State of Good by Pure Charity

Mike Rusch, Pure Charity
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Non-Profit

The Pure Charity State of Good Podcast is your weekly intelligence brief for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers. Each episode cuts through the noise to deliver what actually matters: how donors are thinking about giving right now, what's shifting in the sector, and the psychology behind generosity. Data-driven insights you can use immediately, in about 10 minutes, once a week.

  1. Oct 12

    State of Good for October 12, 2026

    Episode Title: "Funders Admit It's Not Working — And What That Means for You" Summary: - Only 12% of foundations say their response to federal funding cuts has been effective, signaling openness to new approaches from nonprofit partners Corporate giving is consolidating around fewer partners — nonprofits must articulate clear value to stay on the listGen Z donors are driving new donor acquisition, according to the Q2 2026 American Giving IndexMost Americans remain unaware of how nonprofits impact their daily lives, making visibility a critical challengeMonthly donors retain at 90% vs. 46% for one-time donors — the subscription mindset is a powerful retention toolSources & Links: - Chronicle of Philanthropy — Nonprofits say funders aren't providing what they need to address new hardships: https://www.philanthropy.com/news/nonprofits-say-funders-arent-providing-what-they-need-to-address-new-hardships/ Chronicle of Philanthropy — Fewer charities will get corporate gifts this year. Here's how to make the cut: https://www.philanthropy.com/solutions/fewer-charities-will-get-corporate-gifts-this-year-heres-how-to-make-the-cut/NonProfit PRO — Gen Z Drives New Donor Acquisition, Survey Finds: https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/gen-z-drives-new-donor-acquisition-survey-finds/Chronicle of Philanthropy — For most Americans, nonprofits are 'invisible': https://www.philanthropy.com/news/for-most-americans-nonprofits-are-invisible/Fundraising Effectiveness Project — 2024 Q3 Report: https://afpglobal.org/fundraising-effectiveness-projectUMSI — UMSI creates giving society to celebrate committed donors: https://www.si.umich.edu/about-umsi/news/umsi-creates-giving-society-celebrate-committed-donorsApproximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview 0:30 — Foundation effectiveness survey and the funder-nonprofit disconnect2:30 — Corporate giving consolidation and partnership strategy4:00 — Why donors give: the subscription mindset and monthly giving retention5:15 — Gen Z driving new donor acquisition6:15 — The nonprofit invisibility problem7:00 — The bottom line and three action items7:45 — Good in Action: University of Michigan's outcome-based giving society8:30 — Sign-off

    State of Good for October 12, 2026

  2. Sep 21

    State of Good for September 21, 2026

    Episode Title: $177 Billion in Frozen Grants, AI Without Guardrails, and the Donor-Advised Fund Action Gap Summary: - A new analysis shows $177 billion in federal grants have been cut or frozen, reshaping the competitive landscape for private philanthropy across the sector 98% of nonprofits are using AI, but most lack policies, budgets, or training — and adoption is unevenly top-downFreeWill's 2026 donor-advised fund report reveals a persistent gap between stated priorities and operational action on donor-advised fund givingNew research on need-based appeals shows framing matters more than the information itself — testing beats intuitionBequest revenue grew nearly 20% year over year, signaling the great wealth transfer is already underwaySources & Links: - Chronicle of Philanthropy — Trump administration has cut or frozen $177 billion in grants: https://www.philanthropy.com/news/trump-administration-has-cut-or-frozen-177-billion-in-grants-analysis-shows/ Nonprofit Quarterly — How Nonprofits Adopt and Govern AI (NTEN/Bridgespan report): https://nonprofitquarterly.org/how-nonprofits-adopt-and-govern-ai-insights-from-a-new-report/The NonProfit Times — Nonprofits' Use of AI Outstrips Training and Guidelines: https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/nonprofits-use-of-ai-outstrips-training-and-guidelines/FreeWill — What New Research Reveals About Donor-Advised Fund Giving in 2026: https://www.nonprofits.freewill.com/resources/webinars/what-new-research-reveals-about-donor-advised-fund-giving-in-2026Phys.org — When Equity Appeals Inspire Giving to Classrooms: https://phys.org/news/2026-09-equity-appeals-classrooms.htmlClairification — Why Your Small Nonprofit Needs Planned Giving: https://clairification.com/2026/09/17/why-your-small-nonprofit-needs-planned-giving-and-how-to-quickly-launch/Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview 0:30 — Federal funding landscape: $177 billion in cuts and what it means for every nonprofit2:30 — AI adoption vs. AI governance: the 98% problem4:00 — Donor-advised fund behavior and the priority-action gap5:00 — Why Donors Give: need-based appeals and the science of framing6:00 — What Changed This Week: converging pressures and the knowing-doing gap6:30 — The Bottom Line and three actions for the week7:15 — Good in Action: bequest giving surges nearly 20%8:15 — Sign-off

