For years, nonprofits have been told the same thing: get better data, and better outcomes will follow.
I would argue that nonprofits don’t have a data problem; they have an action problem.
Most organizations already have more data than they can realistically use, spread across CRMs, email platforms, donation tools, finance and event systems, and, not to mention, spreadsheets. The information exists. But getting at the right data in order to make decisions and achieve measurable outcomes is still far too complicated.
We are going to help change that in 2026 as our New Year’s Resolution.
This isn’t about collecting more data; It’s about making data usable, trustworthy, and actionable in ways that show up clearly in fundraising performance, engagement, efficiency, and impact.
The Destination Isn’t Data, It’s Action
The nonprofit sector has invested heavily in data infrastructure over the last decade, with CRMs, analytics tools, reporting layers, and business intelligence. There’s more capacity than ever to see what’s happening.
But in too many organizations, data still functions like a rearview mirror. You can see what happened last month. You can observe trends. You can build a dashboard.
Actionable data helps nonprofits answer questions like:
• Who is most likely to donate again, and what should we do next?
• Which segments are responding, and where are we losing engagement?
• What’s working across campaigns, channels, and time?
• Where should we invest to drive measurable growth?
That’s the shift we’re focused on. Data isn’t the win. Action is the win.
AI Works Best When Data Strategy Comes First
There’s a real opportunity with Agentic AI, which has quickly become the new buzzword that some technology providers are rushing to rename their applications after or check the RFP box. But there’s also a real risk in skipping the basics.
For nonprofits, the AI opportunity isn’t “throw a model at the problem” for the simple reason: You can’t set AI loose on poorly defined and poorly maintained data.
If definitions aren’t shared, insights can’t be trusted. If the foundation is inconsistent, outputs will be erratic. Automation won’t create clarity; it will accelerate noise.
Before we can benefit from advanced insights, we need:
- Clear definitions. If one team’s “active donor” is another team’s “lapsed donor,” nothing scales. Action requires shared language.
- Consistent data governance. Define who owns key data elements, how changes are approved, and how quality is maintained over time.
- Trusted sources of truth. Fundraising, marketing, events, programs: nonprofits don’t operate in silos, and neither should their data.
- Pathways from insight to execution. The most valuable data is the data you can use immediately to segment, personalize, prioritize, and act.
In other words: strategy, structure, stewardship, and then acceleration.
The Shift: Treat Data as a Hub, Rather Than a Burden
More nonprofits are moving toward a new model: to a foundation that connects systems, reduces silos, and supports smarter decisions across the organization. When data becomes a hub, teams don’t just report; they can move. Segmentation gets sharper. Personalization becomes possible. Reporting gets faster. Decision-making gets clearer. And strategy becomes something living, not a binder on a shelf, but a compass that keeps organizations oriented as priorities and environments change.
What We’re Focused on in 2026
At ROI Solutions, our focus this year is to shorten the distance between insight and impact. This means investing in what makes action easier and more measurable, including:
- Working with clients to continue putting actionable data into the workflows of users in Revolution CRM.
- A more intuitive experience in Unite Analytics so teams can spend less time interpreting and more time acting.
- Better segmentation and activation through Ignite Marketing, so organizations can engage the right supporters with relevance and confidence.
- Faster, structured onboarding and faster time-to-value so nonprofits can begin seeing results sooner.
- More flexible paths to connection because every organization’s systems and starting points are different.
- Making MiLo Intelligence more widely available by expanding our connectivity to multiple sources, including those outside our platform.
- Expanding Epiphany Benchmarking to support the human side of strategy and adoption by bringing expertise, services, and guidance that help organizations turn new capability into real-world change through frequently updated data and powerful conversations with other organizations in the cohort.
Across all of this, the priority stays the same: Make it easier for nonprofits to turn data into decisions and decisions into measurable results.
The Bottom Line
2026 isn’t about “more data.” It’s about better outcomes with the data you have.
It’s the year we make data actionable, measurable, and operational so nonprofits can move from insight to impact without getting buried in complexity.
That’s the future we’re building toward, and we’re excited to build it alongside the organizations doing the work every day.
If your organization is working to make data more actionable in 2026, we’d love to share what we’re learning and what we’re seeing work across the sector. Let’s talk.
