Midlevel Fundraising: The State of the Practice 2026

Join three veteran fundraisers for a fast-paced Q&A to help define the current practice and future directions for midlevel fundraising. Panelists will explore what has changed, what remains constant, and what defines the growing edge of this evolving discipline.

Through a structured Q&A (both live and collected in advance), the session will highlight where the practice has evolved and what may be on the horizon. Topics will include acquisition, stewardship, organizational structure, and important cross-silo relationships, such as that between midlevel and planned giving.

Midlevel is still a relatively new concept as a distinct layer of the giving pyramid. There are some aspects of the practice that are stabilizing, and some that are still in flux. One example of the latter is the pyramid structure itself. Some organizations are experimenting with a structure that stewards midlevel donors along with planned givers and major donor prospects. And many organizations are finding ways to resolve the tensions that were more common before COVID between midlevel and major gifts teams.

In addition, the session will update and deepen our understanding of the donors themselves. Missing Middle Four, released in 2024, surveyed nearly 6000 mid-level donors from 36 different organizations.