Fundraising Effectiveness Project Data for Q2 2025 Shows Increases in Dollars Raised, Suggesting Potential Donor Growth Stability

New York, NY, October 30, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Q2 2025 fundraising data from the Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP), released today, shows an increase of 2.9% in total dollars raised by nonprofits compared to 2024 levels, driven largely by larger gifts.

Despite the rise in total dollars, the number of donors declined by 1.9% year-over-year, most drastically among the smallest donor group ($1–$100), who made up 51.9% of all donors in Q2 2025 and experienced a 10.5% year-over-year (YOY) drop, continuing a trend of decreased engagement from small donors.

Nonprofits engaged and retained donors in Q2 2025 at roughly the same rate as the year prior, once late-data adjustments and the margin of error are factored in. The figures suggest a stabilizing trend, with the YOY decline in donor numbers decelerating and possibly leveling off in Q2.

The Fundraising Effectiveness Project (FEP) is a collaborative project of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Foundation for Philanthropy and GivingTuesday. It is a collaboration among fundraising data providers, researchers, analysts, associations, and consultants to empower the sector to track and evaluate trends in giving. The project offers one of the only aggregate views of the current year’s fundraising data, providing the most recent trends to guide nonprofit fundraising and donor engagement. The FEP releases quarterly findings on those giving trends, released both via downloadable reports at www.fepreports.org and in a free online dashboard.

As nonprofits interpret these mid-year indicators, the data reveal both critical challenges and emerging opportunities. Innovative approaches are needed to deepen relationships across the donor spectrum, reduce reliance on large gifts, and build a more resilient and diversified fundraising base. With these data insights, and with a focus on these strategies, nonprofits can adapt to current trends and position themselves for a successful close to the 2025 fundraising year.

The full Q2 2025 report is available here.

FEP Q2 2025 Report Key Takeaways

- Modest Increase in Overall Fundraising: Despite the flat trend in donor engagement and retention, organizations experienced a 2.9% increase in the amount of dollars raised YOY, after factoring in late-arriving data.

- Overrepresentation in Large Donor Participation: Fundraising outcomes continue to depend heavily on large donors. Year-to-date performance among supersize donors has been softer than in 2024, though they remain a significant contributor at mid-year.

- Stabilizing Retention Rates: Nonprofits engaged and retained donors in Q2 2025 at roughly the same rate as the year prior, once late-data adjustments and the margin of error are factored in. The figures suggest a stabilizing trend, with the YOY decline in donor numbers decelerating and possibly leveling off in Q2.

"As the latest data shows, donor engagement and retention have begun to stabilize, an encouraging sign after several quarters of decline," said Woodrow Rosenbaum, Chief Data Officer of GivingTuesday. "Yet the sector’s continued reliance on large gifts underscores a structural vulnerability, particularly as performance among supersize donors decreases. Now, ahead of giving season, is the time to double down on efforts to broaden participation and diversify revenue streams. Engaging and inspiring everyday givers is more critical than ever at this moment. Fortunately, with GivingTuesday around the corner, we're seeing signs that people are ready and willing to give.”

"This stabilization in retention, along with the increase in dollars raised, shows that fundraisers are looking at the data and adjusting their donor engagement strategies accordingly," said Art Taylor, president & CEO of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. "With the universal charitable deduction expected to encourage broader participation in giving in 2026, nonprofits have an opportunity to build on this momentum, applying similar data-backed strategies to the remaining challenges, such as declining small donor participation, illustrated in this report, for a more robust and equitable philanthropic landscape in the year to come.”

"The latest FEP report shows promising signs of stability, but it’s also a wake-up call. Nonprofits can’t rely on a handful of funders—it’s everyday donors who keep missions alive," said Ann Fellman, Chief Marketing Officer at Bloomerang. "When organizations build authentic relationships with their supporters, they build the kind of resilience that lasts. At Bloomerang, we believe trust and transparency are the foundation of a strong donor relationship. That’s why we’re pleased to partner with the Fundraising Effectiveness Project—to give nonprofits the insights they need to understand their donors, deepen relationships, and turn their knowledge into lasting impact."

FEP reports continue to be made possible by the generous support of existing collaborating data providers, including BetterUnite, Bloomerang, Bonterra, DonorDock, DonorPerfect, FundraiseUp, Givebutter, Givesmart, GoFundMe Pro, Neon One, and Qgiv. FEP’s partner network also includes data infrastructure support from AWS Nonprofits. All giving platforms are welcome to join these efforts and increase data coverage, enhancing the accuracy and accessibility of efforts to provide measured analysis to the social sector.