We’ve all had them: those projects that seem to drag on and on without ever quite getting done. Maybe it’s a team initiative that keeps circling back to the first draft. Maybe it’s a donor communication undergoing revision #19. Or maybe it’s a strategic plan that’s been “almost finished” for six months. In the nonprofit world — where staff bandwidth is limited, resources are stretched, and urgent priorities take center stage — it’s easy to let those longer-term projects slide. They’re not on fire, so they get pushed to the bottom of the list again and again.
But here’s the rub: sometimes, the projects that drag on are exactly the ones with the greatest long-term payoff. They’re not crises, but they matter. And when they stall, it can sap team morale, clutter your mental to-do list, and block progress in other areas.
Even setting deadlines doesn’t always work, especially if your organization lacks a strong culture of deadline accountability. So what can you do?
Fish or Cut Bait
Sometimes the kindest, most strategic thing you can do is make a decision. If the project still aligns with your priorities and mission, recommit. If not, cut it. Don’t continue to suck up staff time and energy on something that isn’t realistically going to make it to the finish line. Decide, and move on.
Choose Something Else to Let Go Of
If you’re serious about making progress on a long-delayed project, you have to free up space somewhere else. Is there a report, meeting, or program that can be streamlined or paused? Cut the less important thing so you can focus on the more important thing. Time and mental energy are finite, so use them wisely.
Exert Pressure From Elsewhere
If you’ve tried emails, calls, texts, and in-person check-ins, and nothing’s working, it’s time to change your approach. Can someone higher up in the organization help move the needle? Maybe a board member can emphasize the project’s importance. Maybe your executive director can reframe it as a priority during a staff meeting. If your voice isn’t cutting through the noise, borrow a louder one.
Reframe or Recycle
Let’s say your annual report is stuck in the mud. Months have passed, and it’s still not done. Instead of spinning your wheels, consider how you can repurpose what you’ve already gathered. Can you use parts of it for a grant proposal? A donor update? A social media campaign or email series? Just because the original project isn’t finished doesn’t mean the work has to go to waste.
Don’t Starve the Important to Feed the Urgent
In the nonprofit sector, we’re often moving at a breakneck pace as we put out fires and respond to urgent needs. But if we always chase the urgent, we risk starving the important.
Long-haul projects require time, space, and discipline. If they’ve been lingering on your to-do list, it’s time to assess whether they’re still worth doing. If they are, take real, concrete steps to get them moving again. Cut what you need to cut. Ask for help. Repurpose what you can. And give yourself and your team the clarity that comes from making a firm decision, one way or the other.
Don’t let dragging projects drag you down.
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