| JANUARY 4, 2026 -- As we step into 2026, there’s something invigorating about turning the calendar to January. For Community Granges across Connecticut, this spirit of renewal offers a perfect opportunity to re-imagine what our organizations can become in the year ahead.
“New year, new me” is a phrase we hear constantly this time of year—but what about “new year, new Grange”? Just as individuals use January as a launching point for personal growth, we can harness this season to breathe fresh energy into our Community Granges and build momentum that carries us through all twelve months ahead.
The Resolution Trap: Why Good Intentions Aren’t Enough
We’ve all been there. January 1st arrives filled with determination — we’re going to lose fifty pounds, run a marathon, and read a book every week. By February, the gym membership sits unused, and we’re back to our familiar routines, feeling discouraged.
The problem isn’t lack of willpower, it’s that we set unrealistic goals. When we aim too high too fast, anything less than perfection feels like failure, even when we’ve made meaningful progress. This same pattern plays out in our Granges, where big dreams can lead to the same disappointment that derails our personal resolutions.
The Power of Achievable Goals
Imagine your Grange sets a goal to recruit ten new members by De-cember. Throughout the year, your members work hard by hosting open houses, participating in com-munity events, personally inviting friends and neighbors. By year’s
end, you’ve successfully welcomed six new members.
But here’s the critical question: How does your Grange feel about this outcome?
If you set that goal of ten members, you fell short. Despite the hard work and real growth, there’s a nagging sense of disappointment. You didn’t hit your target, and that negative feeling saps momentum heading into the next year.
Now imagine a different scenario. Your Grange sets a goal of recruiting four new members, challenging but achievable based on your capacity and past experience. You implement the same activities, and by year’s end, you’ve welcomed those same six new members.
Suddenly, everything feels different. You didn’t just meet your goal, you exceeded it by 50%! There’s energy in your meetings, pride in your accomplishments, and excitement about next year. Those six new members represent not just growth, but success that builds confidence and momentum.
The outcome was identical — six new members — but the psychological and organizational impact was dramatically different. That’s the power of setting realistic, achievable goals.
Applying Smart Goal-Setting
This principle applies to every aspect of your Grange’s activities. Rather than committing to a major event every month, plan four signature events throughout the year. In-stead of tackling every community need, choose one or two service projects that align with your strengths. Base fundraising goals on past performance - if your annual barbecue typically raises $800, set a goal of $850 and celebrate when you bring in $900.
Communication and Building on Grange Strengths
No matter how well-crafted your Grange goals are, they won’t succeed without effective communication. Your members need to under-stand what you’re trying to achieve. The broader community can’t sup-port your Grange if they don’t know what you’re doing. Create opportunities for two-way dialogue so your goals remain relevant.
Your Grange doesn’t need to re-invent itself to have a successful year. Look at what already works. If your harvest dinner has been successful for twenty years, that’s an asset to build upon. Perhaps this year’s goal is to increase attendance by 10% or use the event to recruit new members. By starting with proven successes and making incre-mental improvements, you create a much more achievable path for-ward.
Your Grange Holds the Keys to Its Future
Your Grange’s future is in your hands and is not dependent on what other Granges are doing or waiting for perfect conditions. Some Granges have large memberships and can take on ambitious projects. Others are smaller and need to be more selective. Neither is better or worse, they’re just different and call for different approaches to goal-set-ting.
This doesn’t mean settling for mediocrity. It means being strategic and intentional. Sustainable growth happens through consistent, achievable progress rather than sporadic bursts of unsustain-able effort.
Making 2026 Your Grange’s Year As you gather to plan for 2026, approach the process with both optimism and realism. Ask yourselves: What did we accomplish last year that we’re proud of? Where did we struggle, and why? What resources do we actually have available? What does our community need that we’re positioned to provide?
Use these questions to guide your goal-setting. Make your goals specific and measurable but ensure they’re also realistic and achievable.
Remember: It’s better to set five modest goals and achieve all of them than to set ten ambitious goals and accomplish only half. Success breeds success.
A Fresh Start Awaits
The beauty of a new year is that it offers a clean slate and a chance to learn from the past while looking forward with hope and determination. For your Grange, 2026 can be a year of meaningful growth, consis-tent communication, stronger com-munity connections, and renewed energy among your members.
But it all starts with how you set your goals. Be ambitious enough to push yourselves, but realistic enough to succeed. Focus on what you can actually accomplish. Communicate clearly and frequently.
Build on your existing strengths. And remember that your Grange’s future is yours to shape.
Here’s to a new year and a new Grange — one that sets achievable goals, celebrates real successes, and builds the kind of momentum that transforms good intentions into meaningful accomplishments.
Ready to make 2026 your Grange’s best year yet? The Connecticut State Grange Public Relations Committee is here to help you succeed. Contact us at information@ctstategrange.org or publicrelations@ctstategrange.org . Reach out to Terri or Bob, and let’s work together to make your Grange goals a reality! |
