The most effective organizations don’t wait until January to think about the year ahead. They use the fall to plan, align, and set themselves up for success. If you want 2026 to be a year of real impact, now is the time to prepare.
Here are a few steps to guide your planning:
- Set measurable goals.
Decide what success looks like for your organization next year. Identify clear objectives with metrics you can track. - Build your measurement tools.
If you cannot measure your goals yet, dedicate time now to create a system that allows you to track progress accurately. - Plan for capacity.
Growth does not happen without support. If you plan to expand, think about how you will increase the capacity of your current staff so they can sustain the additional work. - Audit your resources.
Look honestly at what you will need to achieve your goals. Do you have the money, staff, and technology required? Make a quick list of what is missing. - Create a resource plan.
Once you know what is missing, outline a plan to acquire it. Whether it is hiring, fundraising, or implementing new systems, put concrete steps in place now.
Next Steps
If you want to make 2026 a breakthrough year:
- Schedule time to review your 2026 goals with your leadership team
- Run a quick resource audit and identify gaps before the end of this year
- Book a call with me if you’d like guidance on strengthening your systems, planning your capacity, or preparing your team for growth
The work you do in the coming months will set the tone for the entire year ahead. Thoughtful preparation now will give you clarity and momentum when 2026 begins.
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Some Things Worth Repeating
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
“Deena quickly surfaced levers, including executive assistant support, and thinking more deeply about our role scopes, and translated them into concrete next steps.The result was sharper accountability and momentum across our work, which should translate into impact for animals!”
– Aaron Boddy, Shrimp Welfare Project
“If you’re feeling overwhelmed with trying to run an organization, I can’t recommend Deena enough.”
– Kat Woods, Nonlinear
“Deena’s ability to step into a fast-moving organization and provide immediate structure and support has been a huge asset. I highly recommend her to any organization looking for experienced operational leadership.”
– Oliver Zhang, Center for AI Safety
“Deena’s expertise is invaluable… She is extremely skilled at distilling processes down to their core steps and defining the actions necessary to move work through to completion. I can’t recommend her highly enough!”
– Marie Schell, Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County
“We really appreciated the support we were able to get from WorkStream in setting up our operations. I especially appreciated that this was an org that was familiar with EA/non-profits.”
– Beatrice Erkers, Foresight Institute
YOUR INPUT SHAPES WHAT WE DO NEXT
Your input helps shape the way we serve our community. If you’ve attended one of our events, worked with us directly, or simply have ideas for topics you’d like us to cover in future newsletters, we’d love to hear from you. Take a few minutes to share your thoughts — your feedback makes our work stronger and more useful for everyone.
Upcoming Events
Maryland Nonprofits 2025 Annual Conference
October 8 and 9, 2025
Maritime Conference Center, Linthicum Heights, MD
WorkStream Nonprofit is excited to be exhibiting at the upcoming Maryland Nonprofits 2025 Annual Conference, “Facing the Future Together”, hosted in collaboration with the Comptroller of Maryland. Stop by our booth on October 9 to learn more about how our operational training services can help your cause.
Click here to check out the full agenda of this two-day event taking place at the Maritime Conference Center in Linthicum Heights, MD, and register for #MANOAC25 today!
EA Global: New York City 2025
October 10-12, 2025
Sheraton New York Times Square, New York
I’ll be attending EA Global in New York City this year, October 10–12 at the Sheraton Times Square. You can find Workstream Nonprofit at the organization fair. Come say hello, connect with us, and learn more about how we support nonprofits focused on impact. With New York just a short train ride from DC and Baltimore, this is a great opportunity to join and connect in person.
Ignite Howard County #10
October 20, 2025 5:30PM EDT
Jailbreak Brewing Company
I’m honored to share that I’ve been selected as a speaker at Ignite Howard County #10, taking place on October 20th at Jailbreak Brewing Company.
This unique event gives each presenter exactly five minutes and twenty auto-advancing slides to share one passion. I’ll be speaking on fractional operations and the practical strategies that support organizations, covering topics like compliance, hiring, and budgeting. It’s a high-energy evening designed to spark ideas and conversations, and I look forward to connecting with many of you there.
Profits & Pour – When to Outsource for Business Owners
October 22, 2025 12:30-4:30PM EDT
Ryleigh’s Oyster
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On Wednesday, October 22, 2025, I’ll be speaking at Profits & Pours at Ryleigh’s Oyster. This interactive event brings business owners together for an afternoon focused on growth, financial fitness, and legal essentials.
The program will feature expert-led panels addressing the challenges business owners face as they scale—including when and how to outsource, strategies for building profitability, and navigating compliance with confidence. After the discussions, attendees will enjoy appetizers from Ryleigh’s Oyster and a guided whiskey tasting. It promises to be an afternoon of connection, collaboration, and practical insight.
Upcoming Workshop: Ready, Set, Grant!
November 14, 2025 1:00-4:00 PM ET
Virtual
Join us for Ready, Set, Grant! A practical workshop designed to help your organization strengthen its grant readiness and stand out to funders. This session will cover mission articulation, program design, resource development, and budget planning, with a special focus on Administrative Readiness and Registration-one of the most common roadblocks for new grantees. You’ll learn how to:
- Understand funder expectations
- Complete required registrations (state, federal, and private)
- Set up systems for compliance and reporting
- Identify the right grant types for your organization
- Walk away with completed documentation and confidence in your infrastructure. Presented by WorkStream Nonprofit and Strategic Management & Logistics with Deena Englander and Pamela Hodge.
Upcoming (Free) Webinars
Our webinar series focuses on core components of successful nonprofit leadership. Register now for our upcoming webinar:
- November 5th – Marketing and Fundraising
For past webinars and quick productivity tips, subscribe to our YouTube channel here.
Past webinars:
Productivity Channel
I’ve started a YouTube channel here for all our recorded content.
Specifically, check out our playlist with 3-minute productivity tips. I’ll be adding to it weekly (or more!), so subscribe for updates. In it, I focus on tips and tricks to make your workday just a little more efficient.
We look forward to partnering with you to establish your nonprofit’s operational infrastructure to scale and thrive!
Deena Englander
WorkStream Nonprofit
Empowering Nonprofits for Sustainable Success
www.workstreamnonprofit.org
443-379-4105
deena@workstreamnonprofit.org
www.linkedin.com/in/deenaenglander
Click here to schedule a time to talk with me