Best Nonprofit Annual Report Templates [2023]

As a nonprofit organization, it’s crucial to showcase your achievements and impact to your stakeholders through an annual report. However, creating a visually appealing and informative report can be a daunting task. That’s we’ve compiled a list of the best nonprofit annual report templates for 2023 to make the process easier for you. These templates are not only easy to use, but they also provide a professional and polished look to your report.

So, let’s dive in and explore the best options for your organization’s annual report!

How do you write an annual report for a nonprofit?

Nonprofit annual reports are all different, depending on the mission, values, and audience of any given organization. For most nonprofits, though, writing an annual report follows a few key steps:

 Step 1: Gather the right people and information

In order to make the best annual report possible for your nonprofit, it’s essential to enlist the right stakeholders and gather the right information. Whether you’re looking to enlist the help of a volunteer, or board member, be sure you have the right people involved.

 In terms of gathering the right annual report materials, gather financial statements, program and initiative updates, photos, video testimonials, and more. Plus, consider what upcoming events you’d like to advertise in the report, too.

Step 2: Select an annual report builder

 Plenty of nonprofits hire graphic designers or freelancers to create their annual reports through complicated design software. While this is certainly a great option for some organizations, nonprofits with limited staff and budgets need a tool that can help them build their annual report themselves, year after year.

Annual report builders that are designed with nonprofit needs in mind are a great way to save time, energy, and money in the long run. Because graphic designers and freelancers can be expensive and often unpredictable, an annual report builder is often a cheaper, more sustainable solution. Plus, with drag-and-drop editing, annual report templates (more on this later), and multiple collaborator editing capability anyone from your nonprofit can build and publish an award-winning report.

Step 3: Select an annual report template

Annual report templates can make or break the success of your report. When choosing a template, consider your audience, and what message you’re trying to convey (more on this later!).

 Step 4: Create the annual report  

Once you’ve selected the appropriate annual report builder for your organization, it’s time to get designing.

When designing your annual report, consider specific trends from the past year, and how your organization might address some essential questions. Design your annual report around one cohesive annual report theme by using section headings, stock photography, and more. Embed infographics and clickable donate links, too, in order to make your annual report a stellar marketing tool.

 Step 5: Publish your annual report

 One of the best parts of creating a web-based annual report is the ability to share it anywhere and everywhere. Unlike traditional paper reports—which can only be sent out via snail mail or handed out at events—web-based annual reports can be published or shared:

• Via e-newsletter
• On social media
• On your website
• At live or hybrid events

What does an annual report look like?

No two annual reports are the same. But, in order to get a good feel for what great annual reports look like—ones that engage supporters and bring in donations—it’s helpful to get inspired by some of the best annual report examples of 2023.

In tandem with looking at some annual report examples for inspiration, let’s take a look at some of the most important elements—no matter the annual report format:

• Infographics
• Social media posts
• Pie charts, line graphs, bar graphs with key metrics
• Videos
• Photos
• CTAs
• Links to additional resources
• Custom branding
• Easy-to-read font/text
• List of major donors 
• Mission statement 
• Detailed financial report (cash flow statements, income statements)
• Vision statement 
• Program initiatives and updates 
• Messages of gratitude
• Future plans 
• Recaps of fundraising events 

Get a free, custom annual report sample in minutes →

Regardless of the mission of the nonprofit organization, great annual reports are designed to tell a visual story using all the information you’ve gathered from the previous year. It should be easy to read, scannable, and user-friendly in order for supporters to remain engaged and interested.

 Print annual reports vs. web-based annual reports 

While there are many differences between printed annual reports and digital annual reports, what they look like visually plays a huge role in assessing which is right for your organization.

 Here’s why digital annual reports are better:

Printed annual reports often lack color. By creating a digital annual report using an annual report builder, nonprofits can use custom colors to help brand their report and make data visualization crystal clear. Graphs and charts that are completely grey can be hard to read. Plus, the photos and other visual elements included might appear drab and unexciting.

Printed annual reports can look clunky. No one wants to read a 20-page printed annual report. But, with a digital annual report, nonprofits can make their report as robust as possible, without overwhelming readers. Because readers can scroll through—and use a clickable table of contents to skip to specific sections—web-based reports are much more user-friendly.

