Annual Reports: Pick the Right Data

Summary

In this episode of Fridays 4 Fundraising, Kelly may have gone on a bit of a tangent about the overhead myth. But more generally, Kelly talks about how to integrate data with the narratives you're telling in your annual report. She highlights how donors are interested in understanding how their contributions impact not only our mission-driven outcomes, but also the growth of the organization as an institution.

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Takeaways

• Donors want to hear about organizational growth and change, and your Annual Report is a great place for telling those stories and providing that data.
• Financial transparency is crucial in annual reports.
• Overhead costs should be openly discussed with donors.
• Data should support the narrative being told in the report as integrating metrics with stories enhances donor understanding of impact outcomes.
• Capacity building stories are important for donor confidence.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Fridays 4 Fundraising

00:48 This Week's Focus: Data for Annual Reports

02:33 Quick Note on the "Overhead Myth"

03:51 How to Pick the Right Data for Your Annual Report

07:45 Resources to Support Your Growth

09:11 This Week's Assignment: Pick Relevant Data

Keywords

annual reports, financial transparency, donor communication, nonprofit storytelling, impact metrics, organizational growth, capacity building, donor engagement, overhead costs, mission outcomes