SOCIAL IMPACT DESIGN STUDIO

Annual reports supporters actually understand, remember, and trust

Small comms and fundraising teams are asked to translate complex work into something supporters understand fast. We design belief-building annual reports that make your work easier to fund, share, and reuse.

start your annual report

Find your best-fit path

Collage of slides showing Bexa Equity Alliance's commitment to prioritizing black women's health with statistics, solution highlights, and a photo of two smiling women in colorful blazers.

Two-page spread describing The Regenerative Leadership Project, highlighting 46 participants, 14 in Fall 2023 cohort, and 7 countries represented, with text explaining the training based on Indigenous wisdom, feminism, and anti-oppression.

Smartphone displaying a webpage titled 'Five in Five: Our Strategic Goals' with a smiling woman in academic regalia and colored sections listing five strategic goals.

Two postcards featuring diverse students walking with text saying 'Back to school' and 'Back to college' from Making Waves Foundation and Academy.

Open brochure showing global engagement programs with a map of locations in Europe and Australia, student testimonials, group photos, and statistics of 128 engaged students, 13 partners, and $140,000 in scholarships.

A purple flyer titled 'Signs of a Healthy Partner' listing characteristics such as sharing decision-making, accepting you, good communication, and respecting boundaries, with a smiling couple on the right side.

Open annual report showing a woman standing on rocks in a flowing river surrounded by greenery.

Collage of Orange County Community Foundation presentation slides featuring mission statement, about OCCF, how it works, community photos, and philanthropic diagram.

Open laptop on wooden desk displaying Tides website page titled 'Tides by The Numbers' with statistics and photos of diverse people.

Annual reports put so much pressure on small nonprofit teams

When time, tools, and design support are limited, the report turns into a rush to fit everything in, and the story starts to fall apart.

That’s where BELIEF by Design™ comes in. It’s our approach for turning mission-heavy info into visuals supporters understand quickly and remember. You get a report that builds belief in your mission, supports fundraising, and gives your team reusable assets for the rest of the year.

start here

Different teams need different starting points

Choose the path that fits your team right now:

Full Annual Report Design

Your report built properly from the start.

→ Annual Report Design Intensive

Signature One-Pagers

Everyday tools that extend the life of your report.

→ Signature One-Pagers

DIY Reports

Planner + templates for teams building in-house.

→ DIY Templates + Planner

Belief-Building Design Block

Already mid-draft? We jump in and refine fast.

→ Belief-Building Design Block

We’re Acton Circle, the go-to social impact design firm

Trusted by nonprofits improving education, health, and community well-being.

Since 2019, we’ve partnered with 60+ nonprofits and foundations—designing communications that help supporters understand their work and feel compelled to support it.

That’s BELIEF by Design™ in practice.

annual report design intensive

From annual report to a living story donors return to

Your annual report is often the first impression funders, supporters, and partners get.

We design digital-first reports—interactive, web-ready, and built to stay visible long after launch.

You walk away with:
‍
→ A report built on BELIEF by Design™
→ Assets designed for repurposing
→ A system your team can build on next year

explore the Annual Report Intensive

“A beautiful job bringing our foundation's report to life.”

Kris L., CEO, Chiron Community Giving Foundation

Open report showing pages discussing social determinants of mental health with a photo of urban buildings and text highlighting uninsured residents and rates of poor mental health.

signature one-pagers

Signature tools for everyday moments

Ready-to-use materials your team can rely on across fundraising, outreach, and participant support.

We turn messy information into supporter-ready, participant-ready one-pagers for:

→ funder meetings
→ participant resources
→ program snapshots
→ board communication
→ outreach + partnerships

Belief-building. Mission-embodied. Reusable.

get your signature one-pagers

do-it-yourself

Templates and tools for teams building in-house

If you're creating your report in-house, our DIY tools give you the foundation already built.

→ Annual Report Planner
→ The Belief-Building Annual Report Playbook
→ DIY Template Kits
→ Free Thank You Templates

Built from the same system we use with 1:1 clients.

explore diy tools

belief-building design block

Already building something in-house? Let’s tighten it up.

If you’re staring at a draft thinking “It’s close, but not quite”—this is for you.We step directly into your file and refine it in real time.
‍
Perfect for one-pagers, decks, and fundraising pieces that just need an expert hand.

You leave with something ready to send.

check out design blocks

Belief-building starts here

Belief-Building Report Playbook

A practical guide to planning and designing an annual report people actually understand and remember.

get the guide

THE ACTON CIRCLE DIFFERENCE

Why community-centered organizations choose us as their social change design agency

Because we only design for social change organizations.

We know speak nonprofit and design. We get the realities of mission-driven communication: multiple stakeholders, high expectations, and the responsibility of building public trust.

Because our process is refreshingly straightforward.

Our process keeps you informed at every stage with clear timelines, proactive communication, and built-in review points. You'll always know what's next, why it matters, and how it connects to your goals.

Because we believe in depth over surface.

We're not here to make things look "clean and professional"—we're here to make donors feel your mission. Our process helps you shape and repurpose content strategically, turning your complex work into cohesive, belief-building visuals.

Because we've eliminated the pricing BS.

No hourly rates. No surprise invoices. Just fixed pricing that's clear from day one—built for nonprofit budgets and designed to eliminate scope creep before it starts. You'll know exactly what you're investing and what you're getting. Period.

When the visuals finally match the work

(Straight from our clients)

WHO WE SERVE

As a social impact design studio, here’s who we work with best

If you’re expanding access, improving well-being, and strengthening communities, your story deserves to be seen, felt, and understood.

get started

view our work

about acton circle

Your design partner for nonprofits strengthening communities

We translate complex missions into visuals donors can understand, and believe.

MEET YOUR DESIGN PARTNER

on the blog

Is your annual report the foundation your story can grow from?

We guide you through what to say, how to design it, and how to turn it into materials that support your work year-round.

Impact Report vs Annual Report for Non-Profits

Confused about impact reports vs annual reports? Learn how nonprofits should use each, when to separate them, and how to avoid overcrowded, forgettable reports.

What Is a Nonprofit Annual Report & What to Include

Learn what a nonprofit annual report is, what to include, and how to combine annual and impact reporting into one clear, trust-building story for donors.

How to Write an Annual Report Without Oversimplifying Your Work

Learn how to write an annual report that builds trust without oversimplifying complex community work. Context matters more than clean stories.

Acton Circle is a design studio specializing in digital-first annual reports and the storytelling tools that extend their impact. We help nonprofits and foundations strengthening communities turn complex work into supporter-ready, participant-ready materials that build belief, drive engagement, and keep working year-round.

Subscribe to The Bold Print

Every week, Olivia shares what she’s learning from 12+ years designing hundreds of nonprofit projects and the storytelling systems behind them—the behind-the-scenes stuff that helps you show donors you mean what you say and create visuals that actually carry your message forward.

If you’re figuring out how to tell your story better (or wondering if we’d be a good fit to work together), this is where the good stuff lives.

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