Lauren Domaszowec

Nonprofit and mission-driven leaders talk about culture all the time. We talk about values, alignment, morale, and burnout. We talk about retaining great staff, keeping volunteers engaged, and building trust with stakeholders. Yet many organizations struggle with culture because it is treated as something abstract, rather than something built through daily leadership behavior.

Every December, A Christmas Carol reappears in theaters, classrooms, and living rooms around the world. It is often framed as a holiday tradition or a moral fable about personal redemption. Its origins tell a much more strategic story, one that offers powerful lessons for today’s nonprofits.

Everywhere we look, nonprofits are under strain. Critical funding sources are drying up, operational costs continue to rise, and the news cycle seems to deliver new crises every single week. But here's the good news: this challenging moment presents a tremendous opportunity for nonprofits to harness volunteerism and advocacy. People want to help. They're just looking for clear, meaningful ways to do so.