While not all donors want their contributions called out, others consider it motivationalboth for themselves and for their community. Is it the main benefit that your beneficiaries and supporters receive from your program or service? Pro Tip: If you have active donors on your board or fundraising committee, consider approaching them to review the draft annual report before you publish it. And, they're becoming increasingly necessary. This is more likely to stick in your supporters minds because telling a story helps associate emotions to events. Company annual reports are information sheets that a company or organization prepares to let shareholders and constituents know how it's doing financially, . 1001 G Street NW, Suite 700 East Dont just make your annual report a laundry list of your accomplishments, but rather a celebration of your supporters. Although Habitat for Humanity doesnt focus on a single CTA, they still manage to clearly highlight how the reader can join them and contribute to their mission at the very end of the report. Never forget to think about your audience when producing any kind of communication. Look at your organizations strategic plan or communications plan. To show your appreciation in a more personal way, consider including stories about some of your major donors, or ask them to share what your mission means to them. There are five things you should focus on nailing to make your nonprofit annual report stand out. Most nonprofits will rank order the gift amount and then alphabetize each list by last name. Instead, focus on the theme as well as key advancements and accomplishments of the organization as a whole towards your mission. Copyright 2023 DonorSearch. In print or online, a report is a de . Your theme and your format should align elegantly. Whatever the content of the report, your audience should ideally be left with a key message. Top 10 Questions About Nonprofit Annual Reports in 2023. Should it be a PDF that lives on the website or should it be a new microsite? Yourannual reportis your opportunity to tie donor contributions to your accomplishments. Get pop-up functionality, abandoned cart notifications, and more with Classys Donation Forms. Its hard not to walk away with a new level of connection to their work. Familiarize yourself with resources at your disposal. Nonprofit annual reports with donor lists that span 20 pages, numbers served, equipment purchased Statistics, jargon, and buzzwords. Dealing with the Letter from the Executive Director - Nonprofit Way too often, nonprofits publish annual reports that are too long and saturated with data people dont want or need. Beautiful design is, at the very least, equally as important as the content when it comes to the annual report. What are your values? Filing Method: Online. A scroll down report with lots of negative space at the start, drawing the readers eye to key messages. Well also share sample structures so you can organize your nonprofits leadership and staff in a way that works for you. Posted in Fundraising Marketing Design & Branding Leadership & Culture. -Trevor Dickerson, Creative Director at New School. Instead of centering your report on your achievements, make it about your donors. Agency: New Jersey Department of the Treasury. An annual report is different from the IRS-990 filing which must be submitted annually. Marketing & EngagementReach out and grow your donor network. A nonprofit impact report sometimes referred to as a donor impact report or simply an annual report details what your organization has accomplished in the last calendar or fiscal year.. Today, annual reports are often used as marketing tools for organizations to impress shareholders, investors, or donors; attract new ones; and to showcase their brand to employees, clients and others. Peers influence giving, and if your prospective donors name isnt on your list (but their friends is) that could stimulate a new gift to your nonprofit. If youre writing your first mission statement or looking to fine-tune your existing one, here are some inspiring examples: You can also include your vision statement alongside your mission statement. The use of graphics and images is an effective way to divide the space and produce a more visually-appealing layout: This template includes all the essential elements of a nonprofit annual reporta clear mission statement, major achievements, a financial statement, and an account of major donor contributions. Board Communication: Reporting Financial Information Consider cost when choosing how to format your report. By being honest about your challenges, as well as your accomplishments, your nonprofits annual report can help your organization generate more trust and gain more credibility. Use the best of them on social media. Thats where this guide comes in. They celebrate their donors as well as reporting their many successes. She realizes her work made an impact on others and shares that with the Foundations friends. It's designed to highlight the organization's major accomplishments, inspire readers about the organization's mission, build trust, and thank donors and volunteers for their support. Consider providing paper copies upon request or distributing smaller, more condensed versions of your full annual