  Printed reports aren’t interactive. One of the most important parts of an annual report is its ability to engage readers. Printed reports, of course, do not include clickable content or videos. Digital annual reports or interactive reports however, are quite engaging.

How many pages should an annual report be? 

While there is no one size fits all for annual report creation, typically, they should be as short as possible. A lengthy report will only bore readers.  When creating your report, consider what sections and information are essential to include, and which can be left out.

Pro tip: If you have lots of information you want to include, but don’t want to overwhelm readers, add links into your report for readers to click on. You can direct them to your homepage, webinar recordings, event registration, or even additional articles for further reading.

 Why do I need a nonprofit annual report template?

 As we discovered, one of the best reasons to use an annual report builder is the ability to use annual report templates. But what really are the benefits of using them?

Annual report templates help save time

 If you’ve designed an annual report before you probably know how time-consuming it can be. Even with the help of other staff members or stakeholders, condensing a year’s worth of accomplishments, gratitude, and updates, is a huge undertaking. With an annual report template, nonprofits can immediately start designing their annual report, without having to learn any design or coding skills.

Annual report templates save money

Hiring a graphic designer can be expensive. Plus, you’ll have to hire them for an array of design projects: impact reports, board reports, and more. Using an annual report template allows nonprofits to customize a framework that’s built for any reporting needs.

Annual report templates let you focus on more important things

A successful annual report builds a connection with supporters. With an annual report template, you can focus on what really matters in the annual report design process: impressing supporters with how far you’ve come, and how they’ve helped you.

Best nonprofit annual report template designs of 2023 

Annual Report Template 1 — Organic Times 

Organic Times is a beloved annual report template, for a few reasons:

•  It uses trendy design: Minimalist design is in. Not only is this aesthetic trendy for home decor and book covers, but it’s a great option for a nonprofit annual report. Readers will be drawn to the minimalist aesthetic which features soft colors and white space.

• It’s reader-friendly: One of the best parts of this annual report template design is the muted colors. Because so much is often packed into an annual report, it’s important to pick a template that lets your content shine. Photos, videos, and infographics will stand out perfectly against this more tepid background.

•   It’s clean and concise: Annual report templates with too many design elements can overwhelm readers. Great annual report samples should be clean and crisp.

  Nonprofits best suited for this annual report template:

• Religious organizations (churches, Hillel groups, temples, religious educational organizations)
• Political organizations
• Healthcare organizations (hospitals, clinics, etc.)
• Educational organizations (schools, colleges, etc.)

Annual Report Template 2 — Modern Deck

 The Modern Deck annual report template is another popular annual report template—great for (you guessed it) the modern charity, for a few key reasons:

• It’s trendy: Though minimal design is on the rise, so are bold, retro-looking aesthetics. Modern Deck’s bold, bright colors are reminiscent of the 70s, 80s, and 90s and offer an upbeat, exciting experience for readers.

• It creates an experience: Unlike other reports that can feel dull and boring, this annual report template takes storytelling to the next level. High-contrast design elements allow any report to be a standout.

• It’s reader-friendly: Like the minimalist annual report design, this modern deck is readable too—but in a different way. The use of high-contrast colors and text boxes allows readers’ eyes to easily scan the report for the most important information. Plus, the annual report template can be customized to include white space—making the contrast even clearer.

  Nonprofits best suited for this annual report template:

• Recreational nonprofits
• Athletic associations
• Childcare
• Community organizations
• Museums or galleries

Start using a nonprofit annual report template

No matter what your organization’s annual report needs are, a template is one of the most efficient, and cost-effective ways to impress and engage readers. Whether you use a modern look or a minimalist feel, an annual report template is an easily customizable tool to help your team design your annual report with ease.

 To get started, sign up for free with Yearly →

Josh Kligman is the CEO of Yearly, a platform for nonprofits to create their own digital reports. Josh has been working with nonprofits on annual reports, brands and partnerships since 2011. He is helping nonprofits create more engaging, digital annual and impact reports with Yearly. Throughout his career, Josh has helped launch and run nonprofit brand campaigns and media partnerships nationally and locally, using television, radio and web, to amplify the reach of campaigns and provide demonstrated value for non-profit stakeholders. Josh received his B.A. from American University in Communications and his M.B.A. from American University in Marketing Management and Entrepreneurship.