    State of Good for September 21, 2026

  3. Sep 14

    State of Good for September 14, 2026

    Episode Title: The 25-Year Test: Why Mission Evolution Is a Survival Strategy Summary: - Most charities born after 9/11 no longer exist — the Chronicle of Philanthropy explores what the survivors did differently The Department of Education proposes landmark changes to federal grant rules, and the comment window is nowMore nonprofits are turning to loans and impact investments as a deliberate growth strategySocial proof research shows that seeing others give increases donation likelihood by 30%Michigan State's College of Natural Science closes a record $30.2 million fundraising year from nearly 2,800 donorsLinks: - Chronicle of Philanthropy — A Quarter Century On, 9/11 Charities Evolve to Remain Relevant: https://www.philanthropy.com/news/a-quarter-century-on-9-11-charities-evolve-to-remain-relevant/ Social Current — Department of Education Proposes Landmark Changes to Grant Rules: https://www.social-current.org/2026/09/sep-8-federal-update-department-of-education-proposes-landmark-changes-to-grant-rules/Chronicle of Philanthropy — Why More Nonprofits Are Borrowing, Not Just Raising Money: https://www.philanthropy.com/solutions/playbooks/why-more-nonprofits-are-borrowing-not-just-fundraising/Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta — Strengthening Atlanta's Nonprofit Financial Backbone: https://cfgreateratlanta.org/2026/09/09/nonprofit-finance-fund/Minnesota Council of Nonprofits — 2026 Minnesota Nonprofit Economy Report: https://minnesotanonprofits.org/2026-minnesota-nonprofit-economy-report-shows-a-sector-holding-steadyShang & Croson — A Field Experiment in Charitable Contribution (Journal of Public Economics): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0047272709000863MSU College of Natural Science — Record Year of Giving: https://natsci.msu.edu/news/2026/2026-09-record-year-of-giving.aspxApproximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview 0:30 — The 25-year test: why most post-9/11 charities didn't survive2:30 — Federal education grant rule changes and what to do now3:30 — The rise of nonprofit borrowing and financial infrastructure5:00 — Why donors give: the power of social proof6:00 — What changed: Minnesota's nonprofit economy report and benchmarking6:45 — The bottom line and three action items7:30 — Good in action: Michigan State's record fundraising year8:30 — Sign-off

    State of Good for September 14, 2026

  4. Aug 31

    State of Good for August 31, 2026

    Episode Title: The Long View Wins: 15 Years of Philanthropy, Charity Ratings, and a Business Donated Whole Summary: - The Chronicle of Philanthropy's 15-year retrospective reveals the rise of general operating support and the cost of organizational inaction Syracuse University research examines whether charity ratings actually drive donor decisions — and finds they're more of a screen than a motivatorPractical guidance on auditing your asks, positioning trust signals on donation pages, and identifying inaction risksA business owner donates an entire company to a charitable trust instead of selling, as reported by PBS NewsHourThree action items: review default asks for flexible funding conversations, audit public trust signals, and name one inaction risk with your teamLinks: - 15 Years of Giving: What Has Changed — Chronicle of Philanthropy: https://www.philanthropy.com/news/15-years-of-giving-what-has-changed/ Do Nonprofit Ratings Help Donors Make Better Decisions? — Syracuse University Center for Policy Research: https://surface.syr.edu/cpr/536Instead of Selling, Business Owner Donates Company to Trust for Charity — PBS NewsHour: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/instead-of-selling-business-owner-donates-company-to-trust-for-charityApproximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview 0:30 — 15 years of philanthropy: the rise of flexible funding and the risk of inaction3:30 — Why donors give: do charity ratings actually change giving behavior?5:15 — What changed this week: the long view as a fundraising discipline6:15 — The bottom line and three action items7:15 — Good in Action: a business owner donates an entire company to charity8:15 — Sign-off

