For many nonprofit organizations, October marks the beginning of one of the busiest stretches of the year.
Year-end fundraising is ramping up. Boards are preparing for final meetings. Leadership teams are building next year’s budgets. Benefits renewals, compensation decisions, tax reporting, financial close, and compliance requirements are all approaching - often at the same time.
And for organizations with a December 31 fiscal year-end, the work doesn’t stop when the ball drops on New Year’s Eve. Many critical year-end responsibilities continue through January and February.
The good news? You don’t have to manage all of it alone.
For Bearing Tree partners, much of this work is already built into the rhythm of our services. Our teams help coordinate the financial, HR, payroll, benefits, development operations, and governance responsibilities that come with closing out one year and preparing for the next.
Q4: When Everything Starts Coming Together
There’s a reason the final quarter can feel especially busy for nonprofit leaders: many different areas of the organization converge at once.
Your development team may be focused on year-end fundraising campaigns and donor relationships. At the same time, leadership may be preparing a new-year budget and compensation decisions, your board may be gathering for its final meeting of the year, and employees may be preparing for benefits open enrollment.
Behind the scenes, there are also important administrative and compliance responsibilities underway from preparing year-end donor tax receipts to getting ready for W-2 and 1099 reporting, completing required HR trainings, and reviewing employee handbooks for changes in federal and state requirements.
The key is to start early and have a plan.
What Bearing Tree Is Working on With You
For our partners, year-end planning begins well before December. Depending on the Bearing Tree services your organization uses, you’ll hear from different members of our team throughout the fall and into the new year.
Finance & Accounting: Beginning in September and October, we provide budget templates and resources based on the timing of your Q4 board meeting. As year-end approaches, we’ll also begin preparing for the preliminary financial close that supports your upcoming Form 990 and audit work.
For partners utilizing both our Finance & Accounting and Caging services, we reconcile revenue activity between NetSuite and Salesforce on a monthly and quarterly basis throughout the year. In January, we’ll complete a detailed annual reconciliation to ensure the systems are aligned and your financial and donor records are ready for audit work.
In January, partners will also receive their 1099 information for review and approval before filing. Our Finance & Accounting services include budgeting, month- and year-end close, 1099 filings, Form 990 coordination, audit management, and financial reporting.
Payroll & Benefits: In November, we’ll share information about open enrollment and 2027 medical and wellness benefits renewals, along with resources to help with year-end bonus decisions and new-year salary changes. We offer bonus payout opportunities in December, January, and February. In December, we’ll also confirm your organization’s holiday schedule for the coming year. Behind the scenes, our team is preparing for year-end payroll reporting and W-2s, while supporting HR compliance, benefits administration, and employee handbook requirements.
Development Operations & Caging: Year-end is one of the most important fundraising seasons for nonprofits, and our team helps ensure the operational side of your development efforts runs smoothly. As you prepare for your final year-end appeals, our team is running Salesforce reports to help identify the right donor segments for your mailings and ensure you're reaching the right donors with your year-end communications.
For partners utilizing our Caging services, we'll also process donations and maintain accurate donor records throughout the busy giving season. In November, we'll provide draft language for your year-end tax receipt communication for approval, ahead of January's year-end receipting. Our services include Salesforce reporting, donation caging, tax receipts, donor record updates, and year-end summaries.
Board Administration & Compliance: Q4 board meetings often play an important role in approving budgets and preparing an organization for the year ahead. For partners utilizing our Board Administration services, Bearing Tree helps coordinate meeting logistics and prepare and distribute materials including agendas, financials, and minutes while supporting ongoing governance compliance.
And Don't Forget About This Year's Form 990
Amid all the planning for 2027, there’s one more important 2025 responsibility on the calendar.
For organizations with a December 31 fiscal year-end that filed for a six-month extension, the deadline to file the 2025 Form 990 is November 16th, 2026. (November 15 falls on a Sunday this year, so the deadline moves to the next business day.)
If you use Bearing Tree’s Finance & Accounting services, this shouldn’t come as a surprise - you’ve already been hearing from our team about the status of your Form 990 and, when applicable, your audit.
A Little Planning Now Goes a Long Way
There will always be a lot happening at year-end. The goal isn’t to eliminate the work - it’s to make sure the right work is happening at the right time, with clear ownership and fewer surprises.
For current Bearing Tree partners, keep an eye out for communications from our team throughout Q4 and into the new year. Many of the deadlines and decisions above require your review or input, and responding promptly helps us keep everything moving on schedule.
And if you’re not currently a Bearing Tree partner, this season provides a useful opportunity to consider how much leadership time goes toward coordinating these operational responsibilities internally. Bearing Tree is designed to provide the infrastructure, expertise, and continuity behind the scenes so nonprofit leaders can spend more of their time on strategy, fundraising, and program impact.
A strong start to the new year begins well before January 1st. We’re here to help make it easier to make a difference.