Ops Insights #071 - Simple Board Reports
August 8, 2025 | Read Time: 2 minutes | Written by Jenny Kleintop
You want to balance between showing the data and telling the story. If you present too much data, the board members may become disengaged, and if you tell too much of a story, the board may not trust the narrative. It’s a delicate balance between the two.
To keep it simple, engaging, and trustworthy, align the board reports to answer three questions.
Where are you in terms of progress toward the goal?
Are you on track to meet the goal?
What is needed?
Where are the gaps?
What is in the pipeline to help fill the gaps?
Where do the gaps still exist, and where can the board help with those gaps?
Use the data to tell the story.
ONE: Where are you at with progress this year?
How much revenue have you raised?
How many gifts have you brought in?
How many unique donors have you brought in?
Show views by:
Overall
By Major level
By Mid level
By Annual level
Show analysis by:
Results last year.
Results this year.
Results this year compared to last year.
Progress this year toward the goal.
TWO: What is in the pipeline to help fill the gaps?
Look at the prospects in the pipeline and what opportunities are expected to close this year.
Show the counts of prospects and the total dollars expected to close this year, following the views about:
Overall
By Major level
By Mid level
By Annual level
THREE: Where do the gaps still exist, and where can the board help with those gaps?
Show the gap between #1 and #2 above. What is still needed, in terms of identifying the gaps, and how can the board help us fill those gaps?
At each step, ensure that the data aligns with the story you are trying to convey. This approach gives you a balance between the data and the story, both of which are equally important to convey.
Take Action
Here are the steps you can take:
➡ Review your current board reports, if you have them. Do they support the story you are trying to tell, and are they backed by the right data?
➡ Revamp the reports to keep it simple and answer the three questions above.
➡ Re-group after board meetings with your data team to see how effective they were and if any fine tuning is needed.
You’ve got this!
👋 See you next time,
Jenny
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