A good nonprofit annual report answers the questions that donors are most likely to have about last year’s work:
What did you do?
Whom did you help?
On what did you spend money?
Where did that money come from?
But the single most important question that your annual report must answer is “So what?”
You did a bunch of stuff. So what? What changed in the world as a result?
You helped a bunch of people. So what? How are their lives different now, and why does that matter?
You raised money and you spent it. So what? What do your income and expenses tell us about your values, your decision-making, and your impact?
It all goes back to showing your donors that, with their support, you are making a difference. (But don’t tell us you are “making a difference” in your report. Instead, show us what that difference looks like.)
On Thursday, I’m teaching one of our most popular webinars, “How to Write a Four-Page Nonprofit Annual Report.” I’ll explain how to appeal to both the hearts and the minds of your supporters, all in a four-page format that’s affordable to print and easy to share online too.
