2026 Report on Private Philanthropy

As we examine private foundation giving trends in 2024 and 2025, the data in this report offers a valuable benchmark for how foundations are managing their resources and advancing their charitable missions amid a changing philanthropic and economic environment. Overall, giving and endowment growth remained strong, and grantmaking activity was largely consistent with prior years. This stability is notable given the myriad factors affecting foundations and the nonprofit sector, including changes in public policy, shifting community needs and ongoing uncertainty for many organizations.

Our analysis of more than 1,200 private foundations shows incremental year-over-year increases in both the number of grants awarded and total dollars deployed, along with several continued trends.

4 Key Takeaways:

• Foundations exceeded the annual payout requirement, as they typically do, by 2.1% on average.
• Education, Public/Societal Benefit and Human Services were top priorities, reflecting constant support for a broad range of community needs.
• Foundations preferred targeted philanthropy over granting funds for general operating use.
• A subgroup of foundations employed advanced giving strategies to complement and/or deviate from traditional grantmaking.

As the leading provider of philanthropic software and services, we hope this report provides useful perspective and data to inform your work and planning, whether you are a foundation, individual donor, advisor, or nonprofit leader.

Thank you for your commitment to philanthropy and for partnering with us to empower communities and effect meaningful change.