Optimism for Swedish fundraising after record-breaking December

Two in three Swedish nonprofits expect their fundraising income to rise in 2026, says a new report from Giva Sverige.

The report, which forecast stable total giving in 2025 of SEK 12.3bn (€1.2bn) based on preliminary fundraising results, follows news that Giva Sverige’s Gåvoindex, a barometer of generosity, reached a record high of 74 during December 2025.

December’s success reflected strong public and corporate giving, said Giva Sverige, noting that corporate gifts rise when the economy improves.

Looking ahead, 65% of organisations told Giva Sverige’s survey in late 2025 that they expected increased income in 2026. Only 15% expected it to fall.

There was strong optimism around both public and corporate giving in 2026, with around three in five respondents expecting more income in each category, a figure that dropped to two in five for legacy income and foundation gifts.

2025 stability

The projected SEK 12.3bn total for 2025 is only a modest increase against SEK 12.2bn in 2024, but Giva Sverige secretary general Charlotte Rydh said this was a positive result given global uncertainty and continued pressure on household finance.

A particularly promising finding was that the value of gifts in excess of SEK 100,000 were predicted to rise 59% from Q4 2024 to Q4 2025, reaching SEK 113m.

Overall, 57% of nonprofits said that their fundraising income should increase between 2024 and 2025, with another 19% saying it would be stable.

Giva Sverige says that for most of the 23% who predicted their 2025 income to fall, decreased legacy gifts was the decisive factor.

Looking just at fundraising from the general public (excluding legacies), 74% of organisations expected increased income in 2025, and only 11% expected it to drop.

This growth in 2025 was driven by a 4.3% increase in recurring donations (kontraktsgåvor), with both donor numbers and average gift size rising by approximately 2%.

Charlotte Rydh adds:

“When the world around us is uncertain, the role of civil society becomes even clearer as a complementary force to the public sector. Increased giving is an expression of people’s commitment, solidarity and trust in the ability of nonprofit organisations to make a difference.”

Picture by Drahomír Hugo Posteby-Mach via Unsplash