    State of Good for August 31, 2026

  5. Aug 24

    State of Good for August 24, 2026

    Episode Title: Trust Is Your Biggest Asset — But Only If You Keep Earning It Summary: - A new poll confirms nonprofits remain America's most trusted sector, but transparency is the condition donors attach to that trust An analysis of 136 million nonprofit text messages offers rare, large-scale benchmarks for donor communication via textInstitutional funding is shifting on both the foundation and federal sides — emerging organizations face access barriers, and federal funding gaps aren't being automatically filled by philanthropyDonors who feel community belonging have 3x higher lifetime value — building tribe matters more than building a transaction listYouth-led immigrant defense fund raises $15 million, demonstrating the power of proximity and rapid-response philanthropySources & Links: - NonProfit PRO — "Nonprofits Remain America's Most-Trusted Sector, New Poll Finds": https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/nonprofits-remain-americas-most-trusted-sector-new-poll-finds/ Eventbrite — "What 136 Million Texts Reveal About Nonprofit Fundraising in 2026": https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-136-million-texts-reveal-about-nonprofit-fundraising-in-2026-tickets-1995715067490Nonprofit Quarterly — "Climate Philanthropy Doesn't Have a Talent Problem, It Has an Access Problem": https://nonprofitquarterly.org/climate-philanthropy-doesnt-have-a-talent-problem-it-has-an-access-problem/Brookings — "Investing in Indian Country": https://www.brookings.edu/articles/investing-in-indian-country/Chronicle of Philanthropy — "I Lost My Parents to the Immigration System. Now Youth Like Me Lead the Fight.": https://www.philanthropy.com/opinion/i-lost-my-parents-to-the-immigration-system-now-youths-like-me-lead-the-fight/Sargeant & Woodliffe — "Building Donor Loyalty" (Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/15427854Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Intro and episode overview 0:30 — Trust as the nonprofit sector's biggest asset; transparency and predictive analytics2:15 — What 136 million text messages reveal about donor communication3:30 — Institutional funding shifts: foundation access barriers and federal funding gaps5:00 — Why donors give: community, belonging, and 3x lifetime value6:00 — What changed this week: the institutional funding landscape7:00 — The bottom line and three action items7:45 — Good in Action: Youth-led $15 million legal defense fund8:45 — Sign-off

    State of Good for August 24, 2026

  6. Aug 19

    State of Good for August 17, 2026

    Episode Title: "Fewer Donors, Bigger Gifts, Sharper Stakes — Giving USA 2026 and What It Means for Your Shop" Summary: - Giving USA 2026 confirms ongoing donor participation decline while giving concentrates among fewer major donors — what this means for your revenue risk profile Stanford Social Innovation Review highlights the compounding fundraising workforce crisis and its direct connection to donor retention challengesProPublica investigation reveals inconsistencies in donor-advised fund sponsor policies — practical steps to protect your DAF revenueMake-A-Will Month creates a timely window for legacy giving conversations with loyal donorsThe Pittsburgh Foundation's #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert demonstrates the power of community-driven, urgency-framed giving momentsLinks: - Giving USA 2026: What It Means for Nonprofit Leaders — https://givingusa.org/looking-beyond-the-headlines-what-giving-usa-2026-means-for-nonprofit-leaders/ "Sustaining the Fundraising Vocation," Stanford Social Innovation Review — https://ssir.org/articles/entry/sustaining-fundraising-vocationProPublica investigation on donor-advised fund sponsor policies — https://www.propublica.org/article/donor-advised-funds-charity-contributionsFreeWill August FreeMinute: Nonprofit Fundraising Trends to Watch — https://www.nonprofits.freewill.com/resources/blog/free-minute-august-2026Cialdini, *Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion* — https://www.influenceatwork.com/principles-of-persuasion/The Pittsburgh Foundation #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert results — https://pittsburghfoundation.org/newsrelease/oneday2026-resultsApproximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and weekly preview 0:30 — Giving USA 2026: donor concentration risk and what to do about it2:45 — The fundraising workforce crisis (Stanford Social Innovation Review)4:15 — Donor-advised fund infrastructure and the ProPublica investigation5:15 — Why Donors Give: the power of reciprocity6:15 — What Changed: Make-A-Will Month and legacy giving strategy7:00 — The Bottom Line: three actions for this week7:45 — Good in Action: The Pittsburgh Foundation's #ONEDAY campaign8:45 — Sign-off

