From firefighting to focus: make better fundraising decisions in 2026

Yet within that picture there is something important.

Even with the pressure, charities remain determined and optimistic about the future. In fact, nearly half expect to grow over the next twelve months.

So what they need now is clarity about where to put their limited time, energy and investment. And that’s where better data and stronger decision making can make the biggest difference in 2026.

If leaders can understand what is working, what is not, and what the opportunities really are, they can move from firefighting to forward planning.

This blog explores how.

Demand rising but clarity shrinking

CAF’s Charity Resilience Index highlights several worrying shifts in the sector:

• Demand for services continues to rise, especially among organisations supporting people through the cost of living crisis
• Expenses are rising faster than income
• Only a minority of charities feel financially secure
• Many leaders report that their organisation feels “unhealthy”
• Planning headspace is shrinking, with many teams stuck in reactive mode

Taken together, these pressures create a simple but serious problem. When everything feels urgent, nothing feels strategic. Leaders end up spreading their time thinly across competing priorities rather than focusing on the activities that will genuinely make a difference.

The question for 2026 is not “How do we do more?” It is “How do we make better choices about what to do next?”

Why insight is the answer to uncertainty

When income is unpredictable and workloads are high, decisions can default to instinct or habit. But as CAF notes, the organisations that remain confident are those that make decisions based on evidence.

This is where Open’s Charity Benchmarks project provides a different level of insight. 

Benchmarks gives leaders the data they need to answer the questions that matter most:

How does our fundraising performance compare to similar organisations

• Which channels are delivering value
• Where are we falling behind the sector
• What is happening to our donor loyalty, recruitment and retention
• Where are the strategic opportunities for growth

Instead of relying on guesswork, leaders get a clear and accurate picture of what is happening inside their programme and across the wider sector. It gives them the information they need to focus their limited resources where they will have the greatest impact.

Three priorities for 2026

1. Focus on effectiveness, not activity

CAF’s research shows that many organisations are putting significant effort into areas that may not deliver the strongest returns. By contrast, Benchmarks gives clarity on which channels and activities are driving value and which ones are draining it.

Practical actions for 2026

• Review which channels are delivering strong ROI
• Stop or scale back activity that consistently underperforms
• Shift budgets to the channels that work hardest for your mission
• Clarity protects your team from busywork and frees you to focus on meaningful results.

2. Build loyalty into every supporter journey

The CAF Index highlights nervousness among the public and a shift in the way people give. Donors are generous but more cautious. This makes strong supporter journeys essential.

With Benchmarks, leaders can see the real patterns behind donor behaviour. You can learn how many supporters are staying, how many are leaving and why. This gives you the information you need to build stronger journeys that retain value over time.

Practical actions for 2026

• Audit your supporter journeys
• Strengthen welcome flows
• Improve upgrade and reactivation pathways
• Use evidence to improve message timing and relevance

A more loyal supporter base reduces risk and increases long term sustainability.

3. Give decision makers confidence in your plans

CAF’s report notes the growing pressure on CEOs and trustees to understand financial risk. That means fundraising leaders need strategic clarity and credible evidence.

Charity Benchmarks gives you board ready insight that helps you:

• Make the case for investment
• Show where improvements will create the biggest impact
• Demonstrate that decisions are grounded in real data

It helps senior teams move from “we think” to “we know”.

Why now is the right time to join Charity Benchmarks 2025

The sector cannot afford another year of uncertainty without insight. As pressure increases, leaders who understand their performance and their potential are in a stronger position to make smart and confident decisions.

Charity Benchmarks gives you:

• Verified five year performance trends
• Deep analysis of every fundraising channel
• A bespoke report tailored to your programme
• Interviews and qualitative insight to add context and meaning
• The ability to see what top performing organisations are doing differently

It is a practical, powerful tool for leaders who want to turn complexity into clarity.

Work on the right things and the rest becomes easier

The challenges described in the Charity Resilience Index are not going away. But leaders who decide to focus on the right things will find 2026 easier to navigate.

When you have the evidence you need, the decisions become simpler. When you understand what drives growth, you can protect your team from overwhelm. And when you know what works, you can stop wasting effort on what doesn’t.

If 2026 is the year to reset, refocus and rebuild with confidence, Charity Benchmarks is one of the most valuable tools you can use.

Join Charity Benchmarks 2025

Get the clarity you need to make confident strategic decisions and grow sustainable income.

Find out more at https://www.charitybenchmarks.org/