Reporting information is important for any nonprofit, especially when dealing with potential funders. All nonprofit funders want to see proof of the impact your organization has when you apply for funding, but deciding on what to report can seem like a shot in the dark. What specific information is most important to funders?

As part of our new Foundation Reporting Study, we asked funders exactly that question to help you in your organization’s journey.

When it comes to education-related nonprofit, 80% of nonprofit funders want to know about your program outcomes. Being able to prove that your programs have an impact on the clients in them shows nonprofit funders that their funding will be directly impacting someone’s life. Program outcomes are the number one thing funders look at when considering who to fund — 83% of Multiservice funders and 78% of Youth Development funders say that program outcomes is what they look for in reporting.

How can you make sure you’re taking the right steps towards reporting on program outcomes? It all starts with collecting the right data, and more than 85% of nonprofit funders, regardless of what type of nonprofit they fund, are more likely to fund a nonprofit that incorporates data into their reporting. Data-driven storytelling can give funders a more holistic idea of what your organization does, what values you collectively hold, and what your organization considers a success. Working with case management software can not only make it easier to collect the data you want to tell your organization’s story with, it can generate reports for those nonprofit funders and show those program outcomes.

Learn more about what funders want from your organization when you apply for funding by downloading our new Foundation Reporting Study. We surveyed Education funders, Multiservice Funders, and Youth Development funders to help put your organization in the best position for funding. Download the studies today!