World Giving Report 2026: charities under pressure
Following an initial study published in June that provided an overview of generosity worldwide, the second part of the World Giving Report 2026, coordinated by the Charities Aid Foundation, analyses the challenges faced by organisations working for the public good across 33 countries. Conducted in partnership with Fondation de France, the French component of the study raises the alarm regarding the health of the voluntary sector, caught in a vice between a funding crisis and the continuous rise in needs. Despite this challenging context, those working in the public interest are demonstrating a genuine capacity to find solutions and work together.
Pessimism is rising among French charities: 78% of them currently consider the sector to be in poor health—more than double the global average (34%) and ten points higher than in 2025—according to the newly published "Charity Insights – France" report from the World Giving Report 2026.
"This year's findings paint a French charity sector under real pressure, and one that feels that pressure more acutely than most," observes Axelle Davezac, Director General of Fondation de France.
Underlying this finding is a central concern: financial viability, cited by 66% of respondents in France as their main challenge. "This is not a fleeting concern but a structural one, closely tied to shrinking public subsidies and an uncertain political environment," explains Axelle Davezac.
An inflexible funding model
These concerns are linked, in particular, to the sector's funding model. In France, 96% of the support received by the stakeholders surveyed comes from within the country, compared to 77% globally. Furthermore, the French sector is particularly dependent on public funding: 70% of the French stakeholders surveyed report receiving state aid, compared to 41% globally.
Added to this dependency is limited flexibility. A majority of French stakeholders (68%) report receiving earmarked funds that can only be used for a specific project or cause. The proportion remains high, even though it has fallen slightly compared to 2025, when it reached 72%. The study indicates that for the majority of organisations, it is easier to achieve their objectives when the share of earmarked funding does not exceed 50%. “This finding should prompt those who support associations to reflect on their practices,” notes Axelle Davezac.
Rising social needs
These budgetary pressures are occurring at a time when the needs addressed by charities are constantly rising. In France, 68% of organisations report having seen an increase in requests over the past twelve months. Furthermore, 62% of them anticipate this growth continuing in 2027.
This development seems harder to absorb in France than elsewhere: 39% of the stakeholders surveyed consider it difficult to manage the increase in demand, compared to 30% globally.
However, the difficulties encountered do not appear to undermine the sector's mobilisation. “The challenges facing France's charity sector are linked to resources, not to the will or commitment to serve the common good. The teams remain fully committed but are currently battling multiple difficulties,” notes Axelle Davezac.
A strong capacity for cooperation
Despite the difficulties, the study highlights the strong capacity for cooperation within the French charity sector. Indeed, 70% of the stakeholders surveyed consider that civil society actors work well together, compared to 66% globally. Competition between organisations, particularly for securing funding, is also less frequently perceived as a barrier to this cooperation. It is cited by 13% of the organisations surveyed in France, compared with 23% worldwide.
Cooperation is also reflected in the expectations expressed regarding foundations and other partners in the sector, particularly concerning the role they can play beyond financial support. 56% of the organisations surveyed in France would like more support in developing networks and forging partnerships. When asked to specify with whom they would like to collaborate more, companies come out on top, just ahead of foundations and administrative authorities.
A concern also emerges from the study: 52% of the French organisations surveyed feel they are over-burdened by the foundations supporting them—particularly regarding impact measurement—even though this is not always feasible for 42% of them (compared to 29% globally).
However, impact measurement is seeing an encouraging trend among associations: while 44% of the French organisations surveyed in 2025 felt they were not effectively communicating their impact, that figure has now fallen to 28% (compared to 52% globally).
“When asked what would empower them most, charity leaders' responses were clear and concrete: they mostly ask for help with networking and for funders to ask less of them. These are practical and achievable requests,” concludes Axelle Davezac.