Belonging is a fundamental human need. As nonprofit leaders, you have the opportunity to cultivate a community around that feeling. By hosting in-person and virtual get-togethers, you can create a space where people feel valued, neighbors get to know each other, and people find commonalities, even if they’re an ocean apart.

To plan an event that’s authentic to your organization’s mission, be creative and lean into your team’s unique strengths. We’ve seen organizations host Lunch and Learn meals to spread awareness of an issue at work, candlelight vigils to connect families over a shared experience of loss, and virtual campaigns where participants from all over the country logged exercise and posted their progress.

There are infinite possibilities for building community around a common mission. The work may be challenging, but fostering a community that will help strengthen the organization is profound.