The new year is almost upon us which means it is time for reflection and goal-setting. As we head into 2023, nonprofit organizations continue to face challenges with workforce retention, maintaining and growing their donor base, and more.
Here are a few recommendations from the ZIM team to set your team up for success in 2023:
Stay up to date on nonprofit trends that impact your organization
Newsletters from sources such as the National Council of Nonprofits, The Chronicles of Philanthropy, and Inside Philanthropy help you and your staff stay up to date on current events in the nonprofit space.
Quarterly and annual reports from sources such as Nonprofit Quarterly, Independent Sector, and AFP Foundation for Philanthropy’s Fundraising Effectiveness Project provide trend analysis and data that help nonprofit professionals understand longer-term trends impacting their work.
Review the organization's successes and challenges from the last year.
Where is there room for improvement?
How can you recreate and build upon the successes?
Set measurable SMART goals for the year
Consider goals for each segment of the organization: governance, administration, fundraising/development, programming, evaluation, and marketing.
Clean up your databases and documents
Assess the tools and technology your organization is using
Does your team have the tools it needs to reach the SMART goals they’ve set out?
Is there room for automating tasks to reduce the burden on your staff for repeatable or routine tasks?
Does your organization have the resources to invest in the tools it needs if there are gaps?
Evaluate the donor stewardship plan and refresh donor communications
Update website content to ensure the latest most relevant information is front and center
Create a communications calendar mapping all social media and email campaigns/communications for the next 12 months
Review board responsibilities, commitment, and needs
Work with the board to understand their goals and how they’d like to support the organization
Provide board members with the tools they need to be successful
Celebrate your successes and your team!