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I genuinely thought this would be a five-minute fix.

One of the knobs on our gas stove broke, so I did what any reasonable person would do: I looked for and ordered a replacement. When it arrived, it wouldn’t fit. I checked the model number, confirmed it was correct, and assumed the problem was a manufacturing issue. So, I ordered another knob and returned the first one I ordered.

Same result.

At this point in the calendar year, most nonprofits have set their budgets and plans for the coming year. Now the reality sets in: how are you going to make it all happen? Here are some fresh ways to think about achieving your goals and, more importantly, bringing your mission into action for those you serve.

I am an avid sports fan and late October through mid-November is the ultimate time of year for me to follow multiple sports very closely. When we think about leadership, our minds tend to go immediately to the notion of an individual who leads others, most often in a business setting. However, what I want to drill down on in this blog is an entirely different aspect of leadership: it is the notion of leading yourself. And sports offer many sterling examples of just that.

I've seen it time and again: nonprofits that aren't deeply connected to the communities they serve miss critical opportunities. Having recently facilitated a community leader forum for a strategic planning project and a community needs assessment, I'm always excited when community leaders are fully engaged and ready to help. I often hear them say, "Thank you for inviting me to participate today; I've learned so much about this organization," "I appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback on this important initiative for our community" and “This is exciting! How can I help?”

The last quarter of the year always feels different. The calendar is heavier, expectations loom larger, and every ask seems more urgent than the one before. But here’s what I’ve learned: leadership in Q4 isn’t about pushing harder. It's about how you show up.

When you walk into a room at year-end, donors and staff alike are watching. They notice your tone, your posture, your clarity — or lack thereof. That’s where leadership lives.

Imagine this: It's mid-November, your inbox is overflowing, your year-end campaign is ramping up, and somewhere in the back of your mind, you know you should be thinking more intentionally about thanking your donors. But between grant deadlines, board meetings, and program demands, "meaningful donor stewardship" feels like another item on an already long to-do list.

I get it. And here's what I've learned from working with nonprofit leaders who've cracked this code: the organizations that make their donors feel genuinely appreciated aren't necessarily the ones with the biggest development teams or the fanciest CRM systems. They're the ones who've figured out how to scale gratitude and authenticity and they're doing it in ways that might surprise you.

Have you ever experienced the excitement of securing that first donation from a supporter, only to feel the connection slowly fade away? It’s a common frustration among nonprofit leaders—like trying to hold water in your hands; no matter how tightly you grasp, it slips through your fingers.

This isn’t just a feeling. It’s backed by data. The 2025 Virtuous Benchmark Report reveals that the average gross donor retention rate across nonprofits sits at just 50.4%. That means nearly half of donors disappear each year. First-time donors? The numbers are even bleaker—up to 70% never give again.

As fundraisers or nonprofit leaders, we express gratitude in a million ways. We appreciate the volunteers and donors who show up to events or support our cause. We are grateful to the corporations and the people within the companies who sponsor our events and the supporters who remember our organizations in their wills. We honor the small gifts that are so heartfelt and the big gifts that represent transformation.

A couple years ago, I decided to sign up for my first ever beginner triathlon. Even though I didn’t have a training schedule, I did have an irrational sense of optimism – what else could I possibly need?  Without a plan, I showed up on race day to the start line without goggles and one sock. Unprepared but still optimistic. I can manage a short swim, bike ride, and 5k because I had done those exercises in some form before – how hard could it be?

Needless to say, I found myself struggling to make it through. By the run, I was exhausted and would shamelessly run when there were cheerleaders and spectators and would walk when no one was watching.

I finished, but it was messy.

That experience taught me something important: passion and optimism are great, but without a focused plan and intentional execution, you’ll spend more energy scrambling than succeeding.

The same is true in fundraising…especially at year-end.