If 2025 Felt Heavy, You Weren’t Imagining It
Budgets tightened. Scrutiny increased. Trust felt harder to earn. Even strong nonprofits found themselves bracing instead of building.
According to BetterUnite CEO and co-founder Leya Simmons, that pressure wasn’t a sign of failure. It was formative.
In 501C Drop: Looking Ahead—2026 Is Coming in Hot, Leya reframed the year ahead not as another push to survive, but as a chance to design momentum on purpose.
Why 2025 Mattered
The challenges of 2025 went beyond money. Nonprofits faced heightened oversight, growing uncertainty, and louder demands to prove value and transparency.
And still, organizations held.
Leya shared the concept of “stress wood.” Trees exposed to sustained wind don’t weaken. They grow stronger outer layers that stabilize them.
That’s what 2025 did. Stronger governance. Tighter systems. More grit than planned.
Feeling tired doesn’t mean you failed. It means you adapted.
Giving Is Still There. Stability Is the Question.
Generosity didn’t disappear. Giving Tuesday 2025 topped $4 billion. Total charitable giving rebounded after inflation.
What changed is consistency.
Fewer donors are carrying more of the load. Small-dollar participation continues to decline. Retention is no longer optional. It’s a growth strategy.
The takeaway for 2026 isn’t to ask louder. It’s to design clearer pathways for people who already care.
Trust Has to Be Built Into the System
Trust isn’t created through messaging. It’s built through structure.
Clear governance. Financial oversight. Clean filings. Transparent decisions.
These aren’t administrative tasks. They’re mission protection. Momentum doesn’t come from speed. It comes from stability.
Curiosity Beats Automation
AI will shape 2026, but automation without understanding creates burnout.
AI isn’t the strategy. Curiosity is.
Used well, technology removes busywork and frees teams to focus on relationships and stewardship. Used poorly, it adds friction.
The leaders who succeed in 2026 will be the ones asking better questions. What assumptions are we holding? What if we redesigned this? Where are we defaulting to “how it’s always been done”?
Curiosity is a competitive advantage.
The Momentum Loop
Leya introduced a simple system for 2026:
Invite.
Engage.
Convert.
Steward.
Multiply.
Not a funnel. A loop.
Events aren’t endpoints. They’re entry points. Recurring giving isn’t optional. It’s a stability engine. Stewardship builds belonging. Supporters bring supporters.
When each effort feeds the next, momentum compounds.
Belonging Wins in 2026
Branding matters less than belonging.
People stay where they feel seen. They give where trust is real. They return when relationships are human.
Retention doesn’t come from better copy. It comes from proximity and care.
The Mistake to Avoid in 2026
The biggest risk next year is running disconnected campaigns.
Asking without follow-through. Hosting events without a next step. Treating each effort as standalone.
Momentum requires design. Every action should point forward.
The Bottom Line
2025 was heavy because it was heavy. But it wasn’t wasted.
It revealed where strength actually lives. In systems. In trust. In people who keep showing up.
With intention and momentum by design, 2026 doesn’t have to feel uphill.
It can feel stable.
