Nonprofit Impact and Annual Reports: How and When to Ask for Donations 

Nonprofit impact and annual reports are some of the best places to receive donations. Unlike other solicitation tactics, a digital report—whether it’s a yearly review or an impact assessment—is the ultimate fundraising tool.

In this blog we’ll cover:

• Why nonprofit annual reports and impact reports are great fundraising tools
• How to ask for donations in your nonprofit digital report
• When to ask for donations in your nonprofit digital report
• Examples of digital reports that nail donation asks 

Why nonprofit annual reports and impact reports are great fundraising tools

There are plenty of great fundraising tools for nonprofits. Emails, handwritten letters, and in-person chats are all great ways to ask for funds. But, digital reporting is even more effective and cost-efficient when it comes to securing donations. Unlike other methods, digital reports are easy to create and have a long “shelf” life. Plus, they meet donors exactly where they are—online.

Annual reports and impact reports combine all the best fundraising strategies. They make donors feel connected to your cause, trusting of your mission, and motivated to pitch in. 

The best annual and impact reports do this by: 

Showcasing proof of impact. This is usually done through reader-friendly charts and infographics.

Reiterating mission and goals. Reminds supporters why they do, or should, support your cause. To do so, include an introductory letter or mission page which outlines your core values.

Showcasing gratitude. Making donors feel good about themselves and their contributions is essential. In digital reporting, successful nonprofits include honor rolls, photos of volunteers, and more.

Creating emotional connection. Storytelling is one of the best ways to make donors feel personally connected to your mission. A digital report is a great place to create a narrative about your nonprofit, and include readers in it.

Simplifying the process. The biggest advantage of digital reporting is the ease of use. Great reports include donation links, links to further resources, and more. Plus, they integrate social media and important event recaps. This reduces user friction and yes, you guessed it, increases donations.

Now, let’s dig into how to ask for donations in your nonprofit impact or annual report.

How to ask for donations in your nonprofit impact and annual report

There are many ways to ask for donations in your digital report. Adding custom donation links is the easiest method. But, it’s important to include them the right way.

When including donation links, be sure to:

Give donors a choice. Donors do not want to feel boxed into one option. Giving them many options makes them feel more in control. Allow them to contribute one-time donations or matching gifts. Or, allow them to sign up for recurring donations.

Connect the cause to current events. Donors want to feel that their contribution is urgent and necessary. One of the best ways to communicate that is through including topical trends. Embed social media posts and links to updates and news to enhance urgency.

Provide further context. To show donors that you’re dedicated to transparency, provide extra resources. Include links to webinars, past events, and partner websites.

Optimize the report for mobile giving. When you go digital with your report, you allow readers to donate right from their phones. Studies show that the number of mobile donations has increased by 50%!

Use user-friendly design. A well-designed report makes your organization feel professional. More importantly, it can also help guide readers toward the donate button.

It’s also important to note that there is a specific way to phrase a donation ask. Here are some examples to help you customize the text on your donate buttons or donation CTAs:

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Now that we’ve covered how to ask for donations it’s time to figure out when to do it.

When to ask for donations in your nonprofit impact or annual report

Many organizations make the mistake of only including donation buttons at the beginning and the end of their report. To optimize your donation conversion, we recommend placing 2-3 throughout.

Consider including a donation button…

After you’ve shown proof of impact. The accomplishments section of your annual report showcases your nonprofit’s KPIs. With charts and graphs, readers will easily observe proof of your efforts.

After you’ve made an emotional connection. The best digital reports include impact stories. Impact stories, which center around emotional storytelling, will make readers feel connected to your work. Include photos and videos of beneficiaries in this section. And at the end, ask readers to contribute.

Within the honor roll section. As we discussed before, expressing gratitude is a great way to fundraise. After you’ve included your honor role of contributors, insert a donate button. Those that are already donors will feel appreciated, and encouraged to give again. Those that aren’t yet donors, might want to become one.

Within the future goals section. Setting and listing your goals in an impact or annual report is a great way to inspire your supporters. If readers feel that you’ve completely accomplished your goals, there might not be any reason for them to chip in. So, to help inspire readers—and get them to donate right from the report—insert a custom donate link within this section. 

Before the contact page. After supporters have read your entire report, it’s important to ask them for a donation one last time. Again, be sure to give them plenty of options. Even an option to pay later.

Examples of digital reports that nail donation asks