When the Small Nonprofit Chat on Twitter (#smNPchat) discussed last week what organizations can do to improve their annual reports it quickly became clear that many nonprofits have merely been “going through the motions.”
Have you taken the “comfortable” way out, simply grabbing your agency’s annual report from last year and updating the numbers? Ouch. There is a better way!
Your first priority? Your donors. As participant John Lepp of Agents for Good noted: “Your annual report should be one gigantic love in with gushing thanks to the people who make your ability to fulfill your mission possible.”
John went on to say that an annual report “should not be a long winded write up about your programs and big pictures of your board shaking hands with each other.” I concur. Oh, and please, enough with the giant check photos. They’re old school and they don’t impress anyone but you.
Other tips? Infographics can provide an entertaining way to share financial or statistical information. Matt Steen of Simple Dime offered up the terrific infographic illustrating this article.
Try a different venue. School on Wheels shared their 2011 Annual Report done in video format.
Think about publishing more specifically targeted reports throughout the years. According to Joanne Fritz of About.com’s nonprofit community “stewardship & accountability are ongoing, not one-time events.”
Check out the #smNPchat transcript here and be sure to join us every other Tuesday at noon ET on Twitter.
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I can’t wait to meet with you personally.
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