Objectives
- Expand the role of the annual report to include fundraising, education, and marketing
- Expand the reach and distribution of the annual report
- Create a more sophisticated design to more aptly reflect the evolving Lunder-Dineen brand
- Use the report as a tool to educate the public and health care professionals about the success of Lunder-Dineen’s three evidence-based Maine health pilots
Situation Analysis
The Lunder-Dineen Health Education Alliance of Maine offers free, easily accessible and evidence-based education to Maine health care professionals and the communities they serve through an innovative partnership with Massachusetts General Hospital and an ongoing collaboration with Maine’s health care community. Lunder-Dineen has published an annual report since its inception, but the report had always served primarily as a means of reporting financial information. Both Lunder-Dineen and Marshall Communications saw potential in evolving the report into a piece that could also be used to raise funds, educate stakeholders, and market the nonprofit to health care providers and communities that could benefit from it. This was particularly important given the nonprofit’s limited marketing funds. In September 2015, Lunder-Dineen tapped Marshall to redesign the piece and the redesigned 2015 annual report was distributed to stakeholders in February 2016.
Methods
An audit of past annual reports was conducted and a list of the pros and cons of each piece, from a donor perspective, was developed.- A more sophisticated color palette and more classic, refined typography were chosen.
- Infographics and call-outs were utilized throughout the piece to break up text-heavy sections and highlight key takeaways, resulting in an easier read for stakeholders.
- A call-to-action centerfold was added. It included an inspirational message from Marjorie Lunder Goldy, director and trustee of The Lunder Foundation, stressing the importance of donating; and a postage-paid remit envelope, the first time such an envelope had been incorporated into the piece.
- Custom photography was used throughout. Stock photography had been used in the past.
- Content specific to the successes of its three evidence-based Maine pilots was incorporated, as well as additional details about the nonprofits’ endeavors and successes.
Results
- Annual reports were mailed to stakeholders across Maine and distributed throughout the year at networking opportunities. Four months after the initial 250 reports were ordered, the demand for the piece was so high that Lunder-Dineen requested an additional print run. This is the first year that had ever been necessary.
- An additional 202 copies were shared electronically with 36.7 percent of recipients opening the report, well above the industry average of 16 percent. The annual report was also downloaded from the Lunder-Dineen website 149 times.
- The incorporation of the call-to-action centerfold enabled use of the annual report as a fundraising tool for the first time. This will now become an annual practice, and a specific appeal code will be included on the 2016 annual report envelope so the nonprofit can measure how much is raised from this endeavor.
