Fall — and the year-end fundraising rush that comes with it — is closer than it looks. The organizations that come out ahead in December are usually the ones that used the quieter summer months to prepare. Here are seven ways to make the most of the time you have left before things speed up.

1. Lock in your year-end strategy. Finalize your appeals, campaigns, and calendar now. Printers and mail shops get very busy in the fourth quarter of the year, so reserve your time on the schedule now.

2. Mine last year’s results. Look back at your prior year-end performance. Where did segmentation fall short? Which asks underperformed? Use those insights to sharpen your strategy before you’re locked into this year’s plan.

3. Audit your Q4 communications calendar. Look across every planned touchpoint for the fourth quarter — newsletters, event invites, social media, program updates — and identify where fundraising messaging can be woven in naturally.

4. Get your IRA/QCD and DAF messaging in motion. Start building awareness now around IRA/QCD (Qualified Charitable Distribution) gifts and DAF (donor-advised fund) grants. Donors need time to act on these vehicles well before December 31, so the earlier you start the conversation, the more likely they are to follow through.

5. Don’t skip late-summer stewardship. Year-end appeals land better with donors who feel appreciated and thanked. Use August and early September to thank, update, and reconnect with your supporters before the busy ask season begins.

6. Gather your stories now. Strong year-end appeals run on real stories and real impact. Start interviews and information-gathering with program staff and beneficiaries now, so you’re not scrambling for content later.

7. Clean up your data. Nothing derails a year-end campaign like bad data — duplicate records, outdated contact info, or broken source attribution. Prioritize data hygiene now, while there’s still time to fix it before the critical year-end push.

Summer moves fast, but a little discipline now sets up a much smoother and more successful year-end fundraising season.