In the final few weeks of the year, fundraisers sometimes let the urge to relax get the best of them and allow the holidays to prevent them from finishing the year strong. While celebrating a year well done is important, fundraisers can only celebrate if they actually finish the year strong.

Here are a few tips for finishing 2015 well.

First, look at anything that might need to be done before the year ends. It’s December, so only focus on the most important things. Need to send out one more solicitation via direct mail? Better get that out of the way. Need a new printer? That can probably wait. Accept not everything will get done, but be sure to finish up the important things.

Review year-end donor communications and make sure the focus is on the donor. When sending out year-end messages, don’t talk about how the nonprofit accomplished so much good this past year, rather, talk about how the donor base made it possible for the nonprofit to achieve its goals. Let the donor know that her continual giving is essential to the nonprofit being able to accomplish its mission.

If at this time, you run across possible material for the next year, set it aside. It may come in handy in 2016. You never know what’s coming down the road exactly, but it’s good to be prepared.

Finally, before it gets too late in December, call some major donors who have not given in the past four to eleven months. Don’t ask them for anything, just thank them and inform them of the good their gifts have accomplished in the past year. This sort of treatment shows gratitude on the part of the fundraiser, and can elicit another gift from a major donor.

Finish the year strong and be ready for the coming year—that’s the way to maintain success. Once you have done this, then you can celebrate.

See Nonprofit Pro for more.