The Connection Recession: Rebuilding Community in 2026

We're living through a connection recession. Despite being more digitally linked than ever, people are starving for genuine human connection—and this presents both an urgent challenge and remarkable opportunity for fundraising events and donor stewardship in 2026.

Your year-end campaign data holds critical insights to fuel your planning for the year ahead. Which donors gave? Who increased their gifts when touched by story? These patterns reveal the hidden hunger for belonging in your community—intelligence that should fundamentally shape your 2026 gathering strategy.

As we prepare for the new year, fundraising events and donor stewardship must evolve from transactional moments to transformational experiences that feed this hunger for connection. When people feel genuinely seen, heard, and part of something meaningful, their generosity naturally expands.

Drawing from neuroscience and proven event design principles, we'll examine how to translate your fresh year-end insights into connection points  that heal isolation while building sustainable donor communities.

Key Learnings:

• Mining Year-End Data for Connection Insights
• The Science of Gathering for Connection
• From Year-End Donors to Year-Round Community
• Practical Tools You Can Implement
• Building Your Data-Informed 2026 Strategy

This webinar is for fundraising professionals ready to use their year-end intelligence to lead the shift from extractive to regenerative fundraising alongside gatherings that replenish both your mission's resources and your community's fundamental need for belonging.