Making the Most of Your Impact or Annual Report
What can I do with my annual or impact report once it’s finished?
Creating an annual or impact report is a big accomplishment for any nonprofit. You’ve done the work — now what? A report isn’t just a document to file away; it’s a tool to engage supporters, attract new donors, and showcase the difference your organization makes.
Here’s how to make the most of your report — both in print and digitally.
Print Version
Take it with you… and leave it behind
Always have a few reports on hand when meeting with donors, partners, or volunteers. They’re a great reminder of why your organization is such a great one to support. If you already have a leave-behind packet, add your report to it for maximum impact!Put it all out on the table
Any time your org has a table at an event, display a few copies of your report. Most people won’t take one, but a few will — but the ones who do could become valuable additions to your community.You’ve got mail
Who doesn’t love to receive mail that isn’t junk or a notice from your insurance company? Send your reports out to the VIPs of your organization — the board, major donors, or key volunteers. Include a handwritten note for bonus points!Applications
Applying for a grant? Include your report to demonstrate credibility and show tangible results. It’s a simple way to make your application stand out.One for the team
Make sure every team member gets a copy. Maybe with a handwritten note thanking them for their hard work that impacted this impact!
Digital Version
Email it to everyone (yes, everyone!)
While you might only mail a physical copy to select VIPs, your digital report can reach your entire community! A new impact or annual report is a perfect topic for your email newsletter. Ideally you’ll link to an online version, rather than attaching it directly.Show it off on your website
See my blog about different ways to present the report online. I provide a flipbook service that you can embed directly on your website. This makes it super easy to share. Also, make sure it’s easy to find on your website—either on an Impact or Resources/Publications page.Snackable social posts
Find an even wider audience by posting about your report on all of your socials. You can pull out individual pages or graphics from your report and use them as posts — creating a series that will keep you swimming in content.Highlight your stories
Pick one or two powerful stories from your report and turn them into short blog posts, social media threads, or quick case studies. Adding photos, quotes, or short videos makes the impact feel real — and keeps your audience interested.
An annual or impact report doesn’t end at printing or publishing. It’s a communication tool with multiple uses — an invitation to celebrate your wins, demonstrate accountability, and inspire action. By strategically using both print and digital versions, your report can extend far beyond the page, building stronger relationships and amplifying your organization’s impact.
FAQs
-
It means treating your report as more than a document you produce once a year and file away. A communication tool is something you actively put to work — in donor meetings, at community events, in your email newsletter, across social channels, and on your website. Your report is already packed with stories, data, and proof of impact. Using it as a communication tool means deploying all of that in the places where your audience is already paying attention.
-
Most organizations put significant effort into creating their report and then share it once — a single email, maybe a social post — and consider the job done. A strategic approach treats the report as a source of content rather than a one-time deliverable. The stories, statistics, and visuals inside it can fuel social posts, blog content, grant applications, and leave-behind materials for months. The report doesn't end at publishing; it’s the starting point for a longer season of purposeful communication.
-
Any nonprofit that has invested real effort into creating an impact or annual report and wants to make sure that work pays off. Especially organizations in education and youth work with small communications teams who need to get more mileage out of every asset they create. If your report deserved more attention than it got, this is for you.
-
Your report reaches more people — and the right people. Donors who missed the initial email encounter the story on social media. A grant reviewer finds your online version and passes it along. A prospective volunteer picks one up at your table and becomes your next great board member. Strategically deploying your report means every conversation, event, and application benefits from the credibility and story you’ve already worked hard to tell.
-
Because people receive information in different ways at different times. Some of your most important supporters never open email newsletters. Others don’t follow you on social media but would read a report you handed them in person. Some grant reviewers want a link to share with colleagues; others want a physical copy in a folder. Meeting your audience where they are — across print and digital — gives your report a real chance to land. And every touchpoint reinforces the same message: your organization is doing meaningful, credible work worth supporting.