Happy 2026! As policy shifts and new advocacy opportunities emerge, the Bolder Advocacy team is here to guide nonprofits so they can continue to advocate boldly while remaining compliant and effective. We’re kicking off the year with our Top 10 nonprofit New Year’s resolutions to help your organization thrive.
Attorneys for This Episode
Top 10 2026 Resolutions:
1. Deepen Mission Alignment
Clarity fuels momentum. Revisit your mission statement to ensure that every project, partnership, and expenditure aligns directly with your core purpose.
-
The National Council of Nonprofits hosts a hub on its website that provides nonprofits with tools, research, and resources needed to operate a nonprofit more effectively, efficiently, and ethically.
2. Conduct an Advocacy Check-Up
Identify opportunities to enhance your organization’s advocacy activities, and raise potential issues about compliance with the tax, lobby, election, and other laws that govern your work.
3. Invest in Staff Well-Being
A supported team propels progress through good times and through bad. Prioritize mental health, provide professional development opportunities, and maintain a culture of appreciation. Encourage continuous learning to ensure that your team is constantly growing and expanding its expertise on the issues facing your communities and potential policy solutions.
4. Strengthen Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
Commit to measurable actions to ensure your staff, board, and programs reflect and serve your community’s diversity authentically.
5. Improve Financial Transparency
Publish clear annual reports, be open about how resources are used, and communicate outcomes to maintain trust.
6. Embrace Digital Transformation
Technology can amplify reach and efficiency. Adopt digital mechanisms for donor management, storytelling, virtual events, and operations.
7. Build Sustainable Fundraising Strategies
Diversify revenue streams. Combine grants, recurring donations, sponsorships, private donors, and other opportunities for long-term financial health.
8. Measure What Matters
Data-driven decisions help refine focus and prove impact. Develop and track meaningful metrics that demonstrate actual outcomes.
9. Strengthen Community Partnerships
Collaborate rather than compete. Coalitions, community, local governments, and businesses can all amplify their missions through shared resources and reach.
10. Prepare for Midterm Elections
Remember: 501(c)(3) public charities may engage in nonpartisan voter education, issue advocacy, and civic engagement, so plan your election-season activities early to ensure the organization is impactful while remaining compliant.
