New Year’s Resolutions for Nonprofits — and Tips to Make Them Work

The new year is the perfect time to make a fresh start by learning new skills or digging deeper into key topics. Here are some ideas for nonprofit New Year’s resolutions to make this year a success — and links to advice on how to achieve these goals.

Donors Big and Small — and How to Keep Them

I want to …

• strengthen ties with small-dollar donors.
• write better thank-you notes that truly express our gratitude to donors.
• learn some new ways to make our everyday donors feel special.
• get our board involved in a capital campaign.
• start a monthly giving program.

Data and Technology

I want to …

• use AI to save time and money.
• make better data visualizations that clearly communicate our impact.
• develop AI guardrails for fundraising.

Donor-Advised Funds and Planned Gifts

I want to …

• raise more money from donor-advised funds. (Find even more tips.)
• learn more about how DAFs can be used to secure low-interest loans.
• find a way to get more from bequests and other planned gifts.

Grant Seeking

I want to …

• attract more big grants.
• raise more money for general-operating support.
• learn how foundations are using AI to vet my organization.
• get more grants for capacity building.

Leadership

I want to …

• boost staff morale after a tough stretch.
• take a sabbatical this year.
• work with an executive coach to develop new leadership skills.
• start strategic planning without the headaches.

Work and Careers

I want to …

• revamp my resume to advance my career.
• attract more top talent to join our staff.
• hire a consultant, but I don’t know where to start.