Thank you! And Our Top Posts of 2025

Dec 17

How are you? Every year, I forget what December in the United States feels like until I get here with five weeks compressed into three before the Winter break starts. Hope you are keeping all the balls in the air and are enjoying a few delicious holiday cookies!

In this last post of the year, we wanted to briefly say “Thank you.” The environment this year for nonprofits, immigrants, science, health, education, Federal workers and so many others was frequently bleak and destructive. Yet working with people and organizations fighting for a world in which all people can thrive, we continue to feel hope alongside the heartbreak.

As a wrap up to 2025, we went back to the archives to look at which of these newsletters got the most interest, and are resharing our top four below in case you missed them.

#4 How the Nonprofit Lifecycle Model Clarifies What to Do Next

This series on the Nonprofit Lifecycle Model got a lot of response, with readers resharing these posts. After this introductory post, we wrote about the Idea and Startup stages. In 2026, we’ll continue the series with Growth, Maturity, and Decline.

#3 Three Ideas for Collective Strength - and Resistance Right Now

Early in the year, many of you were also wondering what to do about the new Federal regime. This post shares helpful ideas towards resistance, courage, and self-care.

#2 Three Steps to Heal or Strengthen Systems in Nonprofit Organizations

Assessing your organization’s systems in terms of the “overflowing bathtub scale” challenged readers to consider which of their organization’s systems needed attention and some concrete next steps.

#1 How to Handle Toxic Board or Staff Members, A Crucial Tip for Leaders

This one struck a chord! There is always more to say about taking leadership towards toxic people.

How your feedback can strengthen my upcoming book on Inclusive Strategic Planning

I was inspired and encouraged by the response to my announcement earlier this year about the draft book manuscript. Over 100 individuals signed up to be beta readers or launch team members, and almost 40 people contributed their time as beta readers. My book on Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits: A five-step process to expand energy, alignment, and opportunity is coming in early 2026!!! If you want to be an early reader and join the launch team, you can still sign up here.

Readers, again thank you for responding, chiming in, learning with us, meeting for Zoom coffees, sending us business, working with us - for being in community with us throughout 2025. We’ve had many discouraging moments throughout the year, and have had the opportunity to build strong bonds with important organizations and people. We certainly wish that the hardships we’ve had to endure - that may continue and potentially worsen - were not the cause bringing us together. Rather, we wish that unifying around our personal and organizational mission and values were enough.

All of that being said, I do hope you have a restful holiday break. Take care of yourself and your health because we still have work to do next year! I look forward to picking this up with all of you in 2026.

Renee Rubin Ross