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About the author: Naomi Perks is a Strategic Advisor at Frontier Marketing, a full-service nonprofit marketing agency that’s helped charities raise tens of millions of dollars. She blends strategy, creativity, and data to power integrated campaigns that move donors and deliver results.
It’s been five years since COVID-19 redefined what it means to lead, adapt, and survive in the nonprofit sector. Half a decade may sound like a long time, but the aftershocks are still being felt—from remote work policies to donor engagement trends to the way we talk about risk and resilience.
Some organizations came through the crisis stronger. Others are still trying to recover. And many, if we’re honest, are just now realising that uncertainty isn’t behind us — circumstances can shift quickly again.”
So what have we learned?
1. Crisis Doesn’t Build Culture—It Reveals It
In the early days of the pandemic, everyone scrambled. And in that scramble, a truth emerged: organizations didn’t rise to the occasion—they fell to the level of their existing habits.
Teams that had clarity, trust, and reps navigating ambiguity? They adapted. The rest? They floundered.
Lesson: Your values and culture aren’t what you say they are—they’re how your team behaves when the plan is out the window.
2. Agility Is a Strategic Asset
Pre-pandemic, a lot of strategic planning was built around predictability: forecast the budget, write the calendar, hit the goals. COVID exposed the limits of that mindset.
Agility isn’t a buzzword—it’s a discipline. The ability to re-prioritize, reallocate, and respond quickly is now central to a nonprofit’s long-term health.
As Kirk Schmidt, Chief Advisor of Operations at the Alberta Cancer Foundation, put it: “You know, you have the opportunity now—maybe in between these crises is the appropriate time to make those decisions.”
Lesson: Agility isn’t reactive. It’s the result of proactive investments in decision-making, culture, and communication.
3. Relationships Are Your Reserves
When the world shut down, the organizations that thrived were the ones with deep relationships—with donors, board members, staff, and communities.
In moments of uncertainty, people don’t give to plans. They give to trust. And the strength of your relationships determines whether supporters lean in, tune out, or walk away.
Lesson: Stewardship isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s your most valuable crisis currency.
4. Tech Isn’t Transformation (But It Helps)
Yes, digital fundraising and remote collaboration kept the lights on. But tech alone didn’t save anyone. What mattered was how quickly teams could adapt to use those tools effectively.
The real transformation happened inside organizations that were already curious, collaborative, and open to change.
Lesson: Tech is only as powerful as the culture it supports.
5. The Next Crisis Is Coming—Prepare Now
Whether it’s economic instability, climate disasters, or something entirely new, we know another disruption is coming. The question is: will we be better prepared?
Emergency planning isn’t about predicting the next pandemic. It’s about building decision infrastructure, communication norms, and cultural resilience before the pressure hits. It’s about asking, “What do we want to be true the next time this happens?” and building toward that today.
Ready for What’s Next?
If you’re asking these questions, you’re not alone. We work with fundraisers, leadership teams, and boards to help future-proof strategy, clarify decision-making, and build resilience that outlasts any one crisis.
Let’s get your team ready for whatever comes next. Work with us at Frontier →
Want More?
For an unfiltered conversation on the lessons from COVID—and how to plan for the next punch—check out Episode 84 of Frontier.FM, featuring Kirk Schmidt in conversation with Wes Moon. It’s a candid, strategic, and practical look at how crisis reveals what’s already true—and how to use that knowledge to lead better.
