We use the occasion of a new year to reflect on the past and consider what themes we believe will be important to the nonprofit sector in the year ahead.
Since 2020, we have had a tradition of offering nonprofit sector resolutions (revisit them here: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), and we continue with cautious optimism for 2025.
With a presidential inauguration around the corner, many of our nonprofit partners are feeling uncertain and anxious about potential funding cuts and policy changes, but we remain grounded in the belief that the sector is a) resilient and b) has champions and advocates at all levels of society.
We acknowledge the stress that our clients and our colleagues are feeling and offer hope for even greater impact this year because of a deep belief in your mission and a relentless focus on impact.
- Build advocacy training into your board calendar.
If ever there was a year for the board to be activated in advocacy, it’s 2025. We often refer to advocacy with a little “a” versus Advocacy with a big “A,” meaning education and outreach is different from lobbying and electioneering. BoardSource offers an advocacy toolkit for the sector that is an invaluable resource – Stand for Your Mission. We encourage every nonprofit to dive into the content and add this to your next board meeting agenda.
2. Shore up your cash reserves.
With the potential of massive cuts in federal spending, your organization will need cash on hand and access to philanthropic resources to weather what may be a seismic shift in funding. Reconsider policies and invite a few board members to form a small ad hoc committee to monitor what comes out of Washington so that you are as prepared as possible.
3. Join an association or chamber to align with your peers.
In Central Ohio, the Human Service Chamber is the leading voice for 200 member agencies. Other associations include entities like the Ohio Association for Nonprofit Organizations, Charitable Healthcare Network, Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations, Creative Ohio, and others that represent your specific field. There is power in numbers.
4. Consider a sabbatical for your chief executive.
A consistent theme in our resolutions since 2020 is how hard nonprofit professionals are working and the chronic stress and fatigue of managing organizations through the pandemic with increasing need but not enough resources – human and financial. Consider adding a three-month sabbatical for your chief executive. The time away – truly time away – may be what’s needed. See the Durfee Foundation for a sample sabbatical policy.
We offer our gratitude for all the joys and accomplishments of 2024 and hope that 2025 provides opportunities for connection and success throughout the sector.
