenge: fewer donors. In the first nine months of 2025, total donor numbers dropped by 3% compared to the same period in 2024. That’s part of a longer trend of shrinking donor participation. While the decline has slowed slightly, new donor acquisition and early engagement remain down.

But not every organization is losing ground. Many mid-sized nonprofits, those with budgets between $1 million and $10 million, are growing. In fact, they’re not just surviving; they’re outpacing the sector.

So, what are they doing differently? Today, we’ll break down the strategies these top performers are using and how your nonprofit can apply them in 2026.

Better donor journeys

Top-performing mid-sized nonprofits are reshaping how they engage donors, starting with the first interaction. With donor retention slipping slightly from 18.3% in 2024 to 18.1% in early 2025, the challenge is clear: many supporters give once and never return. This is especially true for first-time donors, where only 28% return for a second gift.

To counter this, high-performing organizations design personalized donor journeys. They create customized experiences for different donor types, including first-time, loyal, and lapsed donors.

That means automating thank-you messages, sending segmented follow-up appeals, and using email series or impact updates that match each donor’s stage and interests.

By connecting with donors through the right message at the right time, and on the channels they prefer, these nonprofits build stronger relationships. Over time, this leads to greater loyalty, better retention, and greater long-term value from each supporter.

Smarter event mix

For many nonprofits, 2025 was unpredictable, but events proved to be a steady driver of revenue. Among the 97% of organizations that held at least one event, 77% met or exceeded their fundraising goals.

The strongest results came from nonprofits that offered in-person or blended event formats. In contrast, 46% of those who skipped events entirely missed their targets.

Top mid-sized organizations are leaning into this trend with a more strategic approach. Instead of defaulting to traditional formats, they plan a range of event types, such as galas, community runs, dinners, or peer-led challenges, based on donor interests and budget levels. Hybrid add-ons, like livestreams or online auctions, help expand access without sacrificing engagement.

These nonprofits treat events not just as fundraisers but as experiences. They align event design with what their supporters value, whether that’s connection, convenience, or impact. The result is stronger attendance, deeper loyalty, and better returns across the board.

Streamlined campaigns

Mid-sized nonprofits seeing the most growth in 2026 aren’t running scattered fundraising efforts; they’re executing coordinated campaigns that reach donors across multiple channels. Instead of relying on one-off appeals, they stay active year-round through email, direct mail, social media, and SMS.

These organizations keep donors engaged between major giving moments by sending consistent updates, such as monthly impact reports or timely campaign reminders. Behind the scenes, everything is driven by data. They use their CRM to segment audiences, personalize outreach, and test what works to ensure messaging is aligned across all platforms.

The strategy delivers long-term value. Donors involved in more than one program, such as events, monthly giving, or seasonal appeals, are worth more than four times as much as those connected to just one. In practice, a donor who starts in an event can be invited to monthly giving or major gifts programs. Multi-channel, multi-program campaigns turn one-time givers into multi-faceted supporters, a key to sustainable growth.

Faster technology

In 2026, digital readiness is one of the clearest markers of growth among mid-sized nonprofits.

Those with well-integrated tech across fundraising, communication, and operations are seeing stronger results, especially in revenue. The gap is widening between organizations with digital systems in place and those still relying on manual processes.

Many high-performing nonprofits now use cloud-based CRMs, donor analytics, and even AI to save time and make smarter decisions. In fact, 82% of nonprofits are already using AI in informal ways, like drafting donor emails.

Forward-thinking teams are investing in staff training, streamlining systems, and making the giving experience easier through mobile forms, recurring donation options, and text-to-give features.

They also use donor data to personalize appeals and speed up campaign cycles. The result is faster execution, better targeting, and more fundraising. Across the board, nonprofits that treat technology as a core part of their strategy are the ones moving ahead.

Clearer messaging

Clear messaging has become a make-or-break factor for donor trust in 2026. With only about 57% of Americans expressing trust in nonprofits, vague language or industry jargon can quickly turn people away. Growth-focused organizations are addressing this by keeping their communications simple, honest, and direct.

Supporters are asking for clarity: tell me what you plan to do, follow through, and show me the results. Leading nonprofits take that to heart. They provide plain-language updates, explain how donations are used, and highlight real outcomes such as “Your gift fed 100 families.” This approach removes confusion and builds transparency.

Communications are also segmented based on donor history. Long-time supporters may receive a detailed report, while newer donors are given a concise story that shows quick impact. By aligning their message with their mission and results, these organizations build lasting credibility. That trust encourages more frequent giving and larger commitments over time.

Intentional stewardship

High-performing mid-sized nonprofits don’t leave donor retention to chance. They treat stewardship as a core part of their growth strategy. Instead of sending a thank-you and moving on, they build ongoing relationships after each gift.

The numbers back this up. Monthly donors are retained at around 83%, compared to just 45% for one-time donors. They also contribute more than five times the lifetime value. That’s why successful organizations focus on structured stewardship. They welcome new donors with email series, create personalized check-ins for recurring givers, and run targeted campaigns to re-engage lapsed supporters.

This often includes sharing impact reports, recognizing donor anniversaries, or even having board members personally thank major contributors. The goal is to make donors feel connected and appreciated, not just once, but throughout the year.

With this approach, mid-sized nonprofits create a more stable revenue base and reduce their reliance on constant donor acquisition. It’s long-term thinking that pays off.

Ready to grow like a top performer in 2026? Start with BetterWorld

With these practices in place, any nonprofit can work toward stronger, more consistent growth. BetterWorld’s free fundraising platform is built to support these strategies at every stage.

Our platform includes features like online auctions, text-to-give, and peer-to-peer campaigns that help teams stay organized and engage more supporters. With the right tools in place, your organization can build deeper connections and expand its reach in 2026 and beyond.

Sign up for BetterWorld to join thousands of nonprofits that are using 0%-fee tools to manage donor journeys, run events, launch integrated campaigns, and track impact.