accountability

Civil society organisations (CSOs) operating under the Grand Coalition are proposing a march to the Malawi State House to exert pressure on President Joyce Banda to resign and  pave the way for an interim government if the State fails to conduct a fast-track trial on suspects involved in the looting of public resource - ‘the cash gate scam’.

The organisations want government to investigate and prosecute suspects involved in the con between July and September 2013 by end of this month.

Chairperson of the Council for Non-Governmental Organisations, Voice Mhone, says activists along with 13 CSOs plan to initiate a ‘Black Monday’ where Malawians dress in black every Monday to symbolise the death of the public purse after being looted by thieves.
 
To read the article titled, “National Malawi CSOs proposes occupy State House, Black Monday protests over cash-gate,” click here.

Annual Reports are excellent marketing tools for your nonprofit organisation

Your nonprofit organisation’s annual report allows you to share the story of your organisation and its successes with your various target audiences. It is through your annual report that you build and maintain support for your organisation’s brand. This is achieved by encouraging, inspiring, thanking and motivating current donors, volunteers your organisation’s staff. They are also wonderful marketing tools for potential donors, volunteers and staff.

There is a lot of talk around what makes a good annual report. Today, there is a focus on the report being used to tell a story showing the impact the organisation has in the community.  This fresh new approach shows the return on investment and justifies he organisations existence.

Annual Report versus Board Report

It is important at this point to make a clear distinction between the annual report and the board report.

The annual report is a more focused on highlighting the achievements and successes in the year. Let it tell your organisation’s story through real human experiences so that your audience has clear understanding of what it is that you are doing and achieving. Make your language clear and easy to understand, give an explanatory paragraph or two for your financial statements so that non financial people can understand it. Your annual report should also be visually appealing so remember to include relevant photos with captions.

The board report or director’s report is where you share the more in depth facts, figures and administrative details. It is more the nuts and bolts of what needs to be communicated.  Here you will share information like you implemented a new back office system and what the results were of that implementation from a more “technical” standpoint.

Annual Report Content

The following information/sections should be included in your annual report – how you lay it out is entirely up to you.

Remember to include your organisation’s basic information. For example, registration information with relevant regulators and contact details:

Your organisation’s vision and mission;

Governance - including:

• An introductory message by the chairperson as the leading authority of the organisation. This introduction is key as it highlights the activities of the past 12 months at the strategic level and also a way forward;
• A list of governing body members with their photographs and/or their background information detailing their individual roles within the organisation i.e. title and brief description. This should include members that resigned and joined the organisation during the course of the year. Qualifications and experience of each board member is important including other board involvements;
• A Governance Structure including activities (aligned to roles and responsibilities of Board) achieved by those structures including the number of meetings attended by the members of each committee and or at board level. Where your organisation does not have committees then the board may just state how it executes its responsibilities;
• Any major changes in your memorandum of association or trust deed or constitution;
• Risk Management including internal controls in place to give assurance that they have been considered and dealt with.

• Organisational chart;
• Depending on the reliability of your data, you may even include a table which details staff compliments/components in terms of Employment Equity Act;
• Indication of permanent staff and volunteers.  High impact changes, these should include; the number of new appointments versus dismissed or resigned;
• Awards of long service for volunteers including board and staff.

• Marketing programme summary including aims and objectives for that year and what was achieved;
• Targets for the upcoming year.

• The Need - Solutions to what is foreseen as challenges to achieve such (risk management);
• Estimated impact – pilot;

• What was the problem?
• What was the solution?
• Impact assessment.

• The budget and/or the actual and major variances clarified in each category of income and expenditure. This should find its basis on what is considered as being material to the board;
• Basic financial analysis of major changes;
• What was not achieved and lessons learned a fresh and approach for the future;
• Major future expenditures - this may be linked to future commitments on the financial statements;
• Audited Financial Statements (AFS).

• Independent auditor’s report;
• Annual financial statements with notes.