Jun 21, 2026 · 16 min · 10 segments
Tax laws have changed, and we continue to be asked: *what does this actually mean for fundraising?* The answer is less dramatic than the headlines suggest. In this episode, we look at why fundraisers…
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Periods of legislative change can create uncertainty, and uncertainty tends to create noise.
And fundraisers begin wondering whether donors will behave differently tomorrow than they did today.
But one of the advantages of working in this field for a long time is perspective.
We've seen moments like this before, changes in estate tax law, changes in capital gains treatment, changes in deduction thresholds, changes in reporting requirements.
Each time there's understandable concern that donor behavior will fundamentally shift.
And each time, the organizations that remain grounded in relationship-based fundraising tended to experience far less disruption than expected.
Why? Because while incentives can influence timing or structure, they rarely create generosity where generosity does not already exist.
And they rarely eliminate generosity where a strong philanthropic relationship is already in place.
Periods of legislative change can create uncertainty, and uncertainty tends to create noise.
And fundraisers begin wondering whether donors will behave differently tomorrow than they did today.
But one of the advantages of working in this field for a long time is perspective.
We've seen moments like this before, changes in estate tax law, changes in capital gains treatment, changes in deduction thresholds, changes in reporting requirements.
Each time there's understandable concern that donor behavior will fundamentally shift.
And each time, the organizations that remain grounded in relationship-based fundraising tended to experience far less disruption than expected.
Why? Because while incentives can influence timing or structure, they rarely create generosity where generosity does not already exist.
And they rarely eliminate generosity where a strong philanthropic relationship is already in place.
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