The fourth quarter of the year is upon us. For many non-profits, this means it’s game time for reaching annual fundraising revenue goals through a variety of compelling giving season campaigns. While maximizing this seasonal generosity is essential, it’s just as important to lay a strong foundation for next year’s success. As you look ahead, a few simple yet powerful steps can help you take a “Marie Kondo”–inspired approach—borrowing from the well-known organizing expert who encourages keeping only what truly adds value—to ensure every 2026 initiative contributes meaningfully to your mission. Here are a few ways to set your team up for a strong, highly organized, and impactful 2026.

• Evaluate 2025 and Keep What Sparks Impact. Determine which 2025 projects were most impactful and why. Data is key to this evaluation of success, and it’s important to remember to review both quantitative and qualitative results. While numbers provide tangible results, customer feedback reveals the “why” behind those metrics, offering insight into customer motivations and pain points.
• Inspire Mindfulness and Listen to Your Team. Want to really fire up your team’s mission engagement and morale? Try getting them together to talk about their vision for the organization’s mission. A team retrospective is a super effective way to kick off this conversation, get everyone involved, and walk away with actionable steps for improvement.
• Process Purge and Create Sustainable Improvements. A key part of continuously improving your organization is understanding if your processes and documentation are increasing efficiency and supporting your goals. This can include evaluating your technology tools, auditing your donor database, updating your standard operating procedures, and leveraging automation or AI to streamline tasks and enhance data insights.

By embracing a Marie Kondo–inspired mindset—keeping what sparks impact, clearing away what no longer serves your mission, and creating intentional, sustainable systems—nonprofits can enter 2026 with defined goals and confidence. The work you do now to thoughtfully evaluate, listen, and streamline isn’t just organizational “tidying”; it is the groundwork for more effective fundraising, stronger teams, and deeper donor relationships in the year ahead. When your strategies, processes, and goals are aligned your organization is better positioned to start the year ready to create meaningful change.