Inside the Donor’s Lens: How Reports Are Read

Donor reporting is often treated as a compliance task, yet it plays a critical role in shaping how donors understand an organisation’s work, credibility, and learning. Many NGOs invest significant effort in reporting but remain unsure whether their reports are truly useful from a donor’s perspective.

This session presents a moderated conversation between a Donor and a CSR expert to unpack how donor reports are actually read and used in practice.

Featuring Captain Shanthi (CSR Lead, Infosys Foundation) and Rohith Viswanath (Consultant, Sattva Consulting), the discussion will move beyond formats and templates to explore what donors truly look for in reports, the common gaps seen across NGO reporting, and how organisations can communicate data, learning, and narrative clearly—without over-reporting. The session will also examine how strong reporting can support trust, transparency, and long-term donor relationships.

Key Takeaways for NGOs

• A clearer understanding of what donors value in a “good” report beyond basic compliance

• Insight into common reporting gaps and challenges that limit usefulness and clarity

• Practical guidance on balancing data, learning, and narrative without overwhelming readers

• An understanding of what makes reports more usable for donors, including structure, clarity, and frequency

• How reporting can strengthen trust, support better conversations, and contribute to long-term donor relationships
  

Who Should Attend

This session is best suited for programme managers, fundraising and partnerships teams, communications staff, nonprofit founders, and anyone involved in preparing or reviewing donor reports. It will be especially relevant for organisations that want to improve the quality, clarity, and strategic value of their reporting-not just meet compliance requirements.

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Before this session

Please go through these resources if you would like to learn more about the topic. They will help you build a better context before the session.

1. How to write an impact report

2. Donor reporting and disclosures