Many nonprofit organizations operate with a fiscal year start date of July 1, and the start of a new fiscal year marks an opportune time to get organized for your fundraising efforts in the months ahead.
- Make any necessary updates to the campaigns, funds, and appeals in your database for the year ahead, and archive any that will not be used going forward. If you’re using a donor management system like Little Green Light and you rely on default gift settings, you should also update the defaults for the new fiscal year as needed.
- Review and update any online forms and their mapping to make sure gifts will be mapped as is currently appropriate.
- Update your acknowledgment templates as needed. If you use LGL Forms to accept gifts online, review and update your automatic confirmation emails for both one-time and recurring gifts.
- If you aren’t yet working from a fundraising plan, now is a great time to put a simple one together. We offer guidance here.
- Review your organization’s 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.
- Are there some aspects of your donor management system that you’d like to get more comfortable with? Plan blocks of time on your calendar to explore available resources, such as its Knowledge Base or training webinars, so that you can build your skills. Make this a priority in the new fiscal year!
Conclusion
The end of a fiscal year is a busy time of running reports, but don’t let the end of one fiscal year overshadow the start of a new one. Follow the six tips suggested above to get off to a strong start in your new fiscal year.
