From PDF to People Power Online: Making Change Visible with an Online Annual Report
The California Endowment Nonprofit Website Annual Report
Overview
Most annual reports gather dust; The California Endowment wanted theirs to spark conversation, connection, and change. As the largest private health foundation in California, they’re on a mission to make health a reality for everyone, not just in doctor’s offices, but in schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and communities across the state.
Discovery
When The California Endowment approached us about their 2025 Annual Report, they didn’t just want a PDF to sit on a shelf.
They wanted to create an online annual report that would feel alive. They needed something engaging, inspiring, and accessible to all Californians.
We kicked things off with a deep discovery phase: a competitive audit to see how other major foundations were telling their stories, an inspiration audit to spot trends and fresh approaches, and a moodboard to align on tone and style.
It quickly became clear that the traditional report format wasn’t cutting it. The work TCE is doing is bold, people-powered, and transformative and their annual report needed to tell that story in the same way.
UX Strategy
Next, we mapped out how visitors would actually move through the online annual report.
We created clear user flows that highlighted the most important stories and made navigation effortless, whether someone was skimming highlights or digging into the details. Content planning was central and we thought carefully about what to say, how to say it, and how to structure everything so people could find what mattered most to them.
We kept asking: how do we make this online annual report feel welcoming, clear, and inspiring at every click? By designing thoughtful journeys, we ensured that visitors would not just read about impact but experience it in an interactive way.
Build
With strategy in place, it was time to bring the vision to life.
We designed a vibrant, modern report that pulsed with energy and purpose. Short-form videos introduced stories with authenticity and warmth. Bold colors and lively patterns brought visual excitement to the screen, while creative typography gave the report a distinctive, contemporary edge.
Engaging imagery placed real Californians front and center because this wasn’t just about statistics, it was about lives changed. We wove in narrative storytelling to highlight community impact, making sure every section felt like a chapter in the bigger movement. Interactive elements kept users engaged, inviting them to explore rather than passively scroll.
Test & Launch
Before launch, we put the report through a full round of testing across browsers, devices, and screen sizes to make sure everything worked seamlessly.
Accessibility checks ensured the report was usable for everyone. Once all the pieces were in place, we rolled out the online annual report smoothly and confidently, knowing every detail had been polished to perfection.
Closing Thoughts
The California Endowment has never been afraid to shake up the status quo, and their 2025 online annual report was no exception. It’s bold, it’s engaging, and it tells their story in a way that matches the scale of their impact.
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