Annual reports are evolving into something new. They are fast becoming impact reports…and for good reason.
Impact reports started appearing years ago as a means to streamline long-format annual reports and to help serve as a fundraising presentation tool. They can also be lighter on content which means fewer pages to write, design and print. The impact report is not a substitute for completing a Form 990 and a 990 will have specific legal requirements that an impact report does not.
What is an Impact Report?
An impact report serves as a means of communicating what a not-for-profit organization does and, most importantly, the impact it is having in its community. It can also present the challenges or issues the organization is trying to improve. The impact report presents high level statistics and tells the story of your not-for-profit organization in a succinct manner.
Annual Reports are transitioning into Impact Reports.
When we are designing impact reports for our clients, we prefer to divide information into short factoids or statements that can be easily absorbed while skimming the document.
What are the benefits of an Impact Report?
When it comes time for your development team to share your not-for-profit’s mission and connect with donors, as well as supporters, grantors or other important constituents, they will be glad to have the impact report on hand. It can be utilized as a presentation aid as well as a valuable leave-behind during fundraising and outreach. Impact reports can utilize many different formats including standard brochures—but you might want to think out of the box and do something more engaging with the format. A creative size, fold or die cut can be enough to capture the attention of the people you need to enlist to support your organization.
When is the best time of year to publish an Impact Report?
Impact reports can be created and published at any time but many not-for-profit organizations choose to create one after their fiscal year to report on the year’s successes. The newest data can be presented and designed to generate the most buzz, and ultimately, IMPACT.
What can be included in an Impact Report?
- Stories
- Testimonials
- Infographics
- Financial Data
- Impact Numbers
- Attained Goals
- Future Goals
- Call to Action (CTA) on How to Help
How much time does it take to prepare an Impact Report?
The amount of time it takes to create an impact report from start to finish can vary based on a few things. Statistics and brand language are essential to beginning an impact report. Language that will resonate with your constituents and donors is a critical component that will need to be crafted. How much graphic design work is required and how much printing and production time is needed are also important considerations when planning your schedule. If you are working with an external creative team you can plan on 6-12 weeks from start to finish.
Contemplating an Impact Report for your organization?
At Trillion, many of our clients are not-for-profit organizations. We regularly help them tell their stories and achieve their fundraising goals in creative ways they never thought possible; this includes creating expressive impact reports that demand to be noticed. If you’d like to have a conversation about your particular situation, please give us a call at 908.219.4703 or just complete our simple contact form and we will promptly reply to schedule a time to talk.
