2026 Georgia Nonprofit Forecast

Mid-Year Outlook Report

What nonprofit leaders across Georgia are experiencing – and what it means for the year ahead.

The 2026 Georgia Nonprofit Forecast: Mid-Year Outlook Report captures real‑time insights from nonprofit executives across the state to better understand the pressures, priorities, and expectations shaping the sector in 2026.

Based on responses from nonprofit CEOs and senior leaders, this report provides a snapshot of organizational confidence, funding conditions, service demand, staffing challenges, and strategic priorities – offering valuable context for funders, policymakers, and sector partners.

Key Findings at a Glance

Over 74% of leaders report increased demand for services
Fundraising and revenue remain the sector’s dominant concern
Government funding cuts are already an active risk, and nearly 28% expect more to come
Rising costs – especially wages and benefits – continue to strain capacity
Despite pressures, leaders remain cautiously optimistic about the year ahead

These insights reflect an environment where community needs are growing faster than nonprofit capacity, highlighting the need for coordinated investment, flexible funding, and long‑term sustainability strategies.

Why This Data Matters

Georgia nonprofits are on the front lines of responding to community needs – yet many are doing so amid funding volatility, staffing shortages, and rising operational costs.

This baseline report is intended to:

Inform policy and funding conversations
Support data‑driven decision‑making
Provide a shared reference point for sector leaders
Set the stage for future Forecast updates and trend analysis

Understanding these conditions is critical to strengthening nonprofit resilience and ensuring communities continue to receive essential services.

What’s Inside

The full Mid-Year Outlook explores:

The current economic and funding landscape for nonprofit organizations
Trends in service demand and organizational capacity
Key executive-level concerns and priorities
Early signals shaping planning and strategy for 2026

About the Georgia Nonprofit Forecast

The Georgia Nonprofit Forecast is GCN’s twice-yearly survey of organizational conditions across Georgia’s nonprofit sector, drawing on CEO, senior leader, and board member perspectives to measure financial health, service demand, capacity, and leadership conditions in real time.

The 2026 Mid-Year Outlook reflects 322 responses collected in April 2026, representing 13 subsectors and organizations ranging from under $250,000 to over $10 million in annual budget, with service areas spanning a single county to national reach. Over 85% of respondents are CEOs or senior leaders.

Designed for longitudinal tracking, the Forecast applies consistent core indicators across waves to support year-over-year comparison; results are sufficient for directional sector-level conclusions and segment analysis, though not a random sample of all Georgia nonprofits. GCN publishes the Forecast to inform nonprofit leaders, funders, policymakers, and community partners who rely on accurate, ground-level sector data — current as of April 2026.

GCN is Here to Help

GCN offers a range of solutions to help nonprofits face the challenges highlighted in our Forecast Report. Download the report for a list of targeted programs, newly designed and updated to help your nonprofit adapt, endure, and maximize impact.

Two new, consultant-led offerings have proven crucial to securing a viable, actionable way forward for our clients:

Strategic Options Labs
With need on the rise and capacity already strained, nonprofits require new strategies that make the most of their resources. This program gives leaders the clarity, structure, and tools to develop and implement those strategies. Upcoming options include:

- The Collaborate Lab, centered on defining an executable partnership model.
- The Reinvent Lab, for redesigning the program model and right-sizing operations.
- The Reorganize Lab, where you’ll optimize your organizational design for clarity and efficiency.

Revenue Strategy Cohorts
In a time of uncertainty, a clear and resilient revenue model is critical. Prepare your organization with this team-based program, where you’ll assess your funding mix, identify opportunities, and design new revenue architecture for the long-term.

Want to Learn More?

If you’re interested in discussing the findings, exploring partnership opportunities, or learning how the data can inform your work, we’d love to connect.

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