Nonprofit organizations operate differently from a regular business report. This is because they don’t earn a profit for what they do but instead, organize activities and events to support particular causes. As a donor, you’d want to know the credibility of such organization, right?
Most people refer to formal documents that express a nonprofit’s history of accomplishments. This is typically stated in the organization’s annual report. Through annual reports, nonprofits are able to provide an overview of the organization to their supporters and potential donors. This is done in order to gain funds to support their projects.
Accomplishments. Although nonprofits like to highlight the things that they have done, they won’t matter as much as what you were able to accomplish from doing these activities. Construct your report writing in such a way that will make your readers understand the purpose of these activities to the organization’s mission.
Real-life stories. The best way to make an emotional appeal is to gain testimonies from people who benefit from your cause. Provide supporting documents to prove this, such as videos and photos. This is a good way to develop trust from your donors and supporters as well.
Financial information. Nonprofits typically present their financial reports through charts and graphs. Make it a point to include a descriptive paragraph to explain the data that has been presented, as not a lot of people may fully understand it.
List of donors. While some donors may want to remain anonymous, there are still corporate donors who would appreciate the recognition. As a nonprofit, it’s your responsibility to express your utmost gratitude to these donors. Although it may not be possible to mention them one by one, try to relay your thanks somewhere in the free report examples.
A nonprofit annual report should include the organization’s achievements, financial statements, expression of thanks, and a call to action. Unlike a business report, a nonprofit report is not a legal requirement. It is made for the benefit of the organization and the individuals involved. Supporters and donors are considered to be the readers of such technical report, as this is a document that informs them of the organization’s operations. It should provide a quick run through of significant events in the past year.
