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We Think It’s Needed (For Now)
Jennie Hannah, Create Foundation
The problem with using only a website is that many of our donors are in the older generation and they may not be as technically savvy as younger people. We believe that will change in the next 10-20 years. However, for now the annual report is necessary for us.
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New feature links print to online
Rebecca Noricks, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
At the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we know annual reports are changing and that’s why we chose to include QR codes in our printed annual report this year so that the video related content we created on the grantee profiles/highlights could also be viewed by smart phone users as they paged through the book.
We’re trying our best to make linkages between the content we’re developing for print and online.
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Internal Debate in President’s Annual Message
Courtney Spalding-Mayer, Philanthropy Awareness Initiative
The other day we came across this curious opening to one foundation’s annual report:
“People are constantly telling me that print annual reports are fast becoming relics in the publishing world. I don’t really need the reminder,” said William White, president of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, in his message introducing their 2009 annual report.
“I know there is a growing trend for foundations to forgo printed annual reports and instead use their Web sites to share their financial statements, auditors’ report, grant listing and other essentials…In fact, some of my staff tried to convince me to dispense with a printed version of this annual report.”
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Stories Have Impact, Annual Report Reader Says
Rose McKee, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation
I participated in the webinar on 12/2 about annual reports and just had to share a comment I received today…
“I have just read your 2009 Annual report cover to cover and I want to say that it is one of the best, most engaging documents I have read in a long time….”
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A Post Card Gets the Job Done
Morris Ardoin, National Center for Children in Poverty
At my current job, I have reduced the number of printed reports to 1/6 of the customary print run; and we now send out a postcard pointing our constituents to the full report on our website. I am working on convincing the powers that be that we need not print the report at all in 2011 – but still send out postcards. Furthermore, I’m changing the concept from an “annual” report to a “director’s report.” That way, it really…
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Online AR Shouldn’t Just Be a Clone of Print
Jeff Stanger, Digitalinfo.org
If all [the online annual report] becomes is a PDF clone of a print document, I think it’s fallen well short… I think there will always be a purpose and audience for printed documents, annual reports included. But as we supplement them with digital presentations, if we continue taking small steps when communication technology and audiences are taking massive strides, then we’re falling behind…
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RWJF’s “Scorecard” Is Our Way of Reporting Progress
David C. Colby, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Annual Reports are so Gutenberg, but contain important information… At the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, we do not print a traditional annual report, but all the traditional elements of an annual report are available on our Web site. Annual reports or their substitutes are necessary, but not sufficient. We also rely on another report—our Scorecard. The Scorecard is a document that enables us to take stock of our performance across many areas, specifically looking at program development, program impact, grantee relations and financial & human resources….
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We’re Listening to Conflicting Voices
Robin Reid, Madison Community Foundation
We have been having this discussion at Madison Community Foundation for two years. We have feedback from constituents who want more of the same and others who want us to go totally online. We may make some adjustments this year, and will continue to closely monitor feedback and results.
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