Staying Adaptable During Uncertainty: Building Resilient Fundraising Infrastructure

By CeCe Lee, Senior Digital Strategist at Grassroots Analytics

U.S. charitable giving reached a record $592.50 billion in 2024, a milestone that demonstrates just how energized and motivated people are to take action and invest in causes they believe in. But there’s a paradox: while total dollars increased by 3.5%, the number of donors declined by 4.5% and retention rates fell by 2.6%. 

Fundraising is bound to be cyclical. Charitable giving is influenced by everything from political climates to seasonal patterns to donor life changes. While 2024's record-breaking totals offered welcome relief to many organizations, individual giving took its biggest hit just two years earlier as recession fears, inflation, and stock market volatility kept wallets tight. The sector has witnessed dramatic swings before, and it likely will again.

In 2025, economic headwinds are directly impacting donor behaviors. Layoffs, inflation concerns, and market volatility are making individuals more cautious about their charitable giving. Organizations are already reporting concerns that this economic uncertainty will dampen both donation frequency and gift sizes when nonprofits need support most.

Yet some organizations thrive despite these obstacles. The difference? They understand the psychology behind giving and know how to motivate donors when times are tough. What separates resilient organizations from those that struggle isn't their ability to avoid these fluctuations, but their preparation for them. 

The key to thriving through both abundant and lean periods lies in building systems and strategies that work regardless of external conditions. Here's how to stay resilient and build strength when the numbers feel discouraging.

Make Donor Retention Central for Resilient Fundraising 

When projections are down and you're not bringing in the support you once were, it’s alright. Fundraising comes in waves. Look for the silverlining: You still have people in your active audience. 

Remember, while 2024 saw donor numbers decline by 4.5% and retention rates fall by 2.6%, total giving still reached record levels – meaning the donors who stayed engaged gave more generously. Now is the time to lean into that audience and focus on donor retention.

With so much economic uncertainty, donors are being more selective about where they give their hard-earned money. They're looking for organizations that demonstrate genuine impact, authentic communication, and a clear path forward. It's the time to nurture relationships with supporters you already have in an authentic and mutually supportive way.

So, make the effort to boost engagement. Demonstrate just how much impact your organization is making. Communicate to your audience the conferences you’re attending, the protests you’ve taken part in, the partnerships you’ve made, and the tangible impact of your organization's work. This illustrates the action taken to do what it takes to make this world better- and how with their support, they are alongside the fight.

Think of this period as an opportunity to deepen your relationships rather than simply broaden them. When you invest in meaningful engagement with your existing donor base, you're building the foundation for long-term sustainability. These supporters already believe in your mission; they just need to feel confident that their continued investment will make a difference. Share behind-the-scenes stories, provide detailed impact reports, and create opportunities for genuine connection. Retention efforts today become your acquisition advantage tomorrow when donors who feel seen and represented become your most powerful advocates.

During Periods of Uncertainty, Ask the Tough Questions

During challenging times, it's tempting to focus solely on the negative. Declining numbers and missed targets can cloud your campaign with stress and anxious decision-making that lacks thorough strategy and clear vision. This is precisely when you need to step back and assess the overall health of your fundraising program.

1. Are you considering non-revenue based KPIs?

   
   

   Engagement rates, event attendance, and volunteer participation often reveal the story behind the numbers and can help you identify where your program is strong and where it needs attention. A donor who's engaging with your content but giving smaller amounts is still a healthy and valuable relationship that deserves to be nurtured.

   
   

   When you do identify gaps in your donor pipeline, focused acquisition that brings in mission-aligned donors – like GA's hyper-targeting and testing – ensures you're building quality relationships from the start. The key is treating every new contact as a long-term investment in your community.

   
   

2. Is your donor database, communication systems, and external marketing all in sync?

   
   

   Use this quieter period to examine your lists and cross reference different data points: Who is opting-out of mobile? Is your acquisition varied? What type of communication does each individual respond to? Analyze these points and match your outreach messaging based on donor behavior – this can be as simple as creating dynamic donation pages to match donors’ giving levels. 

   
   

3. Are you testing your communication cadence?

   
   

   Look back at how often you're messaging people — as soon as someone is acquired, how many appeals or requests are they receiving each month? More importantly, how many of those communications have no ask at all and are purely engagement-focused? Being thoughtful about your calendar means ensuring donors receive a balanced mix of asks, updates, and genuine appreciation. Simple gestures like welcome messages or thank-you notes, whether or not they've just given, can strengthen relationships when budgets are tight.

   
   

Redefining What It Looks Like to Succeed

Here's a perspective shift that can transform how you view your organization's current situation: the purpose of acquisition was never just about money. At its root, you want to bring people into your audience who care about your mission. Even if you're still bringing supporters into the fold, just not raising what you have previously, that's a win worth celebrating.

When you redefine success beyond just dollar amounts, you start to see opportunities instead of obstacles. Maybe you're not hitting your revenue targets, but you're building a more engaged email list. Perhaps major gifts are down, but your small donor base is growing. These shifts in giving patterns often reflect broader changes in how people want to participate in causes they care about, and organizations that adapt their definition of success are better positioned to thrive.

This reframing isn't about lowering your standards or accepting less – it's about building a stable foundation that can support more ambitious and creative fundraising efforts down the road. When you have a committed base of supporters who are deeply engaged with your mission, you have something more valuable than a one-time large donation: you have a community. Communities are resilient, communities are sustainable, and communities create the kind of withstanding confidence that allows organizations to take the creative risks that lead to breakthrough impact.

Building Resilient Fundraising Infrastructure

The current political and economic climate can be anxiety-inducing, but it shouldn’t come at a detriment to your fundraising strategy. This period may be challenging, but 2024 showed us that fundraising is inherently cyclical — what goes up must come down, and that's perfectly normal. During periods of stagnation, focus on what you already have. By enhancing your donor retention efforts to nurture existing relationships, monitoring the health of your fundraising program to anticipate challenges, and maximizing the tools and data you already possess, you can create a foundation that weathers the storm.

Remember that paradox we started with: record-breaking total giving alongside declining donor numbers and retention rates. The organizations that thrived weren't the ones that avoided these trends — they were the ones that recognized opportunity within them. When fewer donors are giving more generously, it signals a shift toward deeper, more meaningful relationships rather than transactional exchanges.

The strategies we've outlined – prioritizing retention, testing your communication cadence, building sustainable revenue streams, and redefining success – aren't just survival tactics. These are the building blocks of resilient fundraising that will serve your mission whether donations are robust or feeling scarce during uncertainty. Your current supporters donated for a reason; they believe in your impact. Honor that support by stewarding those relationships with the same care you'd give to any valuable partnership. You'll find that even when the numbers feel discouraging, your impact continues to grow.

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Learn more about Development Premier for building resilience with the Grassroots Analytics tools to build a robust, strategic, and optimized fundraising strategy for your organization or campaign.

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