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7 Fundraising & Leadership Lessons Every Nonprofit Should Carry into 2026

Real numbers, real strategies, and mindset shifts from the most powerful conversations of 2025

As I sit down on New Year’s Eve, there’s something I keep thinking about: how fast this year moved and how much wisdom showed up along the way.

2025 brought some of the most honest, practical, and steal-this-idea conversations I’ve ever had on the podcast. Not just inspiring stories, but the kind of insights you scribble down at a red light, text to your work bestie, or immediately wonder, “How can we apply this to our organization?”

So instead of rushing headfirst into goal-setting for 2026, I want to pause and reflect on seven moments from this year that continue to stay with me. These are stories rooted in real numbers, tested strategies, and leadership shifts that nonprofits, social impact leaders, and fundraisers can actually use.

If you’re thinking about corporate partnerships, monthly giving, storytelling, leadership, confidence, or sustainable growth: this one’s for you.

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1. Corporate Partnerships Don’t Have to Feel Transactional

$300,000 raised through 20 corporate events, without a gala

Courtney Johnson from Culinary Care didn’t try to out-gala the gala.

Instead, she asked a better question: How do we invite companies into our mission in a way that feels meaningful, fun, and aligned with who we are?

The result was a corporate cook-off model that turned team building into impact. Companies weren’t just sponsoring something—they were participating in the mission. Chefs demonstrated dishes aligned with patient needs, corporate teams cooked alongside them, and the experience became immersive, memorable, and deeply human.

The biggest lesson here isn’t the dollar amount (though $300,000 certainly matters). It’s this:

The strongest corporate partnerships are designed, not defaulted.

When you build an experience around your strengths and your mission, rather than copying what everyone else is doing, you create partnerships that last.

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2. Monthly Giving Isn’t Just a Strategy. It’s a Stability Plan

91% retention with auto-renew donors at Surfrider Foundation

When Chad Nelsen from Surfrider Foundation shared their recurring giving numbers, I remember thinking: every nonprofit leader needs to hear this.

Surfrider invested in better recurring giving technology and strategy and the impact was immediate. While their average one-time donor renewal hovered around industry norms, their auto-renew monthly and annual donors stayed at a staggering 91% retention rate.

But the biggest shift wasn’t just retention. It was predictability.

Monthly giving smoothed out the “hockey stick” revenue curve that plagues so many organizations, creating steadier cash flow and more confident planning.

One of the most important reminders from this conversation:

Most donors don’t stop giving because they stopped caring. They stop because they forgot.

Recurring giving removes friction, for donors and for organizations.

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3. What If Failure Isn’t the Problem. The Story We Tell Is?

Liz Bohannon on “pluck-ups” and courage-in-action

Liz Bohannon introduced one of my favorite ideas of the year: pluck-ups.

Instead of treating failure as something to hide, rush past, or quietly internalize, Liz reframes it as evidence of courage. A pluck-up is proof that you tried, stretched, and risked something meaningful.

What struck me most was her insight about agency. You may not always control what happens, but you do control the story you tell yourself afterward.

And the story matters.

Shame isolates. Reframing reconnects. When leaders normalize pluck-ups, they create cultures where people feel free to try again, lead boldly, and build something that actually matters.

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4. Confidence in Speaking Isn’t About You

It’s about service

Heather Sager completely changed how I think about fear and visibility.

Instead of pretending fear doesn’t exist—or trying to “turn nerves into excitement”—she offers a much more practical reframe: Who are you centering?

When fear shows up, it’s often because we’re focused inward:

• What if I mess up?
• What if I sound foolish?
• What if they judge me?

Heather’s shift is simple but powerful: move the focus from self to service.

When you start thinking about what the audience needs, what they’re struggling with, and how you can help, confidence follows. Not because the fear disappears—but because purpose takes its place.

For nonprofit leaders, fundraisers, and advocates, visibility isn’t self-promotion. It’s responsibility.

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5. Human-Centered Storytelling Builds Long-Term Donor Loyalty

5,200 monthly donors at Houston Food Bank

Ashlyn Jones from Houston Food Bank shared a moment that perfectly illustrates why storytelling isn’t optional, it’s foundational.

After meeting a mother at a mobile distribution, Ashlyn carefully crafted a story that honored her dignity, shared context, and connected donors emotionally without sensationalizing hardship.

The response? Monthly donors wrote back asking to increase their gifts.

Why? Because the story didn’t just say “need exists.”
It showed impact is happening and you’re part of it.

The lesson here is subtle but critical:

Donors stay when they consistently see themselves reflected in the impact.

Monthly updates, thoughtful language, and respectful storytelling don’t just steward donors, they deepen commitment.

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6. Lead With Solutions, Not Just Problems

Donor empowerment at the NAACP

Trovon C. Williams shared a leadership insight that stopped me in my tracks: lead with what supporters are helping to solve.

Instead of overwhelming donors with everything that’s broken, start by empowering them. When people feel capable, hopeful, and included, they lean in deeper.

This shift turns communication from transaction to dialogue, from “here’s what’s wrong” to “here’s how you’re making change.”

It’s a reminder to slow down, reread our messages, and ask:

• Does this feel like an invitation?
• Or does it feel like pressure?

Empowered donors don’t just give more, they stay longer.

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7. Trust Young Leaders With Real Ownership

From one campus to 70+ cities with End Overdose

The final lesson of the year comes from Maddie Ward at End Overdose and it’s one filled with hope.

Their growth didn’t come from control. It came from trust.

By giving young leaders real ownership, meaningful delegation, and recognition, End Overdose scaled from a single campus to more than 70 cities nationwide.

Leadership development isn’t about hovering. It’s about believing people are capable before they prove it.

When autonomy and support coexist, movements grow.

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What I’m Carrying Into 2026

If there’s a throughline across all seven stories, it’s this:

• Sustainability beats urgency
• Empowerment outperforms pressure
• Human-centered strategy always wins

As you head into 2026, my hope is that you don’t just set bigger goals but build stronger systems, braver cultures, and more connected communities.

Because that’s how missions turn into movements.

Resources & Links

Hear the full episodes with each of today’s featured guests:

How 20 Cook-Offs Raised $300k from Corporate Partnerships

How Surfrider Foundation’s CEO Amplifies Impact Through Thought Leadership

Celebrating Failures: A New Approach to “Pluck-Ups”

How to Craft a Signature Talk to Amplify Your Mission

How Houston Food Bank Grew 5,200 Monthly Donors – The Importance of a Sustainer Role

NAACP’s Bold Shift Toward Sustained Impact

From UCLA to 70+ Cities: End Overdose Sparked a College Campus Movement

Register now for the FREE Monthly Giving Summit on February 25-26th, the only virtual event where nonprofits unite to master monthly giving, attract committed believers, and fund the future with confidence.

My book, The Monthly Giving Mastermind, is here! Grab a copy here and learn my framework to build, grow, and sustain subscriptions for good.

Join The Sustainers, my Slack community for nonprofit professionals growing and scaling a recurring giving program.

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