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Recently I listened to a webinar filled with statistics.

• Repeat donor retention was down.

• New donor retention was down.

• Lapsed donor recapture was down.

(I was relieved to see overall giving is up slightly! Yay!)

The news made me think about what we can do to change the trajectory of the numbers and build operational security for our organizations.

The answer is stewardship. Intentional, meaningful stewardship can create lifetime donors with a strong attachment to our mission and cause.

Are your capital projects connected to your strategic priorities?

Let’s consider a new dining hall project at a resident camp. Is this project strategic, or simply reactive to growth in campers or the declining state of the building? This example drives home the importance of using a strategic framework to guide capital projects. Too often, nonprofits begin with a perceived need rather than a strategic imperative.

Capital planning and master planning for facilities flow from strategy… not the other way around.

I’ve been having conversations lately with several nonprofit leaders I trust. CEOs, Executive Directors, Development Directors who care deeply about their missions and take their responsibility seriously.

And even though their organizations look different, I keep hearing familiar observations and challenges.

Fundraising is moving. Fundraising is changing. And the question underneath it all is: How does our team change with it?

Can you believe we’re already halfway through the year? If you’re like most nonprofit leaders, you kicked off the year with ambitious fundraising goals, detailed plans, and a whole lot of motivation to have “the best year yet!”

Now, with six months behind us, it's time to step back and ask: How are we really doing?

Remember, fundraising isn't just about year-end campaigns, online appeals, or event seasons; it’s a year-round effort that begins on day one of your new fiscal year. Taking time now to evaluate your progress can be the difference between scrambling in Q4 or finishing strong.

A mid-year review gives you a chance to:

• Assess the first six months of the year
• Identify gaps
• Re-engage and realign
• Plan ahead with purpose

As we move through the year, nonprofit leaders need to ask themselves: Are we where we hoped to be? These check-ins are about more than forecasting—they are a strategic opportunity.

These are opportunities to not just to evaluate results, but to ask deeper questions about direction, adaptability, and mission alignment. As Tod Bolsinger writes in Canoeing the Mountains, leadership today is no longer about mastering well-worn paths. It’s about stepping into the unknown, “off the map,” where the old tools don’t work, and the terrain requires new vision, vulnerability, and innovation.

Whether you’re ahead of pace or navigating unexpected challenges, this is your opportunity to drop the oars, stop paddling harder in the wrong direction and begin adapting to the real terrain ahead.

Is a capital expansion project included in your blueprint for growth? Whether a new facility, a refresh or update, or an addition, here are three early wins that should be considered now as the organization prepares for a capital campaign in the future.

For leaders of mission-driven organizations, keeping a hopeful attitude is critical to meeting the inevitable challenges that arise. But how do you keep your attitude positive when things aren’t going your way?

In “Imaginable” by Jane McGonigal, the author introduces the concept of “urgent optimism.” In this state of mind, it’s possible to be realistic about the issues and risks ahead, while also keeping an open eye and heart as to how you can help to solve those issues and address the risks.

When setting fundraising goals—whether for annual contributed revenue or a multi-year campaign—many organizations default to looking at past performance. But here’s the thing: basing your goals only on what’s been done before can be limiting.

Nonprofit boards often find themselves stuck in a rut, performing the same old tasks with the same agenda month after month, with little impact. This "old work," as described by board expert Richard Chait in his 1996 article "The New Board Work of the Nonprofit Board," remains highly relevant today. I had the opportunity to rediscover this valuable resource in my files, and it reaffirmed that boards have the potential to move their work toward a more impactful and relevant approach.

Nonprofit organizations often offer similar services. What separates them from each other?  Is one more worthy of someone’s time, talent, and treasure? Whether its market share, philanthropic funding, or even policy and program volunteers—nonprofits are standing in a sea of others whose missions may look quite similar from the outside. How does your organization stand out?