How to give a presentation of an Annual Report?

Question

As Finance Manager (and Deputy Manager) of a charity that finds rented accommodation for single homeless people, I am due to give a presentation of our Annual Report at the AGM in Jan 07. The General Manager is on leave and has given me no guidance as to what is required of me! I need some assistance please as I have never done this before.

Answer 1

Presuming you already have an Annual report drawn up, the easiest thing to do is to make a powerpoint presentation.

Draw up slides that follow a logical sequence, and try to make it as simple and clear to follow as possible.

Begin with the charity's starting point for the year, outline the projects undertaken, explain how funding was achieved, show the work that was done and the results for the year, do a quick breakdown on the finances for the year, and finish with the planned development/strategies for next year.

Have a look at minutes from last year's AGM - that should outline how the delivery of the Annual Report was structured and give you some clues!

By the way, if you are going to use Powerpoint, make sure you have the projector and laptop organised beforehand, figure out your toggle switches to get the picture to show on the screen, and make sure you have a screen!

Good luck.

Answer 2

1.Have you got any old reports, say from last year?

2. You could inform people how many accommodations you have found for the homeless.

3. As Finance Manager inform them on finance side, i.e. how much you started with and how much you have left. But I would expect you will be doing that anyway. As finance manager of our Union I find that people sit with glazed looks on their faces when looking at figures, and its only the odd person who asks a question.

4. Any other information you can think of that has occurred over the past twelve months.

SPEECH MAKING
I dont know how used you are to making speeches, but one way I was taught was;
1. Tell 'em what you are going tell 'em.
2. Tell 'em
3. Tell 'em what you told them.

Now that sounds funny, but it does work.
1. 1. Tell 'em what you are going tell 'em.
Inform your audience, "Today I am going to talk about what premises we have supplied to our homeless population, I will be talking about the areas we have looked at, the size of the accommodations and the satisfaction we have given to the people of the town.

2. Tell 'em
Now you tell them in three sections, you can then elaborate on the three sections given in 1

3. Tell 'em what you told them.
Now you give them a short synopsis on what you have already said,because people listening will already have forgotton what you said first.

I promise you this is the easiest way and the most simple format, you are telling people three times but they wont realise it and statistics say that you have to tell people three times before they begin to take it in.

I do hope this helps. I know it has for me in the past.. Im just sorry I couldnt help you with the content of your speech.

Answer 3

Did you want to know what to use or what to include?

Most presentations of the like are done with PowerPoint and a projector hooked up to your laptop. Display it on either a projection screen or a white wall.

Answer 4

RM's answer is excellent but my advice is: keep it simple. Most people don't understand figures and will be bogged down in the detail. They only want to know: cash in, cash spent, what's left, what's invested. I would rehearse your talk on a friend who knows nothing of finance and watch their reaction and listen to their questions. They will be able to tell you if you are pitching it right.
Good luck.