Mission-Driven Messaging - Nonprofit Annual Board Report

I believe the Annual Board Report is one of the most valuable pieces of collateral and storytelling for nonprofit and mission-driven organizations. This report serves several purposes, and one of the most significant is showcasing for donors the more considerable impact of their donations to nonprofit programming over the year and why that ultimately matters. 

Context

In 2017, I produced, managed, and wrote all copy and co-partnered with an external graphic designer on the layout to create USC Shoah Foundation’s annual report. The report was dense in prior years, filled with research from the major foundation departments, and long (over 100 pages!). A $15M campaign project was underway to fund the foundation’s new interactive space. Additionally, the foundation’s Dimensions in Testimony program - featuring Holocaust interactive testimony utilizing AI - had taken off, garnering international media attention across film festivals, feature reporting, and major museum exhibits. Finding a way to tell the foundation’s story clearly and make the report engaging for the donor audience became imperative.

Key Changes

  • Connected storytelling across the departments with focus on donor support 

  • Visual story with key quotes and stats to support the major work of the foundation

  • Important information and stats upfront for audience retention 

  • Images that showcase work across audiences (students, educators, donors, researchers, filmmakers, interviewers, genocide survivors). 

  • Condensed layout to feature major projects, milestones, data points for donors to share 

Results 

These efforts in rethinking the annual Board Report were positively received by donors, contributing to the successful $15M raise of capital for the new space and positive word-of-mouth reception across the larger university community.

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