report. The format of your report will depend on your organizations size and bandwidth. If you like the space offered by a bound-book format but want to avoid high printing fees, consider printing books for only your most significant donors and sticking to a digital copy for the rest of your supporters. There is confusion. After reading your report many readers might be wondering, Whats next?. The artful layout connects pages by using a graphic looking like a trail map. If you want to know to create an infographic, heres a step-by-step guide by Visme. They will likely be honored to be part of the process and appreciate the opportunity to give input. It published its first digital annual report in 2009 as an antidote to people not reading an expensive publication. Having a plan and an ultimate goal for the report helps focus the material around a common objective and keeps the report as effective as possible. If your nonprofit is doing a stellar job and is looking for another way to give to the community, starting a foundation might be the right solution for you. A creative design will allow you to engage with more of your audience and make a larger impact. Ideally, provide readers with a narrative that is unforgettable and tied to the following equation: To be effective, simplify your stories. Unlike aForm 990, which is required for any tax-exempt organization as an annual information return or notice with the IRS, an annual report is an optional resource nonprofits can create and share with their community to remain fully transparent, celebrate their successes, and express gratitude for their supporters. It also recognizes those who have helped you achieve your goals thus far. With our tips, you can create an effective annual report that donors look forward to every year. However, since most donors wont take the time to do further research, provide enough detail so readers dont fill in the blanks with assumptions. You could also bring it to life as an interactive page on your website that you update throughout the year. Use these as a guide as you build a template for the first time or enhance your existing template to delight donors. Feature at least one donor profile, and dont forget to include a list of your donors somewhere in the report. Start planning early and download the Guide to Great Annual Reports and research what styles and media types to use. Depending on whether your report is online or printed, your distribution and tracking methods will differ. Not to mention, it shows potential donors that your nonprofit is built on the support of passionate people. Feeding America showcases stories of their beneficiaries even before their CEOs letter. Your nonprofits annual report might be the furthest thing from your mind right now. If a local hospital highlighted a major donor in their annual report who contributed to the hospitals pediatric intensive care unit, your organization might want to target that person as a potential major donor. Enticing call-to-action visuals invite you to scroll down the page. Are Annual Reports Important for Your Nonprofit? Did you know the top reason donors reconsider making a gift is that they do not clearly understand its impact? Take great care to ensure that those who have requested anonymity receive it and make sure everyones names are spelled accurately. A similar approach could be highlighting a volunteer through an interview, giving the supporter the opportunity to tell their story and explain reasons for supporting your cause. To begin with, youll almost certainly want to publicize your annual report on a dedicated page of your website. An annual report is a complex beast of a projector is it? The San Francisco AIDS Foundation uses a vivid color palette to make their work come alive. PDF Annual Report: Nonprofit Corporation and Nonprofit Professional Service DonorSearch, for example, culls hundreds of annual reports to collect the giving history of major donors. What makes a nonprofit annual report compelling? Try to understand the essentials of photography before you start taking photos (or get someone from the team who already does to do it). Others simply list all gifts over $1,000 (or whatever your major gift threshold is.) As a nonprofit organization, your 990 tax return is publicly available, and if donors want to dig deeper, they can. Lets say that your nonprofit works to reduce food insecurity for local children. An annual report theme will also help you decide what makes the cut when it comes to the content; if its not relevant to the focus of the year, it doesnt go in. An annual report is a great opportunity to celebrate your accomplishments and share. By doing this, you are more likely to achieve the goals of fundraising, donations, or awareness. You might be thinking, Its only March and I have other priorities! However, if you want to produce an effective nonprofit annual report, you need to start early. This allows for dynamic design elements, which add to the visual interest of the report. What is an Annual Report? Definitions, Requirements and Examples - Venngage The only document you are required to produce is an Annual Filing or a Form 990, which helps your organization maintain its tax-exempt status. The changes youre going to make in the future based on the data youve compiled. Remember, you spent all year doing the hard work. If the thought of tackling an annual report makes you weak in the knees, dont worry. Arent they a necessary evil, a bureaucratic burden? An annual report is an effective tool for closing out your year. You can come back and finetune this later. Only a few of them will end up being used in the annual report. And these dont fare well with most people. 