In her Substack essay The nonprofit comms trends that will actually matter in 2026, Wendy van Eyck makes a simple claim: the most important shifts in nonprofit communications are not flashy. They’re about brand, meaning, trust and the way teams make decisions about what to say – and what to leave out.
The nonprofit comms trends that will actually matter in 2026 (Substack)What stood out to us
Brand is back on the throne. The piece argues that, after years of chasing performance metrics, many organisations are rediscovering the importance of a clear, coherent brand – not as a logo exercise, but as a lived story.
AI is becoming a tool, not a religion. Rather than replacing humans, AI is settling into its place as “the intern”: helpful for drafts and admin, not for judgment or empathy.
Less, better content. There is a growing recognition that fewer, more thoughtful communications often outperform constant output.
Why this matters for leaders
This is one of those rare trend pieces that largely matches what we see with teams on the ground. The risk for leaders is to treat “brand” and “story” as work you’ll get to once there’s time. Meanwhile, pressure for results pushes teams into more fragmented campaigns and messaging.
When you’re clear about who you are and what you stand for, every other decision gets easier.
The essay suggests the opposite: putting brand and narrative back at the centre is the only way to make sense of everything else. When you’re clear about who you are, who you serve and what you stand for, decisions about channels, campaigns and content become much easier – and much more consistent.
The uncomfortable truth is that this kind of clarity work can’t be automated or rushed. It needs space, honest questions and, often, a perspective from outside the day-to-day. But for organisations willing to do it, the payoff is real: communications that feel less like spinning plates and more like leading people somewhere on purpose.
