Writing an annual report for your association: structure and tips
Who are you writing it for?
Take a moment to consider your readers. An annual report for a small neighbourhood association has three groups of readers:
- Members: they want to know what has been achieved and how the money has been spent
- Funders: they want accountability; have the objectives been met?
- Potential partners and sponsors: they want to see whether your organisation is professional and relevant
Write in a way that all three groups can read it. Accessible but with enough content.
Structure of the annual report
- Foreword from the chair: personal, concise, reflective
- Organisation: who we are, how we are organised, changes to the board
- Activities: what has the organisation done? Describe the main events, projects and regular activities with concrete figures (attendees, participants)
- Volunteers: how many volunteers are active, how many hours have they contributed?
- Finances: a brief summary of income and expenditure; refer to the full annual accounts for details
- Outlook: what is planned for the coming year?
- Colophon and contact details
Using figures and statistics
Figures lend credibility to an annual report. Think of: number of activities, total number of visitors, average room occupancy, growth or shrinkage of the membership, volunteer hours. Capture such data throughout the year, so you won't have to search retrospectively at the end.
Writing accessibly
Use short sentences and concrete language. Avoid jargon. Add photos of activities and volunteers; this makes it human and engaging. A four-page annual report with good photos is more effective than ten pages of text.
Digital or printed?
A PDF that is distributed by email and published on the website reaches most people. A few printed copies should be kept for the AGM and for funders who request a physical version. See also organising the AGM for presenting the annual report to members.