Is the current nonprofit climate crushing possibility (and resource abundance) in your nonprofit?
During the last few months, we’ve walked you through a model to build abundance and resilience – despite these challenging times. We’ve discussed the first six steps of building a Culture of Philanthropy. (Find steps 1-6 here.)
They’re the groundwork: taking a stand for something better for your organization; throwing your hat over the fence; finding a partner who shares your vision – a committed listener; creating a task force- your team to design the future.
Now that you have momentum it’s time for the deeper work that turns momentum into transformation.
Step 7: Design Your Preferred Future
Every organization has two futures: the default future and the preferred future.
The default future is what happens if you keep doing things the same way. It’s often shaped by old habits and scarcity thinking. It’s the voice that says, “We’ll never raise enough,” or “Our board just won’t engage,” or “We already tried that!” Left unchecked, the default future locks you into survival mode, and a future that you really don’t want.
The preferred future, by contrast, is designed with intention. It’s when your team, board, and community come together and ask:
- What do we really want for our organization?
- What does abundance look like here?
- What’s possible if we all lean in together?
Designing your preferred future shifts the conversation from fear to possibility. This is a critical step – and one that is essential to your success – especially when we are inundated with fear-based news on a daily basis. Designing your preferred future with a team brings alignment, fuels imagination, and creates a vision people want to rally behind.
Step 8: Create Your Implementation Plan
Vision without a plan is just a dream. Step 8 is about turning your preferred future into a roadmap for action.
That’s where SHMART goals come in. You already know SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. I add an H for Hearts & Minds.
Why? Because transformation isn’t just about hitting metrics. In times like these, when nonprofits are stretched thin and communities face greater needs, it’s people’s belief, commitment, and sense of ownership that make the difference. The “H” makes space for goals that connect emotionally, shifts your culture toward belonging, builds loyalty and creates long-term resilience.
A SHMART goal might sound like:
“By June 30, every board member will have made a thank-you call or write a personalized letter to at least three donors, deepening engagement and appreciation.”
From there, anchor your plan in the Five Points of Possibility:
- Culture of Philanthropy is integral to our mission. (Check!)
- Everyone shares responsibility for philanthropy. (Yes, check!)
- We build and maintain deep donor relationships and partnerships. (Yes!)
- Community engagement is what we do. (Perfect!)
- We recognize every contribution — time, items, or money — as an expression of philanthropy. (Yes, be sure to acknowledge ALL types of gifts in the letters and phone calls!)
With SHMART goals and these five touchstones, your implementation plan becomes not just tactical — but transformational.
Why These Steps Matter, Especially Now
Nonprofits are operating in one of the toughest environments in decades — rising costs, staff turnover, increased demand for services, and donor fatigue. In times like these, it’s easy to slip into scarcity thinking and a default future of doing “more with less.”
Steps 7 and 8 are the antidote. Designing your preferred future lets you lift your eyes from today’s struggles to tomorrow’s possibilities. Creating your implementation plan with SHMART goals ensures you don’t just dream, you act — in ways that engage both the head and the heart.
When times are uncertain, clarity, alignment, and shared ownership are what sustain organizations. These steps give you exactly that.
Philanthropy is never just about dollars raised — it’s about cultivating a culture where generosity flourishes and supporters feel deeply connected, knowing their contributions truly make a difference in a world that urgently needs their impact.
Steps 7 and 8 empower you to break free from the constraints of a default, scarcity-driven future and instead design one rooted in abundance. With SHMART goals that engage both hearts and minds, you transform vision into action — and scarcity into lasting sustainability.
