The end of the year can seem like the both busiest and least productive time of year at once. You’re often trying to squeeze the same amount of work into just two weeks so you can enjoy the holidays worry-free. But the end of the calendar signals the most important time of year for many organizations, especially nonprofits.

Now’s the best time to wrap up 2015 so that you can start 2016 on a strong note. Consider these five exercises for successfully wrapping up the year.

1. Annual Appeal

Hopefully by this point, you’ve already executed a winning annual appeal. Your annual appeal is the one (if not the best) opportunity for a last fundraising push. Emotions are brought to the surface during the holidays, and with the year coming to a close, holiday giving is high on people’s minds. In fact, over 50.5 percent of charitable organizations receive the bulk of their fundraising between the months of October and December.

2. Annual Report

Although organizations’ financials won’t be ready until the beginning of next year, now is the time to start planning for your annual report. Identify any milestones you may have hit, and what stories you want to tell. By preparing this information now, you won’t have to scramble to get it done when coming back from the holiday break.

3. Self-Assessment

Don’t wait until the New Year to assess yourself and your team. Spend some time reflecting over the year while it’s still fresh. Look back at the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year and see if you’ve reached them. With a few weeks left of 2015, are there any changes you could make now to improve this year’s performance? Identify any goals that you fell short on, and why you missed them. Was it for lack of trying or unrealistic expectations?

4. Look Ahead

Take what you’ve learned in your self-assessment and identify what changes you can make in 2016. Hit the ground running by setting up a plan for all of the new changes you’d like to execute. Ideally, new strategies should be implemented by January 1st so that no time is taken away from the people you serve.

5. Appreciate Your Staff

The holidays can be an extremely stressful time, especially for nonprofits. Giving is at it’s highest, and many organizations have holiday programs for the people they serve. Make sure to thank your staff for all the work they’ve done over the last year. Whether with a holiday party, or even a simple thank you note, let them know you appreciate their commitment to your cause.

To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County, go to OCBigs.org.