Latest / The Nonprofit Podcast / Ep 191| The One Question That Keeps Fundraising Strategic in 2026

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Ep 191| The One Question That Keeps Fundraising Strategic in 2026 · The Nonprofit Podcast

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: January is already here and it's already flying by.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: There's new goals, new plans, the quiet internal pressure that you should have everything figured out by now.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: And everyone loves to say that January is this big reset.
• 0:17
  SPEAKER_00: But I don't know about you.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: If you work in nonprofits, you know that's not actually how this all feels.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: Budgets are already locked in, programs are running, fundraising goals are staring us straight in the face.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Cycles were moving long before January started.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Donors, they're expecting more with less patience.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_00: And the people that you serve, they didn't just suddenly need less help because the calendar changed.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: No, none of that resets in January.
• 0:44
  SPEAKER_00: 2026 is not a blank canvas for nonprofits.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_00: The Nonprofit Podcast, powered by DonorBox.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Nonprofit Podcast.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: I'm Britt Stockert, fundraising coach, over here at DonorBox.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: Each week we bring you practical information, clear insights, and inspiration to help you raise more, reach further, and take your nonprofit to the next level.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not doing another episode about January resolutions or making big changes.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: I just want to share something that's been so helpful for me, both when I was working inside nonprofits and now coaching leaders every single day.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_00: Early January, before everything really kicks back in, it's a good time, right, to pick one question that you can come back to throughout the year.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: Again, this is not a resolution.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's not even a word of affirmation, like my yoga instructor might say.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_00: This is just a simple gut check for when things get busy or messy or totally overwhelming.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_00: When we talk about goal setting and nonprofits, we usually focus on outcomes.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: How much do we need to raise?
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_00: How many people do we need to reach?
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: What programs do we need to grow or stabilize?
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, yeah, those goals matter.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: But what I've seen over and over as a nonprofit leader and working with organizations around the world, goals don't usually fall apart because people don't care enough.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: They fall apart in hidden small in-between decisions that none of us plan for.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: Like, do we add another fundraising event because last year's did so dang well?
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_00: Do we say yes to that partnership because mission alignment feels so good, even if the logistics are a complete mess?
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: Do we take on an extra reporting requirement because it feels easier than pushing back to the board?
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: Do we expand a program because the need is real, even though the capacity isn't there?
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_00: None of these decisions feel dramatic in the moment, right?
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: But stacked over a year, they determine everything.
• 2:58
  SPEAKER_00: They determine your energy, your strategy, your funding stability, whether you actually deliver on the mission you're responsible for.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_00: That's where things get hard, and that's where a good question can be way more useful than a perfect plan.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: I teach this all the time to my coaching clients.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: And it's not because it sounds good, it's because I've watched what actually helps people stay steady over a long year.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: Because when you don't have something grounding to come back to, every decision that you make, it starts to feel urgent.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: And that's usually when things get heavier than they need to be, when you're starting to feel stretched, reactive, or you're quietly starting, starting to wither away and burn out.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: And this idea of a simple question gives you something to return to when the pace picks up, not to slow down important work, but just to make the work you're doing actually sustainable.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: So, what kind of question works?
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: What are what are you talking about, right, Britt?
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: Nothing complicated here, nothing that sounds strategic or fancy, something honest enough that you'll actually use it.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: One thing that comes up a lot in my coaching sessions is this question of is this actually worth my energy right now?
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_00: Because energy is one of the most limited resources in your work.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: And energy is what helps you notice when you're spending it out of habit.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_00: Are you spending it out of guilt or pressure instead of approaching it with real intention?
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Another question has to do with this idea of more.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Does this help or does it create more to manage?
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: More meetings, more systems, more ideas, more communication.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: More isn't always better.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: And this one helps you separate what truly supports a mission from what quietly adds weight.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: Another question I hear a lot is would I still say yes to this if I wasn't under pressure?
• 4:57
  SPEAKER_00: I'm talking about pressure from timelines, from your board or funders, from wanting to be responsive and helpful, from wanting to be that top-notch fundraiser.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: This one is big, especially in mission-driven work, where saying no can feel really personal.
• 5:13
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know about you, but the sector attracts so many of us dang people pleasers.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: Now, none of these questions, they're gonna fix your staffing store shortages or your funding gaps.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: But what they do is something so important because they help you make better decisions and those small moments that actually shape your year.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: They help you protect your capacity before you're already tapped out.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: And they help you stay aligned when urgency, you know it's gonna be showing up, when urgency is real and those resources are tight.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: And I've seen this play out across so many organizations.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: The leaders who last, they aren't the ones who do everything, right?
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: They're the ones who have a way to pause, even briefly, before committing their time and energy.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: And if you want to make this practical, instead of just some inspirational guidance from Brit, here's one simple way leaders I work with actually use it.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_00: Pick your question, write it down once, keep it where you actually see it.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_00: Then use it before saying yes when things feel heavy and when you're tempted to add, well, I can do just that one more thing.
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: No big ritual.
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_00: There isn't any performance, right?
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_00: Just a way to make decisions with the energy you actually have.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I want to say this this isn't about being anti-goals.
• 6:39
  SPEAKER_00: I spend so much time talking about goals, fundraising plans, systems for growth, because those things they still matter.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: But this is about pairing goals with good judgment, goals that point you somewhere.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: But questions help.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: These questions that I'm talking about help you when the path right there in front of your face, it isn't quite clear or straightforward, which honestly is it happens most of the time, right?
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_00: Nonprofits, you need goals, but you need to pair them with those questions to help you approach the work that you're doing with intention.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: And practically speaking, this doesn't have to be a big thing, right?
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: Again, it might be a note on your phone, a question you ask yourself en route to a board meeting before you approach the thing with that.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, something that you can come back to when things start to feel heavy.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need to announce it, you don't need it to be perfect.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_00: You just need something that you can trust enough to return to when life gets busy.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're listening to this as a year kicks off, here's what I would love to say.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: Before everything fully ramps up, because you know it is already ramping up, pick one question that you want to keep close this year.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: Not to lower your expectations, not to slow down that important work you're doing, but to help you keep doing the work in a way that's actually sustainable in 2026.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for being part of the nonprofit podcast community.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: Your work matters and we are honored to support it.
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoyed this episode, share it, leave us a review or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
• 8:19
  SPEAKER_00: Until next time, take that first step and stay inspired.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: That warm feeling when you help someone, it's not just happiness, it's fulfillment.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: And we believe it should be available to everyone.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_01: From frontline heroes to first time fundraisers.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_01: Our tools empower you to help others.
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: This is our mission.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_01: This is Donorbox, helping you help others.