Insights, Nonprofit

2025 in Review: Key Nonprofit Hiring Trends and a Look Ahead to 2026

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As we close out 2025, one thing is certain: this was a challenging year in the nonprofit and mission-driven sector. Massive upheavals in funding, staffing, and changing priorities and guidelines at the federal level resulted in system change across the entire sector. As nonprofit leaders look to make sense of this tumultuous year and build out strategies for whatever might come in 2026, the DSG Global Nonprofit team has done the same. Below are six trends around nonprofit hiring and organizational changes in 2025 that we expect to see continue next year.

A flood of highly qualified candidates for every opening

Our search teams are noting record high numbers of applicants for every role. But at the same time, it remains as challenging as ever to identify candidates with the right mix of skills, experience, and content expertise. Large applicant pools require more time spent screening and communicating to candidates while continuing to prioritize customized outreach to identify the right people in a sea of potential applicants.

Growing use of – and concerns about – AI in the hiring process

Savvy candidates are leveraging AI for everything from writing cover letters, to identifying and highlighting key words in their resumes, to networking. And AI-based systems are being deployed more frequently to screen and vet candidates. At DSG Global, we aim to leverage AI thoughtfully, using it to enhance our outreach and research capabilities while still ensuring that we have personal engagement and accountability for candidate assessment. But as the AI frontier continues to expand, search firms, candidates, and hiring entities will increasingly incorporate AI platforms and tools into the hiring process.

The demand for skilled fundraising professionals is on the rise

Our dedicated Fundraising & Advancement practice reported a significant increase in searches in this functional area in 2025 in response to funding cuts and a rush to diversify revenue streams. Our team has seen hiring organizations prioritize major/individual donor expertise in particular.

Location is still a challenge

Our team has seen more and more nonprofits work to get people back in the office regularly, but many candidates, even at the leadership level, remain uninterested in relocation or full-time, in-office roles. We counsel that hiring entities are clear about in-person expectations and travel at the outset of any search, as mismatched expectations on this front can quickly derail a process. This includes defining what hybrid means for your organization and specifying travel expectations.

Retirements are continuing to create leadership openings

The demographic shift that has been underway across the nonprofit sector continues, with many long-time leaders departing. This is creating a new cohort of nonprofit leaders with new ideas and vision, but also may pose transitional risks to organizations undergoing a leadership search.

The final take-away from 2025? Uncertainty is the new certainty

Our Nonprofit and Social Impact Practice has seen candidates and leaders start to move away from risk aversion or a desire to stay put because the environment seemed so unstable during the first half of the year to a stance of accepting that, at least for the foreseeable future, certainty is not something that can be counted on. Sitting CEOs are open to new opportunities, long-time leaders are retiring, and organizations are realizing they need new leaders to develop and implement new strategies. We look forward to a 2026 with more opportunities for leaders and new approaches to navigating the external environment, no matter how it changes.

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DECEMBER 15, 2025

Contributed by MOLLY BRENNAN, Global Managing Partner and Practice Leader, Nonprofit and Social Impact – DSG Global.