The Monthly Leap - March 2026

Hi there! 

If you’re feeling like “how is it already March?!” you are not alone! That said, if you’re feeling like “how is it only March?!” you’re also not alone. 2026 is shaping up to be quite a year. We keep wanting things to slow down just a bit so we can catch our breaths, and I’m sure we’re not the only ones! 

Now to get to the good stuff… Keep reading to find out:  

• What's on Rikki’s mind: Feeling stuck? 

• Tip of the month: Start small 

• What's coming up 

I hope this post is a little spot of joy in your month! 

Rikki 

What's on Rikki’s mind? 

I’ll be honest with you. This week in our Monday morning team meeting, I said some version of “I don’t know” at least a dozen times. 

My brain wasn’t on. The words weren’t coming. Everything felt a little… stuck. 

And here’s the funny part: from the outside, things look good. And it really is good. Dare I say great! Projects are moving forward. Clients are raising literally millions of dollars. Proposals for new work are out the door. We’ve got some exciting workshops coming up.  

But internally? I felt behind. Uninspired. Like I’d somehow skipped a week on the calendar and was playing catch-up with my own life. 

If you’ve been in nonprofit leadership for more than five minutes, you probably know this feeling. 

The quiet phase that feels too quiet. The campaign that seems to stall. The fundraising plan that looks great on paper but isn’t gaining traction. The to-do list that keeps growing no matter how many boxes you check. 

Sometimes you’re not failing. You’re just stuck. 

Stuck doesn’t always mean you don’t care. It doesn’t mean the mission isn’t important. It doesn’t mean you’re not capable. 

It usually means that you’re tired. You’re trying to do too much alone. You’ve been thinking in circles for too long. 

One of the best moments from last month’s office hours wasn’t about strategy at all. Someone said, “I just needed a little Rikki pep talk to turn my attitude around.” 

We laughed — but there’s something real there. 

Sometimes what gets you unstuck isn’t a new tactic. It’s a conversation. Talking it through with someone who understands. Saying the messy version out loud. Letting someone ask you a better question than the ones you’ve been asking yourself. 

If you’re feeling a little stuck right now — in a campaign, in your annual fundraising, in a donor strategy, or just in your own head — you’re not alone. And you’re probably closer to figuring it out than you think. 

You might just need to stop thinking in circles by yourself. (And maybe reach out to get time on my calendar for a pep talk. I’m happy to help!) 

Tip of the month 

One of Rikki’s favorite podcasters is Kendra Adachi, otherwise known as The Lazy Genius.  

If you’ve seen us talk about our SMARTEST framework for development planning, you know that one of her favorite things to say is name what matters. One of her other podcast-famous sayings is start smaller. She’s really good about reminding us that if the problem feels too big, we need to make it smaller.  

I realized as I was feeling stuck, especially when it came to this newsletter, that I was trying to solve a really big problem. What will I share with all of you for the next several months and how might it fit together? When I realized that what I really needed to worry about was just this newsletter, it was a lot easier.  

When something feels stuck, it might be because the problem feels too big. So instead of trying to fix the whole thing, make it smaller. 

• Not “redo the entire campaign plan” — follow up with one leadership donor. 

• Not “engage the board” — schedule one face-to-face conversation. 

• Not “increase major gifts” — make one intentional ask. 

• Not “rewrite the fundraising plan” — clarify one priority for this quarter. 

Big problems can create paralysis. Smaller next steps help build momentum.  

So, this month’s tip? When in doubt, start smaller than you think you need to. 

What's coming up? 

We’re just on the brink of nonprofit conference season in Wisconsin, so while March is full of travel, we don’t have a ton of public-facing events happening yet. That said, you might still see us out and about... 

• Brooke and Rikki will be visiting clients in southeastern Wisconsin one day next week. This is Brooke’s first trip with LEAP and we’re all looking forward to having her meet clients she’s been working with regularly face-to-face! 

• Rikki will be in Milwaukee for a little CEO-recharge and networking March 16-17. (If you want to grab a cup of coffee or glass of wine while she’s in town… please reach out!) 

• Rikki will be on the road again the third week of March visiting clients in southcentral Wisconsin. As much as we love how virtual meetings make it possible to do work all over the state, it’s always fun to get on-site and see organizations in action. 

The entire team is taking at least some time off for spring break – even if it’s just a day or two. We encourage you to do the same! 

A bonus “what’s coming up” for April: Our favorite conference of the year is coming up April 16! Join us at the UWGB Nonprofit Conference in Green Bay to help you recharge mentally and physically, renew your sense of purpose, and reconnect with friends and colleagues who share your passion for making a difference. Brooke and Rikki will be presenting on how to master meaningful conversations! (If you’re attending and want a discount code, let Rikki know! We have one that can save you 10% off the cost of registration!) 

Last but not least… if you’re feeling stuck in any part of your fundraising, join us for our next online office hours session on March 26 at 9:00am! We’ll share some of our favorite tips for how to reenergize your board, how to decide what task to tackle next, and how to name what matters most for your organization right now. These sessions aren’t recorded so you can even bring your candid questions and challenges and we can work through them together.