Looking Back, Looking Ahead: What 2025 Clarified for Omni and What 2026 Will Require
Published
January 8, 2026
looking-back-looking-ahead
As we enter 2026, it’s tempting to summarize the past year in familiar ways: funding uncertainty, shifting federal rules, stretched nonprofits, and communities carrying the weight of a rapidly changing world.
All of that is true. But for Omni Institute, 2025 was also a clarifying year, one that tested our assumptions, reaffirmed our values, and pushed us to evolve how we show up for communities, clients, and the broader nonprofit sector.
In many ways, 2025 was difficult. The funding landscape shifted constantly. Clients struggled to interpret evolving federal guidance. And from our own staff to the communities we work alongside, people felt the strain of a world that often seemed misaligned with our shared values.
What became clear, however, was what we were unwilling to compromise: rigor, integrity, and a belief that research and evaluation should help people make better decisions, especially in moments of uncertainty.
Throughout the year, our teams delivered great work for communities across the country. In 2025, Omni researchers completed:
That work spanned many issues, but it shared a common purpose: helping leaders make data-driven decisions on what to scale, what to rethink, and what to do differently in service of their communities.
A few examples illustrate that impact:
Taken together, these projects touched countless lives. We are deeply proud of the work and of the Omni teams who show up every day to deliver it.
2025 was not just about what we worked on, but how we positioned Omni for the future.
For the first time in two decades, Omni undertook a full re-envisioning of our brand and website. This wasn’t cosmetic. It was a strategic alignment of our brand with our culture and commitments.
Our previous brand no longer reflected the ambition or clarity of our work. The refreshed identity is bolder, more accessible, and designed to communicate what we do, why it matters, and how we partner with communities in more compelling ways.
In 2025, Omni also became more public about what we stand for.
We co-signed letters supporting federal data integrity, joined statements defending the nonprofit sector, and issued messages affirming the rights and dignity of our staff. This was an evolution for us — one that reflected our recognition that silence, in certain moments, is itself a choice.
We will continue to use our voice deliberately, guided by our values and our responsibility to the field.
We launched our first internal innovation program, welcoming back a long-time Omni research leader to help us experiment thoughtfully with new tools, methods, and ways of working.
This investment goes beyond technology. It’s about accelerating positive social change, improving how communities experience evaluation, and ensuring that innovation strengthens — rather than replaces — human judgment.
One of the most significant milestones of 2025 was Omni’s acquisition of CiviCO, a Colorado-based leadership development and civic engagement nonprofit.
This decision was not about growth for growth’s sake. It was about continuity of mission and expanding how we support communities — from advising organizations to investing directly in the people who lead them.
CiviCO’s programs now sit alongside Omni’s evaluation and capacity-building work, allowing us to support systems, organizations, and their leaders in more integrated ways.
No one can predict exactly where 2026 will lead. Federal funding remains uncertain. States will continue to face budget shortfalls. Philanthropy continues to adapt under pressure.
Still, several priorities will guide our work in the year ahead.
In 2026, we will continue investing in CiviCO’s leadership programs across Colorado.
Purpose Hour events will convene leaders for honest, action-oriented conversations. The 11th annual class of Governor’s Fellows will engage with communities across the state. New and evolving programs will focus particularly on supporting rural leaders and bridging the business and civic sectors at a moment when leadership fatigue is real and collaboration is essential.
Our core research, evaluation, and capacity-building work will continue to fill the gaps left in the wake of federal cuts to data systems and scientific rigor by continuing our focus on helping communities plan for and implement data-driven strategies.
Now more than ever, leaders need evidence-based and community-informed support not just in executing programs, but in deciding what to prioritize, how to sequence investments, and how to build sustainable approaches. Through community-engaged assessment, actionable planning, leadership and capacity accelerators, and focused research and evaluation, we will continue to advance our mission in these key areas while ensuring that non-partisan, data-driven decisions result in better outcomes for communities.
Omni was an early adopter of AI in our operations. Since early 2023, we have issued internal guidance, established norms, encouraged responsible experimentation, and had experienced researchers leading our work.
In 2026, we will deepen that work by launching Omni’s first AI-powered evaluation tool designed to support clients in managed, ethical use and continue training our team and working directly with nonprofit partners to ensure AI is used to enhance insight, efficiency, and reach — always with human oversight and accountability.
AI is here to stay. Our responsibility is to ensure it serves communities by driving real impact, not shortcuts.
Late in 2025, Omni joined a Colorado-based working group exploring how philanthropy and nonprofits can jointly navigate what will likely be another challenging year(s).
We do not view consolidation as a goal, but as one strategy that can be used to support the survival of the nonprofit sector. We also feel a responsibility to share what we’ve learned and to help preserve mission, talent, and community trust during periods of instability. In the coming months, we’ll contribute our experience and identify ways to support both nonprofit organizations and funders as they navigate difficult decisions.
2026 will certainly bring more disruption. Many nonprofit partners are already struggling to plan amid shrinking and shifting funding streams.
As we did in 2025, Omni will endeavor to be bold through sustaining our staff, evolving our work, and doing everything we can to support the organizations and communities we serve.
What we won’t do is retreat from rigor, integrity, or our belief that when good data is paired with sound judgment, we can help communities and leaders to navigate even the most uncertain moments.
Get updates on our research findings, projects, and the latest in evidence-based news to improve lives, build better systems, and drive social change.
