At PNC Bank, we have the privilege of serving thousands of nonprofit organizations across the country, providing investment management, custody, banking and lending solutions, and beyond. That scale gives us a panoramic view of what nonprofit leaders and boards are trying, changing and learning—often in real time. At the end of the year, we asked our nonprofit contacts to share one thing their organization stopped doing in 2025 that positively impacted their mission. 

1) Prioritizing high-impact fundraising efforts

Several leaders told us they walked away from small-dollar or highly restrictive grants because the time and administrative demands outweighed the reward.  

Takeaway: Analyze whether the amount of staff time and administrative effort required to apply for and report on each grant exceeds the net amount of revenue earned, the programs and activities funded are mission aligned and the restrictions and requirements placed on the funds do not cause undue burden on staff. Whether evaluating a grant or other fundraising opportunity, empower your team to prioritize opportunities with the best mission alignment and return on investment (ROI).

2) Streamlining grant processes 

A large family foundation shifted from an open application process to one that was invitation-only, after finding that many applicants had not met basic criteria. Unqualified applications wasted time for both the grantor and the potential grantees. The invitation-only model significantly reduced that work, enabling staff to focus their time conducting deeper due diligence with more closely aligned organizations while also saving potential applicants from spending time on grant applications that are not likely to be funded.

Takeaway: If your organization accepts proposals, consider pre‑screening or invitation‑only cycles to protect staff time and increase quality applications.

3) Stewarding donors of all sizes

A large, East Coast medical school had always limited personal “thank you” calls to donors who had given $5,000 or more. When they reduced the threshold to $1,000, one long‑time donor (who had given $1,000/year for decades) ultimately made a $6.5 million gift as a result of the personal call.

Takeaway: Reprioritize your small to medium sized donors. Remember that it is not uncommon for a potential major donor to start with smaller donations. 

4) Spending less on events and space

Multiple West Coast organizations reported rethinking how they could reduce their expenses for venues and real estate. A development corporation was able to move their events from high‑cost hotels to donated or lower‑cost community spaces to decrease expenses. Similarly, a youth-focused foundation purchased property (with philanthropic support) to reduce exposure to rising rents.

Takeaway: Consider using shared or donated spaces for events, programs and even daily operations. Perform a cost-benefit analysis on owning versus renting essential facilities.

5) Sharpening mission focus with strategic consolidation

Leaders trimmed or realigned programs that diluted impact or were underfunded. For instance, one organization with a focus on civic education committed to “stop trying to be all things to everyone,” concentrating instead on three strategies to support national growth. Another reduced lower‑impact programs amid government funding disruptions and instead funneled those resources into the programs that proved most effective. A behavioral health organization discontinued one of their programs yet was able to sustain services for the participants by maximizing their other offerings, improving efficiency. One library to whom we spoke decided to discontinue their home book delivery service — an offering they found was primarily used by patrons who could otherwise visit in person — due to cost and risk implications, with no observed negative mission impact.

Takeaway: Periodically assess each program’s marginal mission contribution; consolidate where overlap or competition exists.

6) Using technology to modernize operations

For many, meetings and administrative tasks dominate a large portion of the day and prevent organizations from focusing on the most impactful and enjoyable part of nonprofit work. An Ohio-based youth organization adopted a new operating system to streamline scheduling, reduce the amount of time spent in meetings, enhance meeting quality and increase attendee accountability. A health foundation leveraged AI to accelerate grant writing and allow their staff to spend more time on client‑facing engagement. A community foundation upgraded software to enable ACH grant payments, updated signer policies and exited programs and events that consumed staff time without advancing mission.

Takeaway: Review processes, procedures and digital tools such as AI as capacity multipliers to allow staff to focus on mission-critical and stakeholder-facing activities.

    Boardroom Questions to Put These Lessons to Work

  1. What should we stop? Which grants, events or programs have the lowest mission or margin contribution after full‑cost accounting? (Time, compliance, audit, opportunity cost, mission alignment)
  2. Where is friction highest? Are burdensome processes, meeting cadences or outdated procedures draining staff capacity?
  3. When was the stewardship strategy last updated? How can we reduce administrative tasks to allow staff to spend more time with donors? How can the board support donor stewardship?
  4. Are there opportunities to reduce venue and real estate expenses? Have we explored shared/donated/lower‑cost space or conducted an own‑vs‑rent analysis?
  5. Where can tech and operating systems extend capacity? Which tools and processes can reduce staff time on administrative tasks and allow them to focus on our mission and donor stewardship?

Closing Thoughts

The common thread across the organizations to whom we spoke is intentional simplification: stop what does not serve the mission, strengthen what does and modernize how work gets done. As nonprofit leaders, your role is to create the structure that allows your team to focus on mission in a streamlined and efficient way that meets your organization’s mission.