4 Reasons Why Annual Reports Still Matter | Ideas On Purpose Get creative about engaging donors with your annual report. Annual reports are an opportunity to becandid andtransparentabout your nonprofits finances and outcomes and build trust with your audience. They will likely be honored to be part of the process and appreciate the opportunity to give input. The best tool for finding & organizing grants, 67 reviews | High Performer status on g2.com. ), Deliver through email or social media with ease, Convert into an image for social sharing in minutes, Link to in-depth web pages that support your data, Provide an easily-accessible live experience, Download with ease as a PDF from the site, Represent your brand with a cohesive, streamlined design, An executive summary of annual accomplishments, A letter from your nonprofit board, directors, or leadership, A list of major donors, advocates, partners, or sponsors, Awards, grants, loans, and donations received, Future outlook, long-term goals, and whats ahead. Annual reports can be physical paper reports sent by direct mail or they can be updates shared using email, photo galleries, infographics, videos, or even via a conference call. Remarkably, some nonprofits dont bother producing an annual report. Once you've defined what purpose(s) you want your annual report to serve, it's time to strategize and write. Planning is crucial for any project, but especially so for the annual report seeing that a lot of different information needs to be collated and presented. 1. The Foundations enviable donor pool, including a legacy giving society, is thanked and recognized, and there is a call to action with a direct link to their giving page. Its likely that your audience will be your current supporters as well as prospective major donors, corporate sponsors, and foundations. Once you add each of the elements listed above to your annual report, youll need to decide how to present the information to your nonprofits community. Breaking up blocks of text so the reader has a more enjoyable experience. Meanwhile, your high-impact donors, partners, sponsors, and grant funders will want to read your full PDF or printed pamphlet. Today, more and more nonprofits are going paperless with their annual reports. Modern nonprofits often opt for a less-is-more approach to avoid overwhelming their readers, while still delivering concrete data and qualitative insights that leave a memorable impression. Digital formats increase the likelihood that supporters will discover and engage with your content. Your plan should also detail out key activities, main responsibilities, and key milestones. Talk about beneficiaries first. Regardless of the plan of attack you choose, with our help, youll create a report that inspires your audience to continue supporting your work. First, every successful nonprofit annual report has a clear purpose and audience your organization needs to determine. Something we have to do, as opposed to other, more inspiring, creative communications pieces in your portfolio. Prioritize them and think about which stories you want to tell over the coming year. This list will help you stay on your toes. At its core, your annual report should persuade your audience to support your cause, but you might have smaller objectives (i.e., highlighting a new project or attracting more local sponsors) specific to your nonprofits goals. Such a report will naturally include information from a variety of organizational departments (e.g. Plus, it shows potential donors that your nonprofit can manage funds responsibly and effectively. Should your nonprofit annual report be a print or online version? major donors, recurring donors, etc. It includes their financial performance and activities over the prior fiscal year. Creating Your Nonprofit Annual Report: Full Guide & Template The Foundation also thanks its numerous corporate supporters. In their annual report, Kiva clearly links their success/impact with the contributions of their supporters. With so much going on in a nonprofit organization, it can be difficult to keep track of important dates, campaigns, and other key fundraising milestones. You might be thinking, Its only March and I have other priorities!. All Rights Reserved. Especially if youre new to the nonprofit sector, it can be easy to make a few rookie mistakes when writing a nonprofit annual report. Striking images, many featuring their beneficiaries front and center. If showcase material comprises your annual report, make sure its presented in a showcase fashion! RAICES takes the PDF approach in this standout work of art. Start planning early and download the Guide to Great Annual Reports and research what styles and media types to use. We know youve probably asked yourself this before: Are nonprofitsrequiredto create an annual report? Data helps you