Your Annual Report Isn’t just a Financial Reporting Tool

Your annual report should be so much more that “just” a financial reporting tool. Don’t get me wrong—you can and should report detailed information in your annual report, but it can and should be focused on the results you achieved, the problems your organization solved, and the people you helped with  donor dollars and other resources.

Consider your annual report another golden opportunity to describe your services and why they’re important. Include in the report benefits of supporting your work versus the features of your work.

Ask for donations directly and include an envelope or other giving mechanism so readers get the message and take action.

For prospective donors and other members of the public, your annual report may be their first introduction to your nonprofit, so it should contain a clear statement of your mission, vision, and values that guide your work in the community.

For board members, donors, and volunteers who make your work possible, the reason is first and foremost an opportunity to acknowledge and show thanks via impact stories demonstrating the real difference their support has made possible and continue to make moving forward.