15 nonprofit books to inspire your New Year’s resolutions  

The New Year is a time for new beginnings. It’s also a great opportunity to reflect on the past year and what you aspire to do differently in the year ahead.  As we enter 2023, we’ve compiled a list of nonprofit books from Candid’s free digital library that can help inspire your nonprofit’s New Year’s resolutions.

Whether you’re looking to level up your fundraising skills, invest in innovation, improve your nonprofit’s culture, or take better care of your colleagues and yourself, these 15 books can help you make the difference you desire this year. 

Take your fundraising game to the next level 

If generating more revenue for your nonprofit tops your list of priorities in 2023, you may have your sights set on sharpening your fundraising skills as part of your nonprofit’s New Year’s resolution.  
 
When it comes to boosting funding for your nonprofit, there are multiple paths that can lead you to your desired destination. Whether you are looking to build upon your fundraising prowess, elevate your digital marketing-driven donation game, or become an expert grant writer, check out these nonprofit books to help you achieve success in 2023. 

• Demystifying Fundraising Funnels: A Digital Marketing Blueprint to Fund Your Non-Profit by David Higgins | (Audiobook also available)   

• BeneFactors: Why Some Fundraising Professionals Always Succeed  by Joshua M. Birkholz and Amy S. Lampi 

• Winning Grants Step by Step: The Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing, and Writing Successful Proposals by Tori O’Neal-McElrath, Lynn Kanter, and Lynn English 

Become a catalyst for innovation at your nonprofit  

Like the old saying suggests: “Innovation is anything but business as usual.” Finding ways to innovate beyond the status quo has significant benefits, including increasing organizational adaptability to change, unlocking new sources of growth, and standing out from the crowd. 
 
If you are envisioning how investing in innovation could help take your nonprofit to the next level, this may be a New Year’s resolution worth exploring. Here are several nonprofit books to help you begin breaking new ground at your organization this year. 

• Innovation for Social Change: How Wildly Successful Nonprofits Inspire and Deliver Results by Leah Kral 

• Lean Impact: How to Innovate for Radically Greater Social Good  by Ann Mei Chang | (Audiobook also available) 

• Frontiers in Social Innovation: The Essential Handbook for Creating, Deploying, and Sustaining Creative Solutions to Systemic Problems by Neil Malhotra | (Audiobook also available)  

Foster a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion 

Embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into the fabric of your organizational culture is paramount for today’s nonprofits. Fostering a DEI-driven culture also increases productivity, improves innovation, and promotes a sense of unity among employees.  
 
As such, it’s unsurprising that this crucial effort continues to take center stage in many nonprofits’ New Year’s resolutions. If you’re looking to invest in advancing a DEI-led culture at your nonprofit, here are several helpful books to help you achieve your aim this year. 

• Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work by Ruchika Tulshyan | (Audiobook also available)  
• DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right by Lily Zheng | (Audiobook also available) 
• How to Be an Inclusive Leader: Your Role in Creating Cultures of Belonging Where Everyone Can Thrive, Second Edition by Jennifer Brown | (Audiobook also available)

Build skills to become a better leader or manager  

We all know leadership and management play a significant role in any nonprofit’s success. In fact, recent Gallup research points to one factor that influences employee engagement and team performance at your nonprofit the most: your managers.  

If expanding your managerial and leadership skillset and taking care of your team are top of mind, consider reading these books to help you make good on this New Year’s resolution in 2023.  

• The Toolbox: Strategies for Crafting Social Impact by Jacob Harold | (Audiobook also available) 

• Managing and Leading Nonprofit Organizations: A Framework for Success by Paul L. Dann 

• The Leader Lab: Core Skills to Become a Great Manager, Faster by Tania Luna and LeeAnn Renninger | (Audiobook also available)   

Invest time and energy into taking care of yourself 

As a nonprofit professional, you pour your time and energy into advancing your cause and working to improve the lives of others.  

But experts warn that when people forget to take care of themselves in the process, it can lead to burnout, stress, poor health, and many other less-than-ideal outcomes. Not to mention, a person’s ability to take care of others depends on how well they take care of themselves.  
 
If investing in your own wellness and self-care is one of your New Year’s resolutions this year, these books can help you to embark upon this pursuit. 

• Resilience That Works: Eight Practices for Leadership and Life by Marian N. Ruderman, Cathleen Clerkin, and Katya C. Fernandez  

• The Happy, Healthy Nonprofit: Strategies for Impact without Burnout by Beth Kanter and Aliza Sherman 

• Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind, Revised Edition by Alex Counts  
  

Access these free nonprofit books for year-round success

At Candid, we aim to connect you to the information and resources you need to support and advance your mission-driven work in 2023 and beyond.  
 
To help you achieve success year-round, we invite you to explore our free, public collection of eBooks and audiobooks on nonprofit management, fundraising, philanthropy, and a myriad of related topics.  

Please visit this knowledge base article, How can I access Candid’s eBook collection?, to help you get started. 
 
If you have additional questions or want assistance navigating Candid’s educational resources, reach out to our team of online librarians at [email protected] or via chat during business hours.