Summer brings a rare drop in organizational noise. The major event is over, webinar attendance slows, and staff members rotate through vacation schedules. Instead of filling that space with another round of planning meetings, use it to examine whether your nonprofit is moving quickly enough to keep pace with the people it serves.
The hard part is rarely coming up with ideas. It is choosing among them, acting on what works, and stopping activities that consume resources without producing enough value.
Note: This is the first in a seven part series.
1. Are You Solving Today’s Problem?
“Times are changing and we’re evolving.”
— Richard Culatta, education association CEO
Your mission may endure, but your programs should not receive lifetime appointments. Conferences, courses, certifications, publications, and workshops can continue long after the need that inspired them has changed.
That risk is not theoretical. According to the 2025 Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, 56 percent of associations experienced flat or declining membership during the previous year. Only 51 percent reported membership growth over the preceding five years.
A full calendar can conceal declining relevance, especially when planning begins with last year’s offerings rather than today’s member problems.
One Thing to Do
Interview 20 recent members and 10 people who did not renew. Ask each person which professional problem they need help solving right now. Rank the responses, compare them with your current services, and fund the most important unmet need within 90 days.
