Before diving into 2026, it’s wise to take a step back and assess your data systems and processes. A little strategic reflection now can pay off in smoother operations, better outcomes tracking, and more impact next year.
Here are five smart questions to guide your planning, each with practical tips and real-world examples.
1. Are We Telling Our Impact Story with Data Effectively?
Turn Data Into a Story That Works for You
Data is your impact narrative. If your current reports don’t clearly show what your programs accomplished in 2025, it might be time to reassess.
Ask: If a funder called tomorrow, could we pull clean, accurate data that speaks to our outcomes? If the answer is “not really,” your configuration and reporting setup may be getting in the way.
At Treadwell, we’ve seen how strategic configuration and reporting design can unlock powerful results. One nonprofit, for example, partnered with us to define clear, funder-aligned metrics like therapy hours and safe nights provided. Their new reports now speak directly to what their supporters want to know.
Other times, it’s about efficiency. After revamping their reporting setup, Impact NW cut prep time for monthly reports by more than 50%. And across the organization, smarter report logic and form design saved more than 40 staff hours each week.
If you’re using Apricot 360, Results Reporting opens up even more options – from personalized letters to audit-ready tables. We’ve helped many teams build these outputs to simplify compliance and speed up grant reporting.
The takeaway: Get clear on the outcomes that matter most, then make sure your system is structured to surface them. If you’re stuck, this is one area where expert support can make a measurable difference.
2. Is Our Apricot/ETO Data Clean and Organized?
A Clean System Is a Functional System
The best systems get messy over time. Ask: how confident are you that the numbers you’re providing to donors and funders are accurate? How do you know?
After one organization migrated to Apricot, their system was tangled with inconsistent structures and legacy logic. We helped them rebuild cleanly – standardizing household relationships, aligning program rules, and reducing redundant data entry. The result: smoother onboarding, fewer staff errors, and faster reporting.
Another team came to us with sprawling form structures and reporting gaps. We worked with them to redesign their data model and clean up forms across all programs. That clarity led to better system navigation and more accurate exports.
A third nonprofit realized staff were duplicating effort across disconnected forms. Through cleanup and workflow alignment, they not only saved time but unlocked better insights at the program level.
The takeaway: Use Q1 to merge duplicates, clean forms, and standardize key fields. Don’t wait for things to break. Data health is mission health.
3. Is Our Team Fully Empowered and Trained?
Strong Systems Start with Confident Users
Even the best tools fall short if people don’t know how to use them. Ask: Are staff confident navigating your system day to day?
When teams feel supported, they engage more deeply and make fewer errors. We’ve seen this firsthand with our clients.
One organization built staff confidence through weekly hands-on trainings before launch. Staff walked through real workflows together, asked questions, and felt fully prepared to go live.
Another nonprofit developed internal “champions” using our train-the-trainer approach: designated team members who now train colleagues and keep knowledge flowing as programs evolve.
In both cases, the investment paid off: stronger ownership, faster onboarding, and fewer issues after launch.
And don’t forget your admin. Do you have a dedicated person who maintains the system? Are they trained, supported, and available when things change? If not, you may be relying on a single point of failure.
The takeaway: Make sure your system doesn’t live in one person’s head. Secure knowledge through documentation, hands-on training, and – when needed – expert support. A well-trained team is a sustainable team.
4. What Processes Can We Streamline or Automate?
Free Up Time Without Adding Headcount
Your team might be spending hours each week on work that could run itself. Ask: Which tasks are repetitive, manual, or easy to forget?
At Treadwell, we’ve helped organizations replace busywork with simple, effective automations. For example:
- A youth development nonprofit set up weekly email reports that send automatically to program leads – no more downloading and attaching files.
- One housing organization connected their intake system to Apricot, eliminating copy-paste and saving 15+ hours a month.
- A reentry program added alerts when critical forms were overdue or the assigned staff was out, ensuring urgent cases didn’t go unseen.
- Another team linked ETO to SharePoint so uploaded documents landed in the right folder, without staff having to log into multiple systems.
These aren’t massive integrations, most are set up in hours using our Rapid Impact solution. In one case, tagging stale records and sending automatic follow-ups saved over 10 hours each week.
The takeaway: Don’t just improve your forms. Rethink the steps around them. Look for places where a few smart automations could remove friction and free up staff to focus on what really matters.
5. Do We Have the Right Support Plan for 2026?
Plan Ahead So You’re Not Scrambling Later
Once you know what needs attention, Ask: Who’s going to handle it?
If you’ve got a trained system admin with the time and skills to lead changes, you’re in good shape. But many teams rely on just one person – often overextended – or have no clear owner at all. That’s a big risk for your most important data.
Treadwell’s flexible support packages are designed to fill those gaps. We provide nonprofits with hands-on help from Apricot and ETO experts who can train staff, troubleshoot issues, improve workflows, and keep your system aligned with your goals.
Some organizations bring us in for short-term needs, like getting through a busy grant season or onboarding new programs. Others choose ongoing support to stay proactive and build internal capacity over time.
The takeaway: If you know updates or challenges are ahead, line up the right support before you’re in a crunch. The best time to plan for stability is before things get hectic.
Ready to Plan Smarter?
These questions aren’t just about your system. They’re about your people, your programs, and your capacity to deliver.
To kick things off, download our free End-of-Year Reflection Checklist: a simple tool to help your team review what worked, spot friction points, and align your system with your 2026 goals.
If your 2026 goals include smoother reporting, cleaner workflows, or more confident staff, we’re here to help. From audits to automations, we build systems that work for your real-world needs.