2026 State of Corporate Purpose: what companies are doing differently this year, and what it means for you

This year put corporate purpose to the test. Political scrutiny, funding shifts and talk of corporate retreat made headlines, but here’s what actually happened:

• Corporate giving rose almost eight points year-over-year
• 78% of companies continued all of their purpose work the same way as previous years
• 94% of CEOs privately support their company's purpose programs
• 87% say AI will reduce the burden on nonprofits

The headlines say retreat, the data says resilience. Impact leaders aren't just holding the line. Instead they're building the capacity to keep adapting as the world shifts around them.