Nonprofit Culture: Celebrate It
- Tom Iselin
- Oct 13, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 17, 2025
In this short video and blog, I provide an overview of why it’s essential to reflect your culture in both the workplace and the boardroom—and why it’s equally important to make time to celebrate a healthy nonprofit culture your organization has worked so hard to build.
Nonprofit Culture: Celebrate It
In this short video and blog, I provide an overview of why it’s essential to reflect your culture in both the workplace and the boardroom—and why it’s equally important to make time to celebrate a healthy nonprofit culture your organization has worked so hard to build.
As we wind down this series on building a true “Get It Done!” culture, I want to focus on two key topics:
Reflecting your culture
Celebrating your culture
Both are essential if your culture is going to be real, visible, and sustainable.
Defining Culture Is Only the First Step
Let’s assume you’ve done the hard work.
You’ve written a culture statement.You’ve adopted it.You talk about it in staff meetings and board meetings.
That’s great.
But here’s the real question: Are you actually reflecting your culture?
What Does It Mean to Reflect Your Culture?
Imagine your board defines its culture using words like:
Work
Excellence
Accountability
Teamwork
Now ask yourself: how are those values being reflected in real life?
If I walked into a board meeting, how would I be able to see that culture in action?How would I hear it in the way people speak?How would it show up in behavior, decision-making, and policies?
If a board is serious about its culture, it must be authentic in how that culture is reflected—not just stated.
Checking In on Your Culture
Strong organizations regularly pause to assess whether their culture is alive and well.
Ask questions like:
Are we reflecting the culture we defined?
How are we reflecting it today?
Where are we falling short?
How could we reflect it better?
When you can consistently see and hear your culture expressed through people’s actions and words, you know it’s real—not just aspirational.
Culture Is as Important as Mission and Vision
Your culture defines:
Who you are
What you stand for
What you believe
It is every bit as important as your mission or vision.
Defining culture takes effort.Sustaining it takes work.And nurturing it requires intention.
That’s exactly why celebration matters.
Why You Must Celebrate Your Culture
Healthy cultures don’t sustain themselves by accident.
Taking time to celebrate your culture reinforces its importance and reminds people why it matters. It strengthens connection, builds pride, and deepens commitment across staff, board, and volunteers.
Celebration doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. A few intentional moments each year can make a meaningful difference.
Simple Ways to Celebrate Your Culture
There are many ways to honor and celebrate the culture you’ve built, including:
Hosting a gathering for staff, board, and volunteers
Creating an award for individuals or teams who best model your culture
Recognizing the best idea that reinforces cultural values
Establishing a culture appreciation day
You and your team will likely come up with even more creative ideas that fit your organization.
Takeaways
A strong nonprofit culture must be:
Clearly defined
Authentically reflected
Regularly assessed
Intentionally celebrated
When culture is visible and celebrated, it unifies people around shared values and strengthens commitment to the mission.
Summary
Culture is the glue that binds hearts, minds, and actions together in pursuit of a noble mission. It deserves attention, care, and celebration.
Make time throughout the year to reflect on whether your culture is truly showing up—and to celebrate the values, beliefs, and behaviors that define the organization you care so deeply about.
That’s it for today.
Tom Iselin
“One of America’s Best Board Retreat and
Strategic Planning Facilitators”
Additional Resources:
Articles
Tom's Books, Podcasts, and YouTube Channel
About the Author
Tom Iselin is recognized as one of America’s leading authorities on high-performance nonprofits. He has built nine sector-leading nonprofits and two software companies, written six books, sits on multiple boards, and has been rated one of America’s Best Board Retreat and Strategic Planning Facilitators. His work on nonprofit strategy, board leadership, and culture has been featured on CNN, Nightline, and in Newsweek.
Tom is the president of First Things First, a firm specializing in board retreats, strategic planning services, fundraising strategy, and executive coaching for nonprofit CEOs.
Board Retreats & Strategic Planning
If you’re looking for a board retreat facilitator or strategic planning facilitator who has been in the trenches and understands real-world nonprofit challenges, Tom can help your board gain clarity, build alignment, and create an actionable plan that improves performance and impact. His sessions propel organizations to the next level of performance and impact . . . and they're fun!
Board Retreats and Strategic Planning Services:
858.888.2278
