Creating an effective annual report isn't easy.

Don't do it alone.

This IS not another "how-to" guide.

It's a framework that will change how you develop, design, and deploy your annual report.

Built from more than 10 years of working alongside nonprofit organizations, the Annual Report Tool Trunk shares the same processes, planning tools, and best practices we use with our own clients.

This interactive PDF will actively help you develop the strategy, organization, content, and distribution plan for an annual report that can serve as a year-round fundraising tool. 

It won't do the work for you, but it will help you ask better questions, stay organized, avoid common mistakes, and create a report that's more strategic, more impactful, and far more valuable than a document that gets mailed once and forgotten.

Need more help?

Let's do this together.

What's in the Trunk?

  • A 36-page fillable, interactive planning workbook
  • Annual Report Discovery Worksheet
  • Timeline & Milestone Planner
  • Strategic Page Ladder Planner
  • Impact Tracking & Outcomes Worksheets
  • Writing for Impact Worksheet
  • Financial Reporting Worksheet
  • Design & Layout Best Practices & Examples
  • Report Recipient Planner
  • Year-Round Use Playbook
  • File Organization Guidelines
  • Optional Report Readiness Review Session

Add a Report Readiness Review Session

Save more than $20 by purchasing a Report Readiness Review Session, in advance, with your Annual Report Tool Trunk.  Complete the Tool Trunk and schedule a 60-Minute strategy-packed review session before you start writing.   Sessions can be purchased any time, but you save by purchasing in advance now.

Annual Report Tool Trunk
$199

ANNUAL REPORT TOOL TRUNK ONLY. 
SEE 50% OFF SEPTEMBER  SPECIAL BELOW! 

Readiness Review Session
$149

60-MINUTE STRATEGY SESSION

Trunk & Review Bundle
$325

SAVE OVER $20 BY PURCHASING BOTH 

The First 50 Downloads in September are

50% off

USE CODE: SEPT50 at checkout.

 

All downloads receive FREE Registration to our Trunk Talk: Annual Report Planning Session.

SEPTEMBER 25

11 AM  (EST)

Trunk Talk: Annual Report Planning & Live Q&A. Exclusive for Tool Trunk owners.

The WAY TO AN EASIER AND MORE IMPACTFUL REPORT

Starts right here

Check out these additional Articles & Resources

Your Annual Report Is Only as Strong as Your Donor Mailing List

A beautifully designed annual report can tell a powerful story. A thoughtful appeal can inspire generosity. A well-crafted acquisition mailing can introduce new people to your mission in a meaningful way. However, here’s the truth nonprofit leaders cannot afford to...

Strategic Annual Report Timing: Why Distribution Matters

For many nonprofits, the end of Q2 brings more than summer schedules and mid-year planning. It often marks the close of the fiscal year, which means annual report season is right around the corner. But before your team starts gathering program updates, financials,...

How to Make an Annual Report More Engaging

Your job is not to make people read your annual report. Your job is to make it easy for them to quickly understand why your work matters and why they should keep supporting it.

Hire the Experts. Then Let Them Lead. Why Communications Experts are Your Trusted Strategist.

Too many opinions can weaken a strong fundraising message. Learn why nonprofits get better results when they hire experts, trust the process, and let strategy lead.

The Messaging Foundation Every Nonprofit Needs

The Messaging Foundation Every Nonprofit Needs

When your whole team shares the same language, donors feel confident in your story. Consistent messaging across departments helps every audience understand what you do, why it matters, and what changes because of your work. Clarity builds trust. Trust drives giving.

How to Choose the Right Partner for Writing & Designing Your Annual Report

Every nonprofit reaches that point in the year when the annual report starts to creep onto the calendar. The partner you choose makes or breaks this process.

From Headcounts to Hope: Understanding Outputs vs. Outcomes in Nonprofit Storytelling

When it comes to annual reports, donor updates, and especially grant applications, many nonprofits find themselves caught in a numbers trap. You served 7,452 meals, hosted 38 workshops, or delivered 120 backpacks to children in need — and those numbers matter....

Trust-Based Philanthropy in 2025: What Nonprofits Need to Know (and How to Communicate Accordingly)

Featuring insights from the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, Center for Effective Philanthropy, and Exponent Philanthropy A New Era of Grantmaking If you’ve noticed your funders asking fewer questions, offering longer grant periods, or giving more unrestricted...

Why Monthly Giving Is the Foundation of Modern Fundraising (And How Your Annual Report Can Support It)

Updated for 2025 | Featuring data from Nonprofit Tech for Good Monthly Giving Isn’t a Trend—It’s the Future of Fundraising According to Nonprofit Tech for Good’s 2025 Online Fundraising Statistics, monthly giving now accounts for 31% of all online revenue for...

Why Annual Reports Fall Behind: The Reality of Time Constraints & Competing Priorities

(And How to Set Your Project Up for Success) It’s not a lack of commitment. It’s a lack of time. At Elephant Creative Co., we work with nonprofit teams who are deeply dedicated to their missions. These are smart, passionate, resourceful people doing incredible work....