Annual Reports for Not-for-Profit Boards

Annual Reports: A Guide to Best Practice Dr. Ken Haycock 778.689.5938 [email_address] www.kenhaycock.com 2011

Critical Questions
Purpose?
Part of accountability plan?
Audience? Subsets?
Budget?
project team; timelines
Part of communications plan?
image; branding
Dissemination?
Website; print; news media; service groups; Council

Annual Reports: Principles
Explains the public purpose served;
Links goals and results;
Focuses on few critical aspects of performance;
Links resources, strategies and results;
Provides comparative information;
Presents credible information, fairly interpreted;
Discloses the basis for key reporting judgments.
Based on material prepared for the BC Attorney-General

Annual Reports: Part 1
Information about the organization
Management discussion of
mission,
strategic directions,
goals and objectives,
market position/market share and
people
Triple bottom line reporting: impact
Indicators: resources; expertise; place; symbol
Honesty throughout

Annual Reports: Part 2
Financial information, in order:
Statement of management responsibility and that statements were prepared by management; discuses their role in assuring the accuracy and integrity as well as their responsibility for them;
Review of current operations and summary of historical key financial figures and ratios
Comparative financial statements, in order:
Balance sheet;
statement of revenues and expenses;
statement of retained earnings;
statement of cash flows;
explanatory notes and schedules for clarification and additional detail.

Annual Report: Part 2
Audit statement includes “unqualified audit” opinion if in accordance with prescribed accounting practices
It is clear that management assumes responsibility for the financial statement as well as the auditors

Design Principles
Cover entices readers; new look
Photo of Director, Chair, Board
diversity represented?
brief biographical data on Board members
Early summary of achievements with visual appeal and page references
Text call-outs; boldfaced leads; bulleted paragraphs (to be read or graphics?)
Recycled paper

Writing Principles
Clear and simple language
Active writing
Avoid jargon
Clear theme or point of view throughout
Glossary of terms needed?

Summary
Determine Purpose and Audience
Determine Logistics
Part 1: Linking Goals, Resources, Outcomes
Part 2: Financial reports; Responsibility
Writing and Design Issues
Dissemination

To your success…
Feel free to contact me with your questions, concerns, issues… or a second opinion…
We are committed to building your capacity for leadership, advocacy and collaboration… with a focus on authentic board governance and executive leadership.
Dr. Ken Haycock, 778.689.5938 [email_address]
www.kenhaycock.com

Annual Reports for Not-for-Profit Boards

by Ken Haycock & Associates Inc. on Feb 18, 2011

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Annual Reports for Not-for-Profit Boards — Presentation Transcript