---
title: "Preparing for the season of gratitude: strengthening scholarship and donor connections before the holidays | AwardSpring"
description: "Five ways to make the most of the pre-holiday season and set your institution up for a confident start in 2026:"
canonical_url: "https://awardspring.com/blog/holiday-prep-scholarship-donor-gratitude"
markdown_url: "https://awardspring.com/blog/holiday-prep-scholarship-donor-gratitude.md"
---

[Blog](https://awardspring.com/blog) [Donor Stewardship](https://awardspring.com/category/donor-stewardship)

# Preparing for the season of gratitude: strengthening scholarship and donor connections before the holidays

Alex Stepien · June 2, 2026 · 1 min read

![Preparing for the season of gratitude: strengthening scholarship and donor connections before the holidays](https://awardspring.com/_astro/season-of-gratitude-autumn-campus-foliage-aerial.CRTC64Fg_ZoE02r.webp?dpl=dpl_7XgYJ5fE479KKNgGVNdJrttyMsRN)

Alex Stepien

CEO at AwardSpring. Focused on building the Fund Platform for higher education.

Five ways to make the most of the pre-holiday season and set your institution up for a confident start in 2026:

## 1\. Lead with gratitude now, not later

Don’t wait until the last week of December. November is the perfect time to send early messages of appreciation before inboxes fill with end-of-year campaigns. Use AwardSpring’s donor reporting tools to identify this year’s most impactful funds and share quick thank-you notes highlighting their reach.

## 2\. Share the stories that matter most

Feature a student who achieved something remarkable thanks to scholarship support, or a donor whose commitment to access continues to inspire others. Authentic, concise storytelling builds community and reinforces trust.

## 3\. Reflect on this year’s impact

Ask your team: which scholarships were most competitive or underfunded? Where did applicants struggle or drop off? What bottlenecks can be removed before the next cycle begins?

## 4\. Re-engage donors before year-end

November is prime time for outreach: donors are still active, but not yet overwhelmed by holiday appeals. Share mid-cycle updates or data-driven summaries that show the continued need for support.

## 5\. Lay the groundwork for a smooth January

Refresh scholarship pages and application copy, double-check fund balances and eligibility rules, and schedule first-quarter communications with internal reviewers and partners. [Get a Demo](https://awardspring.com/contact).

Tags Donor Stewardship

## More from this author

-   [Donor Stewardship Seven findings on the state of scholarship donor stewardship](https://awardspring.com/blog/2026-donor-stewardship-benchmark)
-   [AI & SpringIQ What SpringIQ Changes About Donor Stewardship](https://awardspring.com/blog/springiq-donor-stewardship)
-   [Fund Strategy Introducing the Fund Platform](https://awardspring.com/blog/introducing-fund-platform)

Author

Alex Stepien

CEO at AwardSpring. Focused on building the Fund Platform for higher education.

Related posts

-   [Donor Stewardship Seven findings on the state of scholarship donor stewardship](https://awardspring.com/blog/2026-donor-stewardship-benchmark)
-   [AI & SpringIQ What SpringIQ Changes About Donor Stewardship](https://awardspring.com/blog/springiq-donor-stewardship)
-   [Fund Strategy Introducing the Fund Platform](https://awardspring.com/blog/introducing-fund-platform)