Takeaways from the GoFundMe Collaborative Conference 2026

May 14

I just got back from Collaborative, and after two and a half packed days of sessions, conversations, case studies, and networking, I kept thinking the same thing over and over:

Fundraising operations, the advent of AI and even our population shift (from Boomers being the primary donors) is all changing rapidly right now. This kind of reminds me of conversations we were all having more than 10-15 years ago about how to keep up with and fundraise digitally and on social media.

Not necessarily in the “everything you know is wrong” kind of way, but in a very practical, operational way. The organizations that are paying attention to donor behavior, adapting faster, simplifying systems, and communicating more consistently are gaining momentum. The ones waiting to “figure it out later” may struggle to catch up.

Here are a few of the biggest themes that stood out to me and, more importantly, what nonprofits can actually do about them.

Use AI to Create Capacity

Almost every session touched on AI in some capacity.

Not in a flashy “robots are taking over” way, but from the standpoint of operational efficiency. The conversation has shifted from “Should nonprofits use AI?” to “How do we use it ethically and effectively?”

Organizations are already using AI to:

Draft donor communications
Summarize meetings
Improve donor segmentation
Analyze campaign performance
Automate repetitive administrative tasks
Streamline grant writing
Support stewardship workflows
Improve reporting and analytics

The larger issue underneath all of this is capacity.

Development teams are still spending too much time re-entering data, copying and pasting information between systems, formatting reports, manually organizing workflows, and recreating content that already exists somewhere else.

Technology should reduce administrative burden and create more time for relationship-building. Too often, it does the opposite.

Stop Underestimating Gen Z

There’s a common assumption that Gen Z is either financially disengaged or too young to matter in fundraising strategy. The data presented told a very different story.

Some of the statistics shared included:

71% of Gen Z reported some form of giving in the past week
43% gave financially despite lower average income levels
32% advocated for a cause or encouraged peer involvement

The advocacy piece stood out the most.

Gen Z may not always enter organizations through traditional donor pipelines, but they are highly likely to:

Share causes socially
Participate in peer-to-peer fundraising
Advocate publicly
Encourage friends to engage
Participate relationally with organizations

What nonprofits can do now to build a Gen Z pipeline:

Involve younger supporters in storytelling and content creation
Create opportunities for participation beyond donating
Build ambassador or peer advocate programs
Prioritize authenticity over overly polished messaging
Make giving feel communal and mission-connected

Many organizations are still viewing younger audiences only through the lens of immediate financial return. That misses the bigger opportunity. The nonprofits building relationships with younger supporters now are planting seeds for long-term donor growth, volunteer engagement, and future leadership.

Monthly Giving Is No Longer “Nice to Have”

Recurring giving was another major topic throughout the conference.

One story that stood out was how organizations with strong recurring donor programs no longer feel like they are “starting over” every January. Instead of rebuilding momentum from scratch after year-end campaigns, they begin the year thanking donors, reporting impact, and deepening engagement.

That’s a very different operational mindset.

One of the best examples shared was the Tunnel to Towers Foundation recurring giving strategy. Their campaign encourages supporters to give $11 per month in honor of 9/11, creating both emotional connection and an accessible entry point for donors.

What made the campaign effective was not just the amount. It was the consistency and clarity of the messaging. The recurring donor message is reinforced continuously across channels.

There also seemed to be far less debate this year about which platform matters most.

A few years ago, every conference included conversations like:

“Should we prioritize Facebook?”
“Is TikTok worth it?”
“Do donors still read email?”

Now the conversation is more about integration.

People move between platforms constantly. A supporter may:

Discover your organization on Instagram
Donate through email
Attend an event because of a text reminder
Share your campaign on TikTok
Read an impact story on LinkedIn

Organizations communicating consistently across channels are staying top-of-mind far more effectively than organizations relying heavily on one platform alone.

What nonprofits can do:

Ensure messaging is consistent across platforms
Map out the donor journey from discovery to donation
Repurpose stories across multiple channels instead of creating entirely new content every time
Use email, social media, events, and text messaging together rather than separately
Track where donors are actually engaging

The goal is not to be everywhere perfectly. It is to remain visible and connected consistently.

Test More. Wait Less.

One of the healthiest shifts I noticed this year was the willingness to experiment.

Organizations are testing smaller campaigns, adjusting messaging faster, watching analytics more closely, and making decisions based on real-time engagement rather than assumptions.

There was much more openness around trying things, learning quickly, and refining as you go.

The fundraising landscape is changing too quickly for organizations to spend years debating every new idea before acting on it.

What nonprofits can do:

Pilot smaller fundraising campaigns before scaling
A/B test messaging and subject lines
Review campaign performance regularly
Watch engagement patterns, not just donation totals
Normalize iteration internally

Some of the most interesting ideas shared at the conference came from organizations willing to test, adapt, and improve instead of waiting for a “perfect” strategy.

Final Thoughts

The nonprofits gaining momentum right now are not necessarily the ones with the largest teams or budgets. They are the ones simplifying operations, staying adaptable, communicating consistently, and building stronger relationships with supporters year-round.

Technology is changing. Donor behavior is changing. Expectations are changing.

But at the center of all of it, fundraising is still about connection, trust, and helping people feel part of something meaningful.