make more informed decisions that are more likely to lead you to success. Your mission statement should be up-front in your annual report to remind people what you do and why. This committee would plan and execute/oversee all the activities in the annual report writing process. However, a thoughtfully-written and well-designed nonprofit annual report can be an invaluable fundraising tool. It can help you choose the right format and the right design for your annual report (see the points below). The San Diego Foundation took its 2021 annual report to the next level. Purposes of a Nonprofit Annual Report Emphasize your organization's mission statement Express gratitude for your supporters and partners Showcase your organization's most successful initiatives Deliver financial transparency with detailed reports Demonstrate a clear impact Look ahead to the coming year What Should a Nonprofit Annual Report Include? Choose three or four key themes you want to communicate to keep your report focused and clear. Theres no dearth of compelling photographs to be taken in a national park, and this report revels in natures beauty. Nonprofit annual reports should serve as a high-level overview of relevant information for your donors and the larger community to reference at the end of each year. Reach out to talk about how the DonorSearch platform can help your organization reach more donor prospects, raise more money and build long-lasting donor relationships. Infographics are becoming the norm, as are annual reports in the form of videos. Nonprofit annual reports sometimes get a bad rap in the mission-driven world. Simple colors and compelling imagery clearly communicate the impact of RAICES and its donors. For example, for one annual report, the [unstated] theme was web, as in a network: we decided that underlying everything should be a feeling of connection and engagement. How to Create a Nonprofit Annual Report? | Examples In it, youll find everything you need to know about nonprofit annual reports including: From in-depth brochures to interactive web pages, there are dozens of ways you can approach your next annual report. This interactive site highlights a memorable year for Girls Who Code. This guide breaks down these reports into an easy-to-follow guide while using the "5 W's": Who, What, When, Where, and Why. If you incorporated or foreign-qualified on April 15, then your annual report is due every year by March 31. Animations help readers follow along on the journey and their links to relevant videos help visitors learn about any topic of interest. Nonprofit annual reports give a thorough account of what youve accomplished in one years time with the support of your donors. The contents of your annual report should be visually compelling, underscore your nonprofits commitment totransparency, and explain your organizations mission, progress, and outcomes. And lots of aww-pictures of animals helps too! Annual reports are a staple of nonprofit communications strategyan invaluable opportunity to connect with supporters, partners, staff, and others who make an organization's work possible. To pick a theme, you can have the committee decide on one or organize a brainstorming session. Nonprofit Annual Reports: 8 Essential Tips [& Template] - Bloomerang Good Referrals, Donate Should your organization do the same? Bloomerang PaymentsProcess payments seamlessly. for example. What is an Annual Report and Why is it Important? Dont be afraid to use graphs, charts, and graphics to. P.S. While great content is very important, its crucial to pay attention to good design too. But there are a lot of benefits to creating an annual report, and these benefits can vary depending on your organizations needs. According to the organization, here are the . Below is a list of 10 great nonprofit annual reports done excellently! If on top of that, youre also data-conscious and are paying great attention to the visual and the storytelling youll end up with a great annual report that everyone will be thrilled to read and share. Youre not writing the Magna Carta, youre writing a nonprofit annual report. Contact UsCause CampCause NetworkMeet the TeamSitemap, Blog New Jersey Nonprofit Compliance | Harbor Compliance | www Make your donors and volunteers the heroes of the story youre telling. Storytelling will first come through in your written copy, but the key to making your annual report a vibrant piece of communication is to spruce it up with great annual report photos. Their beautiful 2021 annual report includes gorgeous four-color photographs, opens with a donor-centric message from the CEO, and highlights their legal successes during a year that was otherwise quite challenging. If not, do you need to take some? Set up a folder that will gather all of the potential annual report photos in one place. Readers see a donate button up top at all times while moving through the report. Nonprofit annual reports start out by reminding the reader of the organization's purpose and statistics about how many people have benefited from the research, programs and services. They use simple but effective visuals to share their numbers and their impact. Marriottsville, MD 21104. Not all of your donors will need or want to receive your full annual report. By