Impact Report

GATE: Confirm the brief and receive all data before proceeding.

Phase 2: Structure

Report Architecture

1. Letter from Leadership (1 page)
2. Year at a Glance — headline metrics in visual format (1 page)
3. Mission Reminder (half page)
4. Program Highlights — each program with metrics and story (2-4 pages)
5. Beneficiary Spotlight — 2-3 detailed stories (1-2 pages)
6. Financial Transparency — revenue, expenses, pie chart (1 page)
7. Donor Recognition — thank-you list by giving level (1 page)
8. Looking Ahead — next year's goals (half page)
9. How to Help — donate, volunteer, share (half page)

Target length: 8-12 pages for annual, 4-6 for quarterly.

Metric Selection

Choose metrics that tell a story:

## Impact Metrics (select 5-8)
- People served: [Number]
- Programs delivered: [Number]
- Geographic reach: [Communities, states, countries]
- Success rate: [% achieving outcome]
- Volunteer hours: [Number]
- Funds raised: [Amount]
- Cost per outcome: [$X per person served]
- Year-over-year growth: [% change]

GATE: Present the structure and metric selection for approval.

Phase 3: Write

Section-by-Section Guide

Leadership Letter

• Personal tone, first person
• One specific moment from the year that embodies the mission
• Thank donors and supporters by name or category
• Preview what is ahead
• Keep to one page

Year at a Glance

• 4-6 large numbers with labels
• Visual layout (think infographic, not spreadsheet)
• Each number tells part of the story

Program Highlights For each program:

## [Program Name]
**Goal:** [What this program set out to accomplish]
**Results:** [Key metrics]
**Story:** [One beneficiary's experience in 100-150 words]
**Quote:** "[Direct quote from a beneficiary or staff member]"

Financial Transparency

## Financial Summary

**Total Revenue:** $[X]
- Individual donations: $[X] ([%])
- Grants: $[X] ([%])
- Events: $[X] ([%])
- Other: $[X] ([%])

**Total Expenses:** $[X]
- Programs: $[X] ([%]) ← this should be 75%+
- Administration: $[X] ([%])
- Fundraising: $[X] ([%])

Donor Recognition

• List donors by tier (name only, no amounts unless requested)
• Include a "Thank you to our anonymous donors" line
• Get permission before listing names

Phase 4: Polish

1. Design Notes

## Visual Design Guidelines
- Use the organization's brand colors and fonts
- Large, bold numbers for key metrics
- High-quality photos of real beneficiaries (with permission)
- White space — do not overcrowd pages
- Consistent layout across program sections
- Pull quotes in large font for scanability

2. Quality Checklist

- [ ] Leadership letter is personal and under one page
- [ ] All metrics are accurate and source-verified
- [ ] Beneficiary stories have permission to be shared
- [ ] Financial data matches audited statements
- [ ] Donor names are spelled correctly
- [ ] CTA for continued support is clear
- [ ] Report is under 12 pages
- [ ] PDF is under 10MB for easy sharing

3. Distribution Plan

## Share the Report
- Email to all donors with personalized subject line
- Post on website with downloadable PDF
- Share key metrics as social media graphics
- Present highlights at board meeting
- Include in grant applications as supporting documentation
- Send printed copies to major donors ($1,000+)

Example 1: Youth Education Nonprofit

Year at a Glance:
- 500 students served
- 12 programs across 4 schools
- 92% graduation rate (vs. 76% district average)
- 200 volunteer tutors
- $350,000 raised

Beneficiary story: "When Jaylen joined our after-school program in September, he was reading two grade levels behind..."

Example 2: Community Health Organization

Year at a Glance:
- 3,200 patients served
- 15,000 clinic visits
- $2.1M in free healthcare provided
- 45 volunteer medical professionals
- 3 new community partnerships

Financial: 82% of funds went directly to programs

Anti-Patterns

• Data dump without narrative — rows of numbers bore readers. Every metric needs context and a human story.
• No financial transparency — donors who cannot see where money goes stop giving. Show the breakdown.
• Stock photos instead of real people — authenticity matters. Use real photos with permission.
• Burying the impact — lead with outcomes, not organizational history. Donors want to see results.
• No forward-looking section — an impact report that only looks backward misses the chance to inspire future giving.
• Overly long reports — if it is over 15 pages, no one reads it. Edit ruthlessly.

Recovery

• Limited data available: Focus on 3-5 strong metrics and supplement with qualitative stories. Recommend implementing better data collection for next year.
• No beneficiary stories: Interview 2-3 program participants. Even a short phone call produces a usable story.
• Financial data is not finalized: Use preliminary figures with a note that audited numbers will be available on a specific date.
• Organization is in its first year: Frame as "founding year" report. Focus on milestones achieved, infrastructure built, and vision for year two.