Happy New Year to each and every one of you! Welcome to 2026. And welcome to this year’s first issue of the Fuel Tank.
A lot of times we think of the new year as a clean slate. But in truth, it’s just a mark on a calendar. Because the challenges that existed last week are still there. And more importantly, the momentum that you built in 2025 didn’t suddenly stop cold (it may have taken a brief recovery nap over the holidays, which was sorely needed).
So here we are. The insanity of Giving Tuesday, year end pushes, stretching for annual targets, wrapping up campaigns, planning, budgeting….😱…are in your rearview mirror. It’s time to look forward again.
And it’s time to do what we all know is at the top of the list for long-term success and sustainability - engage with our donors on a deeper level than ever. They need it. We need it. The world needs it. Because that’s how problems are going to get solved.
And if you want need better donor engagement in 2026, then start with intentional moves in the first 30 days. There’s no better time than right now.
These aren't major campaigns. They’re small but powerful actions you can take in January that show donors you’re listening, invested in the relationship, and focused on impact. It reminds them, and you, that you need their help, their support, their ideas, their advocacy, their skills, their passion…and not just their credit card.
Without further delay, here are five donor moves that send the right message…early.
If there’s one truth that held steady through 2025, it’s this: fundraisers aren’t short on effort; they’re short on focus.
Not because they’re unmotivated.
Not because they’re overwhelmed (though many are).
But because fundraisers work in an environment where everything feels urgent and almost nothing feels clear.
So to start 2026 on steadier ground, here are five donor moves that actually shape momentum - small changes that create disproportionate returns.
1. Reconnect with the donor who already trusts you.
Everyone wants new donors in January.
But the easiest “new” donor is the one who already raised their hand in the past.
Reconnect with one donor who had a strong year of engagement in 2024–25.
A quick message, a note, a story from the field, something that says:
“You’re seen. You matter. Here’s what your support made possible.”
Fewer fundraisers do this than you’d think.
2. Ask donors a question you didn’t ask last year.
Donor stagnation doesn’t come from a lack of contact - it comes from predictable conversations.
Try this:
“What part of our mission feels most personal to you right now?”
You’ll learn more from that one question than from a full year of newsletters.
3. Choose one donor-facing process to simplify.
If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that donors hesitate when things feel heavy.
long emails
complicated CTAs
multi-step forms
vague requests
Pick one place where friction hides.
Remove it.
Simplicity builds confidence.
4. Add micro-stewardship moments.
Stewardship doesn’t have to be a production.
A voice memo, a photo from a program, a short sentence of gratitude.
Moments, not gestures, build relationships.
5. Define what success actually means this quarter.
Most fundraisers define success by expectations, not outcomes.
And expectations usually come from someone who’s not in the donor conversation.
Choose one outcome that you can drive:
five deeper donor conversations
one new corporate door opened
three lapsed donors reactivated
Clarity beats intensity every time.
Because the truth is simple:
If you start the year with intentionality, the rest of the year stops feeling like survival mode.
Your donors feel it, too.
If one of these donor moves feels like the right starting point for 2026, forward this to a colleague who could use a grounded beginning to the year.
Good fundraising thinking spreads one person at a time.
It’s Gonna Be OK - Here’s Proof
Take it one step at a time. You’ll eventually reach the top.
The Signal Beneath The Noise
Year-to-date U.S. donor retention in Q1 2025 was roughly 18.1%, down slightly from 18.3% in 2024, signaling continued difficulty re-engaging both first-time and repeat donors early in the year.
First-time donor retention remains the weakest link; recent U.S. and North American analyses place first-time renewal near the high teens to low 20s, versus materially higher rates for repeat donors, widening the gap in lifetime value if onboarding isn’t strengthened.
Now is the time to make small changes. Because if you stick with ‘same old, same old’, before you know Q1 is rolling, distractions pop up, you fall behind and scramble to catch up and…poof, you’re stuck in the same rut.
You can’t change the past. So start where you are and move forward.
This is your time.
Have an awesome YEAR everyone!
Dan
P.S. Didn’t get your copy of the Corporate Partnership Blueprint, but now that the smoke has cleared you realize it could help you build the right relationships in 2026 and beyond? Click on the laptop below to get it today.
