Plan smarter in 2026 🚀
Written by katie test davis
Think back to January 2025. For me, it feels like a lifetime ago. So much has changed. We also got a wild amount of work done for our clients.
Off the top of my head, here are a few projects we tackled. We’ve:
Written, designed and launched multiple reports and white papers for nonprofits
Created a publicity strategy with branding and materials for an association’s annual conference
Helped two different foundations celebrate major milestones with their community (including producing a really fun coloring book for one of them)
Designed an advocacy campaign with custom graphics to raise awareness about the harm caused by funding cuts
And those are just the projects that immediately come to mind. We’ve been busy.
And so have you!
I know 2025 threw some real curveballs at our sector. Y'all navigated the steep drop-off of pandemic relief funding with incredible grit. Leaders in child and family advocacy faced tighter budgets and louder political noise.
It takes serious courage to keep families at the center when resources get scarce.
We saw you double down on what matters despite the headwinds. Organizations strengthened community partnerships to fill the gaps. You used data to tell undeniable stories about what kids, families and communities need right now. We watched you embrace new tools to keep equity alive in your work.
That resilience is the heartbeat of our movement.
And I’m not the first person to tell you that more change is coming.
We need to take all the skills we’ve developed over the past few years and be nimble.
Right now, we’re telling most of our clients to create a three-month communications plan instead of an annual plan.
Simplify by breaking the work into quarters and be honest about what’s realistic with your capacity.
Here’s how:
dream big, then get real
First, brain dump everything on your wishlist for your communications and outreach. Dream big. Ask yourself: if money wasn’t an issue, what would we be doing right now?
Now, go through that list and mark the ‘must-do’ items. These are your absolute essentials. This might be things like creating your monthly newsletter or spending time on your annual fundraising event.
Look at your strategic communication planning goals to help you decide. If a task doesn’t directly advance your mission or support your families, it belongs on the wishlist.
map your capacity
If there is some capacity available after your essentials are taken care of, prioritize your wishlist by return on investment. Which of these activities will actually move the needle?
Don’t just look for vanity metrics like "likes." Look for activities that spark real conversations or action from your target audience.
Pick one or two items. Put those onto your list. Make sure you list them as "wishlist" items rather than essential tasks.
when you need more hands
If you mapped your essentials and can't accomplish them with current capacity, make a plan for getting help. Look at staff on neighboring teams (such as your development or policy teams).
They might have the skills to pitch in.
If you are tapped out internally, it’s time to look for outside help. But before you spend days writing a massive RFP (Request for Proposal), stop right there!
We have a more strategic way to hire consultants – and we’ll be sharing about it in an upcoming email.
Moving from rigid annual plans to agile quarterly sprints helps you move at the speed of real life.
2026 is yours to shape.
Go make it count.
