Behind the Byline: 2026 Nonprofit Fundraising Outlook, Donor Trust & AI Ethics

What are the conversations shaping nonprofit fundraising as organizations head into 2027? In Behind the Byline, Avalon Vice President Lindsay Marino Long moderates a candid conversation with Paul Clolery of The NonProfit Times, Sara Cederberg of Civic Shout, and Alicia Osgood of the ANA Nonprofit Federation. Together, they dig into what’s surfacing across the sector: economic pressure on donors, retention and stewardship, testing and acquisition, trust and transparency, AI and data privacy, direct response, policy, and the questions nonprofit leaders should be asking as they plan for 2027. The conversation also tackles what may be getting too much attention, what isn’t getting enough, and why the human side of fundraising still matters — especially as technology becomes more powerful. Chapters 00:00 Welcome and introductions 05:34 Economic pressure, donor capacity and 2027 12:29 Retention, engagement and testing 18:38 AI, fundraising and responsible use 26:58 Data privacy, technology and donor trust 31:47 Policy, privacy and postal issues to watch 38:22 The nonprofit stories not getting enough attention 42:37 Trust, credibility and donor communications 55:32 What could change fundraising in 2027