It’s beginning to look a lot like…the end of the year.
December is synonymous with family time, festivity, relaxation from intense work, positive emotions and multiple religious and cultural holidays. It’s also the perfect time for nonprofits to engage in a variety of activities to help finish the year strong and reconnect with philanthropic missions.
Here are seven end-of-the-year activities to consider as the year winds to a close.
1. Fundraising and support-building
The end of the year is a reflective period for many; it’s a season characterised by a spirit of generosity and a desire to give back. Nonprofits can key into the gift-giving atmosphere and align their messaging with the present thoughtfulness to drive project support. This makes it an ideal time to embark on fundraising and support-building activities.
A variety of strategies can be implemented to suit the season, raise funds and build support at the same time. You can host holiday-themed fundraising events, physical and virtual, to dial into this support and connect with potential donors. It’s a great opportunity to form strategic alliances with other organisations that align with your mission and impact goals.
2. Charitable initiatives
The holiday season is also a great time to dive into philanthropic projects.
As the year draws to a close, there’s a general feeling of warmth and togetherness—people spend time with their families and loved ones. It’s an ideal time to consider charity initiatives to drive positive change, impact the community and spread love to others who are underprivileged.
There are so many noble causes—from reaching out to senior citizens living in isolation to providing essentials to families in need.
3. Highlighting impact and success stories from the year
Another worthwhile end-of-the-year activity for nonprofit organisations is to share accomplishments from the year. Highlighting your impact and success stories in your end-of-year communications demonstrates credibility, flaunts your nonprofit’s strategies and can motivate further participation and funding or donations from your community—all of which help to improve donor relationships and engage potential supporters.
To effectively announce the year’s wins, you can
- Highlight your successes in your annual publications
- Promote the impact in social media campaigns
- Team up with influencers and media houses
- Share your stories in newsletter and email communications
- Host interactive sessions where the audience can inquire about impact.
4. Reviewing records and ensuring compliance
December can also present nonprofits with an opportunity to knock some vital tasks off the to-do list.
You can seize the lull of the holidays to review records and prepare end-of-the-year reports. This will ensure that your records, financial and otherwise, are accurate. With your books in order, you can confidently prepare for any audits and also fulfil any reporting requirements to stakeholders.
Your charitable organisation can also keep busy by ensuring compliance with any regulations that might apply. It’s a good time to prepare tax documents and submit end-of-the-year tax letters to donors. Additionally, it’s a good time to review data protection regulations and make sure all data security measures are up to standard.
5. Sending end-of-the-year holiday emails
Sending holiday emails is an effective way to express gratitude to donors and the general community for their support. It can also be an effective way to invite more donations and notify donors of the year’s achievements.
With such emails, you can effortlessly engage your community during the holidays. By sharing details of your efforts throughout the year, you can build a stronger sense of community around your mission.
6. Celebration and staff recognition
The holiday period is also a great time to celebrate your organisation and your team’s contributions! Making efforts to positively impact society throughout the year is no mean feat. Celebrating at the end of the year is a great way to unwind and let your team revel in the spirit of the season.
Staff recognition is a wonderful way to acknowledge team members who have made exceptional contributions during the year.
Organisation-wide celebrations are fantastic in catering to your team members’ mental health, enhancing their sense of belonging and building an all-round positive organisational culture.
Your nonprofit can organise simple end-of-the-year parties, fun trips or other team-building activities for your members. Gifts, paid time off, personalised appreciation notes from the organisation leaders and social media shoutouts are some good ways to appreciate those who go above and beyond.
7. Goal-setting and forecasting for the coming year
Nonprofits can set targets and goals for the next year during the December holidays. Goal-setting inspires optimism and positivity—common emotions at the end of the year. Consider returning to the drawing board to establish priorities that align with your organisation’s mission, discuss strategies and address key areas of your work.
You can also give a teaser of the organisation’s plans for the coming year. Offering your community a sneak peek into what you have in store demonstrates transparency and commitment to innovation and growth.
The year-end holidays can be a frantic time. These tips will point you to some essential activities your nonprofit can engage in to close the year on a high note.
