🎤 Mic-Drop Annual Report, Answer These Questions 💌
Most annual reports? Zzzzz. Turn Your Annual Report into a Fundraising Machine
Dear Impact Star,
Want to end the year strong? Consider sending funders a 2024 Annual Report.
I know… It’s standard practice to treat annual updates to funders like a chore.
“Check the box, send it out, move on.”
HUGE MISTAKE.
Your annual report isn’t just a document—it’s a fundraising asset, if you know how to craft it correctly.
A properly crafted annual report makes those funders who have already given you money even more committed to funding you in the future.
Why? Because it cements in their brains the belief that you are a careful and strategic steward of their capital.
The result?
They pick up the phone when you call.
They feature you on their websites.
They name-drop you at holiday parties.
Tell all their friends and colleagues how you’re the best thing since sliced bread.
But it’s also a way to turn “maybe next year” funders into “take my money” check writers. Or small and tentative supporters into your biggest fans.
So, ask yourself:
Is your annual report just a blah doc or is it something that your funders look forward to receiving?
Does it make your funders feel something?
After reading it, do funders and partners call or email you asking “How do I help?”
Can they see the arc of your progress and how it leads down a yellow brick road to your ultimate destination?
If the answer is no, let’s talk.
What Funders Want
Funders don’t want spreadsheets and jargon.
They don’t just want pretty pictures and eye candy with no real substance.
That’s what they get — most of the time.
What they really want from an Annual Report is to…
Understand exactly what you did and why you did it in the past 12 months in simple and human terms.
Be inspired by what’s next, and jazzed about their role in 2025.
Feel like heroes for supporting you because you squeezed so much impact out of their investment… or want to jump on board to support your mission.
If you’re still early on your journey, take notes in 2025 based on the questions included below, so your Annual Report is much easier to craft next year.
How I Approach Annual Reports:
Craft it in a way it stands out from the crowd.
Use language that inspires action (and maybe a few happy tears).
Design it in a way that funders are proud to share it with other funders.
What I ask my clients to do:
Answer a list of simple questions.
Give me their best photos, numbers, and other key assets.
Make sure the Annual Report is accurate and reflects their ethos.
That’s it.
Is this an easy document to put together?
No. It’s actually very hard to do it right.
But is it worth it?
That’s for you to decide.
Why I Think It’s Worthwhile
Many of innovators I meet already have a group of funders who have invested in their work, and others who are considering investing but aren’t still fully on board. A great annual report is a way to show them the progress made in 2024, and invite them to double down in 2025.
A well crafted Annual Report demonstrates a team is highly transparent, accountable and honest — but it does so in a scalable way.
Instead of sending 100 emails individually, a CEO or Development / Fundraising Lead can send out ONE document that becomes a key fundraising asset designed to be leveraged over and over again. If you’re paying someone $75,000 - $150,000 to focus on fundraising, this scales their impact exponentially.
SOME of The Questions I Ask Clients to Prepare an EPIC Annual Report Include:
What are your top 3 wins this year? (Be specific—stats, results, or milestones.)
Who did you help? Share a story about one person, community, or project you impacted. Micro beats macro in explaining your on-the-ground impact.
How much did you raise? What did that money accomplish?
What’s a standout stat you’re proud of? (e.g., “We planted 1,000 trees for every $1,000 donated or we moved from lab scale to pilot scale in 9 months.”)
Who helped make your work possible? (Name a funder, volunteer, or team member who went above and beyond.)
What was your biggest challenge or ‘throw in the towel’ moment when you almost wanted to give up? Who / what got you through it?
What’s the one BIG thing you’re planning next year that gets you most excited?
How much funding do you need to make it happen? (Be bold—dream big here.)
What’s one moment from 2024 that gave you chills or made you tear up?
If someone could only read one sentence from this report, what would you want them to remember?
What’s the one thing you’d love your funders or partners to do after reading this? (Donate, spread the word, join a project?)
Once they answer my questions and share key assets (financials, etc.), they walk away with a report that’s simple, powerful, and effective in making a great impression on funders.
We don’t rest till we create something that makes funders say, “Damn, this is incredible.”
Next Steps:
If you read this email and felt you’d me to help you craft your epic 2024 Annual Report, reply to this email. I interview you, get some assets, and take care of the rest. It’s the easy button for those who have very little time.
Don’t have budget and want to DIY it? Reply with the word KIT. If there’s enough interest, I may put together an Annual Report DIY Kit with a Canva Design Template, an Annual Report Text Template and step-by-step instructions at an affordable price for those who want to DIY it.
Warmest,
Neesha
P.S. David Witzel edited as usual, and he brought up something interesting. Maybe in some cases, especially if you’re early on, instead of submitting an Annual Report, you can write a shorter Impact Statement. I use Annual Report because that’s what funders are used to receiving, and it typically includes more than just the Impact section. What do you think? I’d love to hear your feedback!
P.P.S. One of the organizations that hired me to do their Annual Report for them is Zero Foodprint. This year, they have a terrific holiday gift guide featuring a lot of the companies and organizations that support their incredible work. Check it out here: https://www.zerofoodprint.org/gift and if you need to buy something, pick something that moves our regenerative economy forward!
It was while I was working on ZFP’s Annual Report that I first realized how important this ‘required report’ could be if it’s prepared strategically. But only recently it hit me, it’s equally important to disseminate it to the right people with clear intent and consistently follow up. That’s what we’ll talk about next week…
Not yet subscribed? Do it!
Share this post…
Legal stuff: Not financial advice. Talk to your advisors before doing anything.
Sent from Raleigh, NC with ❤️