    State of Good for August 17, 2026

  7. Aug 11

    State of Good for August 10, 2026

    Episode Title: "$617 Billion in Giving — But Fewer Donors Are Writing the Checks" Summary: - The Giving USA 2026 Report estimates U.S. charitable giving reached $617.2 billion in 2025 — a healthy topline that demands deeper benchmarking at the organizational level The Fundraising Effectiveness Project confirms fewer donors are giving while total dollars increase, creating strategic implications for acquisition and retentionNew research from Momentive Software's 2026 Nonprofit Trends Report argues donor trust is built through operational excellence, not just communicationsWhy specific, tangible impact statements dramatically outperform abstract appeals (the identifiable victim effect)Washington state's coordinated wildfire relief campaign shows the power of building emergency giving infrastructure before disaster strikesLinks: - Giving USA 2026 Report analysis: https://philanthropy.indianapolis.iu.edu/professional-development/blog/the-giving-usa-2026-report-deserves-a-closer-look.html Fewer Donors, More Dollars (The NonProfit Times): https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/fewer-donors-more-dollars-new-methodology-at-fep/Beyond Impact Reports – AFP session / Momentive Software 2026 Nonprofit Trends: https://community.afpglobal.org/events/event-description?CalendarEventKey=37c8da9d-6df3-4a1e-95e6-019eff4574f8&Home=%2FhomeSmall, Loewenstein & Slovic – "Sympathy and Callousness" research: https://www.cmu.edu/dietrich/sds/docs/small/Sympathy%20and%20Callousness.pdfWashington wildfire relief campaign: https://www.sos.wa.gov/about-office/news/2026/washingtonians-encouraged-help-support-washington-wildfire-reliefApproximate Timestamps: - 0:00 – Introduction and episode preview 0:30 – Giving USA 2026: The $617 billion headline and how to benchmark against it2:00 – Fundraising Effectiveness Project: Fewer donors, more dollars4:00 – Why donors give: The power of tangible impact statements5:15 – What changed: Donor trust as an operations problem6:30 – The bottom line and three actions for this week7:15 – Good in Action: Washington state's wildfire relief infrastructure8:15 – Sign-off

    State of Good for August 10, 2026

  8. Aug 3

    State of Good for August 3, 2026

    Episode Title: "More Dollars, Fewer Donors: Why Retention Is Your Growth Engine" Summary: - The Fundraising Effectiveness Project's Q1 2026 data shows giving dollars up 4.3% but donor counts down nearly 1%, confirming a multi-quarter concentration trend NonProfit PRO analysis reveals repeat and recaptured donors are powering growth on a shrinking base, with a warning that the second half of 2026 could be tougherStanford researchers studied over 2 million PayPal users to understand what drives online donor acquisition at scaleThe 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy finds 68% of affluent donors cite values and beliefs as their top giving motivationNew PNAS Nexus research shows social expectation and guilt avoidance are powerful drivers of charitable givingLinks: - Fewer Donors, More Dollars, and Methodology Changes At FEP — The NonProfit Times: https://thenonprofittimes.com/npt_articles/fewer-donors-more-dollars-and-methodology-changes-at-fep/ Repeat and Recaptured Donors Power Growth on a Shrinking Donor Base — NonProfit PRO: https://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/repeat-and-recaptured-donors-power-growth-on-a-shrinking-donor-base-new-data-shows/New Research Could Help Nonprofits Attract Millions of Online Donors — Stanford GSB: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/new-research-could-help-nonprofits-attract-millions-online-donorsWhat the 2025 Bank of America Study of Philanthropy Reveals About Giving Today — Giving USA: https://givingusa.org/what-the-2025-bank-of-america-study-of-philanthropy-reveals-about-giving-today/Leveraging Social Expectation for Charitable Donations — Phys.org (PNAS Nexus study): https://phys.org/news/2026-07-leveraging-social-charitable-donations.htmlPKD Foundation Increases Research Investment by 50% — PKD Foundation: https://pkdcure.org/resources/pkd-foundation-increases-research-investment-by-50-announces-2026-research-grant-and-fellowship-recipients/Approximate Timestamps: - 0:00 — Introduction and episode preview 0:30 — Q1 2026 fundraising data: more dollars, fewer donors2:30 — Retention trends and year-end planning caution3:45 — Stanford's large-scale online donor acquisition research4:30 — What affluent donors say drives their giving5:15 — Why donors give: social expectation and guilt avoidance6:30 — What changed this week: the concentration pattern is now undeniable7:15 — The bottom line and three action items8:00 — Good in Action: PKD Foundation increases research investment by 50%8:45 — Sign-off

    State of Good for August 3, 2026
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The Pure Charity State of Good Podcast is your weekly intelligence brief for nonprofit leaders and fundraisers. Each episode cuts through the noise to deliver what actually matters: how donors are thinking about giving right now, what's shifting in the sector, and the psychology behind generosity. Data-driven insights you can use immediately, in about 10 minutes, once a week.

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