categorizing donors based on giving level, they consistently keep aspirational levels of giving in front of their supporters. What about the colors youre thinking of using? Remember that your annual report has clear goals, and one of your objectives is likely to get people to contribute to this years fundraising campaigns. The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. , Our mission is to create a world where every person has the opportunity to live a healthy, productive life. , To provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. . Youll need the help of multiple team members or departments to assemble all the information, as well as compile and design the document. This form must be filed on or before the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of your organization's fiscal year (for example, if . Use these as a starting point. If you are looking for a way to research funding opportunities and manage your grants pipeline, check out Instrumentl. Nonprofit Annual Report Guide - Nonprofit Hub In order to accomplish this,the annual report must fulfill several smaller purposes, each of which is a huge benefit to the long-term health of the organization: Even though annual reports arent required, you can see why nonprofits create them anyway. Along with capturing and keeping readers attention, visuals have many benefits, such as: After all, youve been tracking key fundraising metrics. Ask them for donations by linking to your online donation form (if your report is online) or directing donors to your nonprofits website (if your report is in print). Make sure you make the most of visuals, including photographs and infographics, which are a great tool to display important numbers visually. From fundraising events to volunteer efforts to community programs, let readers know what your organization accomplished in 12 short months. Let readers know that your supporters helped you reach (or even exceed) your fundraising goal and how their funds and support impacted your cause. Finally, the way they share about their finances is quite creative! Get a monthly curated round-up of our best posts and feature updates. Decide on key responsibilities and budget, Final proofreading by the committee leader. Whether youre with a large team or a solo entrepreneur looking to start the next great cause, we have a membership package that will help you grow your network and your cause. By categorizing donors based on giving level, they consistently keep aspirational levels of giving in front of their supporters. Their web page uses powerful imagery to tell the stories of the people affected by their work. I translated this into the design by using elements such as intersecting circles and type on a curve as opposed to straight, rigid lines; and close-up, dynamic photos of children that are actively engaged in play.. Plenty of information on their programs and events, always sharing concrete results/outcomes. The information within those reports can offer deeper insights into your prospects! It helps readers find what theyre looking for and to more easily navigate the document or site. To ensure your annual report writing project is receiving the necessary attention throughout the year, consider forming an annual report writing committee. To do so, infuse great visuals, a human-centric and friendly voice, passion, and storytelling. Katies nonprofit career includes a variety of leadership roles for human service, foundation, and publishing-related nonprofits as well as many volunteer roles. Besides the vibrant colors used, this annual report is packed with compelling photographs, and the financial section makes good use of some graphs. Readers should know about your organizations mission and what change you hope to make before jumping into the data. As we mentioned earlier, never be dodgy. What Are the Differences in Financial Reports for a Non-Profit Vs. a Based on these factors, make a decision about the format of your nonprofit annual report. Its commonplace for nonprofits to include their major donors and which project they contributed to somewhere in their annual reports. Lets look at each of these elements in more detail. Also, provide full context for where every fundraising dollar went. Not only does this copy-heavy report run a mind-boggling 62 pages, but nowhere does it state the organizations mission. Its not too long, and therefore, tiring to read, but there are links for those seeking to learn more (links to videos, the balance sheet, news stories, and more). This nonprofit annual report is beautifully imagined and masterfully delivered. After all, arent they just a waste of paper, money, and time? What is a Nonprofit Annual Report? Discover the latest fundraising trends. Although listing your major donors does highlight their support, it fails to tell their story in a captivating way. Additionally, direct readers to other ways they can get involved, including: The more opportunities you provide, the more likely theyll find a way to contribute that fits their interests. The most common purpose of reporting to the board is to: Something went wrong while submitting the form. What are the points youre trying to get across to your constituents.
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