How 2025 Changed Grantseeking

While the past 18 months have been marked by chaos and uncertainty, one thing is certain: 2025 undeniably changed the nonprofit sector.

Many of us are hoping that we can leave some of these changes in the past. However the reality is that many of the changes we’ve observed will drive planning, decision making, and fundraising results for nonprofits in 2026 and beyond.

At the same time, not all funder landscapes are impacted the same way; what is working (or not) for education groups is not the same for those operating in the human services space, for example.

Over the course of 2025, I hosted weekly sessions with Elevate staff to assess in real-time how grantseeking was changing for our nonprofit partners, and how we could support them in meeting the moment.

In this article, I have summarized the takeaways we captured for 2025 and what these mean for grantseekers in 2026. In subsequent articles on Elevate’s blog, I examine the specifics for those working in the areas of human services, education, the arts, and advocacy.

4 Key Strategies for Navigating the Changing Funding Landscape

Across all issue areas, there are some key strategies that Elevate teams and our nonprofit partners are using to navigate the changes to grantors’ interests, the timing of funding requests, and application requirements:

1. Prioritize Funder Stewardship

Many grantmakers are doubling down on support for their current grantees and are not accepting new applicants. In such cases, leaning into existing relationships with funders is the only path forward.

See the Meyer Foundation, for one example, which states on its website that: “In 2026, nonprofit organizations and communities across our region are navigating significant uncertainty and disruption. In response, the Meyer Foundation will focus its resources on sustaining existing partnerships and will not accept new grant applications this year.”

In other cases, foundations with open application processes were inundated with new requests. This led some to close application portals early, while others pivoted to make larger investments in existing grantees, rather than entertaining an overwhelming pool of new requests.

In this context, the most strategic nonprofit organizations are doing everything they can to stay in close communication with their key funders. If your funding needs have changed – whether due to a decrease in public funding or a new program to support your community – make sure your current grant partners clearly understand this.

Proactive communication also mitigates risk when grantors abruptly change their priorities, application timelines, and requirements; if you’re regularly communicating, you’ll be in the know when these changes come to light, so that you can be prepared to pivot your funding request as appropriate.

Because the landscape is shifting so quickly, private foundations are more cautious about investing in new organizations or issues that they don’t already know a lot about. Securing a grant from a new funder or increased funding from an existing partner is still possible, but it will result from trusting relationships (not cold requests).

2. Make the Most Flexible Ask

Whenever possible, ask funders for general support or funds that can be applied across a wide range of expenses or programs, rather than focusing your request on a specific project or program area.

While we have issued this advice to our partners even in times when the context was less turbulent, it is even more important during times like these when revenue streams and community needs are rapidly changing. This approach helps ensure that, even if your programs or priorities must shift unexpectedly, you can still fulfill your commitments to funders.

3. Forecast Funding Conservatively

While we are proponents of using your renewal grant calendar as a basis for future revenue projections, this is no longer the most prudent practice. Organizations cannot rely on past grant revenue totals to build their budgets.

Forecast future funding by closely reviewing all of your current funders. Examine their giving history and their likelihood to renew funding for your work, based on their public statements and individual conversations you have with program officers about how your work aligns with their own changing giving strategies. This practice will help you to plan appropriately for the uncertainty that lies ahead.

4. Position Your Work in a More Competitive Context

Across the board, there is increased competition for private grant dollars. This is due in large part to extraordinary cuts to public funding, which has pushed nonprofits that were largely publicly funded to pursue other revenue streams. Even those that were not immediately impacted by the loss of public funding are seeing greater competition for private dollars.

Telling a clear, authentic, strategic story that speaks to each prospective funder has become more crucial than ever.

In addition to these global strategies that can be applied across the board, we have learned that different funding landscapes are reacting very differently to public policy and funding changes in 2025 and 2026. Watch this space for specific guidance and key lessons learned by sector that will be outlined in subsequent blog articles.