A fellow member of the International Business Communicators Association asked this question to the group: “Any advice on producing an online annual report, on a WordPress platform, to encourage feedback and engagement from stakeholders?”

I think this is a very intriguing idea for nonprofits. WordPress is a blog platform that is easy to set up for feedback forms / comments to encourage that feedback and engagement. I think having a separate microsite just for an annual report would be very versatile, using a step-by-step process that would make the site really interesting as it evolved. Each step could take 2-3 months, culminating in time for your annual appeal. Here is what I would do:

1. First use the microsite as a pre-annual report tool; posting up the info / rough draft of your accomplishments / report content and for the “engagement” encourage everyone to add their stories (and get feedback on future programs/activities) that you can then include in the final annual report. This will give you some great content and real feedback. Be sure to tie in this call for engagement (and all other ones below) with your Facebook page (with landing page tab that includes graphics and link to microsite), your enewsletters and your website. Actively solicit from specific people.

2. When the annual report is completed you can feature it on the microsite. Use the main page to feature highlights from the report and include a slideshow at the top consisting of the photos used in the report. You could then have a tab/page for each section of the annual report with a comment form below it (if you want to receive additional feedback). The separate microsite gives you a lot more room to showcase your report and the sidebar could include a link to a full pdf version of the report.

3. Turn your microsite into an annual campaign site. Leave the microsite up and change it from annual-report-focused to a campaign site for the end of the year appeal – featuring the report highlights and feedback received and, of course, your campaign messages and calls to action. Continue to use the microsite to gather feedback and stories.

I haven’t seen anyone use this process before – but it would be the ultimate in transparency and the perfect ongoing engagement tool. Here are some examples of nonprofit who have campaign sites – not necessarily focused on the end-of-the-year appeal – to give you some ideas:
http://www.redcrossblood.org/
http://donate.goodwill.org/
http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/
http://www.themsmovement.org/

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