Change Your Year In Review – Little Ideas for Big Impact

Tell the Whole Story by Only Telling Part of It

Its that time of the (new) year again. Time to let your donors, employees, supporters and the public in general know how the last year went.

All too often this becomes a report as dry and uninteresting as any Fortune 500 company’s annual report, stuffed with bottom lines, pie charts and fiduciary base-covering. Of course there is a time and place for that. And while the time may be now, I think this is hardly the place.

Instead, take this time to stand out, stand up and show the passion that drives your mission.

Tell just one story.

Pick a project, a client, an event or just an anecdote that best encapsulates why your nonprofit exists. Have it show the network you’ve developed, or the impact you have or just how important even the smallest contribution of time, treasure or talent can be. But show it in the “now” and in the story of just one impact. The numbers can follow but they shouldn’t be the focus, and they shouldn’t be the lead.

Not only will this demonstrate the direct impact of your organization, it’s also an effective storytelling device to motivate your partners to continue their support, and an excellent way to encapsulate your message to reach new supporters. And it will give you a reason to look back critically at the year past to look at what your organization has done and what efforts have resonated  the most, all of which should spark growth in the year to come.