5 ways to create a strong foundation for your new fiscal year

For many nonprofit organizations, June 30 marks the end of the fiscal year. Whether that’s true for you or you follow a different schedule, as your fiscal year draws to a close you can take measures to ensure a strong foundation for the new one ahead.

5 ways to get your new fiscal year off to a good start

1. Make sure all your donors have been thanked.

If you’ve gotten behind on thanking donors, the close of your fiscal year is a good time to go back and catch up on this important aspect of fundraising and donor stewardship. If you use Little Green Light, your unacknowledged gifts queue is a quick and convenient way to find any gift records that still need to be acknowledged.

2. Connect with your lapsed donors.

Run a report of constituents who gave two fiscal years ago but not this fiscal year. Make a plan to connect with those donors early in your new fiscal year with the goal of recapturing them; sending a targeted communication will increase the likelihood that they’ll support you when you include them in an appeal later in the year.

3. Get organized for the new fiscal year.

Examine your fundraising plan and take note of any important dates and deadlines. Set goals and tasks in your donor management system so you stay on top of grant applications, letters of inquiry, and major gift solicitations. Tip: If you aren’t yet working from a fundraising plan, now is a great time to put a simple one together. We offer guidance on how to create a fundraising plan without feeling overwhelmed.

4. Review access to your donor management system.

Take stock of the team members who have access to your donor management system. If some colleagues have departed the organization, you can deactivate their access. If new colleagues or volunteers have come on board, make sure they have access and that their permission level suits their needs.

5. Assess your organization’s gift acceptance policy.

Examine your gift acceptance policy to ensure it’s still serving your organization’s interests. If you don’t currently have a gift acceptance policy in place, this resource can help you establish one.

Conclusion

While the final weeks of the fiscal year can be busy ones, it’s important for fundraisers to schedule time to tackle a few key tasks to set things up for a successful and organized year ahead.