Storydoc for Nonprofits: Interactive Annual Reports and Donor Documents
Your annual report is competing for attention in donors' inboxes. Storydoc transforms static PDFs into scrollytelling web experiences that donors actually read, with embedded analytics showing exactly what resonates and built-in donation buttons to convert readers into givers.
What It Does
Tired of sending annual reports that nobody reads past page three? Storydoc is a web-based interactive document platform that replaces static PDFs with scrollytelling experiences, where content reveals progressively as donors scroll, drawing them deeper into your story. Instead of a 24-page PDF that requires downloading and opens in a separate app, donors get a web-native document that plays like a narrative.
The platform uses AI to generate complete document structures from text prompts, uploaded PDFs, or your website URL. It automatically extracts your organization's colors and logo to apply branding, and populates content with structured information. The result is a branded, interactive document that would typically take a designer several days, produced in under an hour.
Beyond creation, Storydoc's real differentiator for nonprofits is what happens after you hit send. The platform tracks who opened each document, which sections they read, how long they spent on each part, and where they stopped. When a major donor opens your annual report, you'll know exactly what captured their attention, and what didn't.
Best For
Organization Size
Mid-to-large nonprofits with communications or development staff, typically 15+ employees. Smaller organizations may find the cost hard to justify without a team producing frequent donor materials.
Use Cases
- Annual and impact reports
- Personalized donor stewardship
- Sponsorship proposals
- Fundraising campaign materials
Ideal Roles
- Communications Directors
- Development Directors
- Marketing Coordinators
- Major Gift Officers
Key Features for Nonprofits
16+ Nonprofit Templates
Pre-built templates for annual reports, donor impact reports, NGO reports, charity annual reports, foundation reports, and sponsorship proposals. Start from a complete, branded structure instead of a blank page.
Embedded Donation Buttons
Include a direct donation button inside your annual report or impact document. Donors can give without leaving the document, shortening the path from reading your story to making a gift.
Engagement Analytics
See exactly which sections donors read, how long they spent on each part, and where they dropped off. Each shared document gets a unique URL for per-recipient tracking, so you know who read what.
Donor Personalization at Scale
Create personalized versions of the same document with each donor's name, gift amount, and supported programs dynamically inserted. Send 500 individualized impact reports without rebuilding each one from scratch.
Live Data Visualizations
Embed live-updating charts from Tableau, Power BI, Flourish, or Looker directly into your documents. Program outcome data and financial charts update automatically without manually rebuilding the report.
AI Document Generation
Generate a complete document structure from a text prompt, an uploaded PDF, or your organization's website URL. The AI extracts your branding automatically and populates content into a structured framework.
How Storydoc Uses AI
What's Actually AI-Powered
Content Generation from Source Materials
Storydoc's AI reads your existing content (a PDF annual report, your website, or a text prompt) and generates a structured document with organized sections, appropriate headings, and content placed into the right template zones. It uses generative AI to write or restructure text, not just reformat it.
Automatic Brand Extraction
When you provide your organization's website URL, the AI extracts your primary colors, logo, and visual style, then applies them to the document. This saves the manual work of setting up brand guidelines for every new document.
AI Image Generation
Paid plans include monthly AI image generation credits for creating custom visuals within documents. The Starter plan includes 20 credits/month, Pro includes 50 credits/month.
What's NOT AI (But Still Useful)
- •The scrollytelling format itself is a design choice, not AI. The technology that reveals content as you scroll is standard web animation.
- •Analytics (open tracking, scroll depth, time on page) are standard web analytics, not AI-powered predictions.
- •Template designs are created by human designers. The AI populates templates, it doesn't design them.
AI Transparency and Limitations
- AI output quality varies:User reviews note that AI-generated content is a useful starting point but often requires significant editing for accuracy, tone, and nonprofit context. Don't expect to publish AI-generated content without review.
- Human editorial still needed:The AI doesn't know your specific programs, beneficiaries, or organizational voice. You'll need to edit generated content substantially to reflect your mission and your actual results.
Real-World Nonprofit Use Case
Imagine a regional environmental nonprofit preparing their annual report. In previous years, a staff member spent three weeks working with a graphic designer on a 20-page PDF that donors downloaded approximately 12% of the time. This year, they use Storydoc to build an interactive scrolling report in under two days using a nonprofit annual report template.
They embed a live Tableau chart showing acres of habitat protected, add a Loom video testimonial from a community partner, and insert a personalized "Your Impact" section that dynamically shows each major donor's name and gift amount. They also add a donation renewal button at the end of the report.
After sending, the analytics dashboard shows that donors who read past the habitat chart section donated at twice the rate of those who didn't. Two weeks later, the development director uses this insight to rebuild the donor welcome series, leading with the program outcomes data that drives the most engagement. This is the kind of intelligence a static PDF simply cannot provide.
Quick Win: Your First Storydoc in 48 Hours
- 1.Sign up for the 14-day free trial (no credit card required) and choose a nonprofit annual report template.
- 2.Enter your website URL and let the AI extract your branding and generate a first-draft structure (about 10 minutes).
- 3.Replace placeholder content with your actual program outcomes and photos. Add one embedded video testimonial if you have one.
- 4.Send to 10 major donors using unique per-recipient links and check the analytics dashboard after one week to see what they actually read.
Pricing
| Plan | Annual Billing | Monthly Billing | Active Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | ~$19.80/month | ~$33/month | 5 documents |
| Pro | ~$36/month | ~$60/month | 30 documents |
| Team | Contact sales | Contact sales | Unlimited |
Annual billing saves approximately 40% compared to monthly billing. The 14-day free trial includes full platform access with no credit card required.
Hidden Costs to Know About
- White-labeling:Custom domain (CNAME) reportedly costs an additional $100/month on top of your plan. Verify with Storydoc before committing if this is important to you.
- Integrations:Some integrations (HubSpot, Pipedrive) may require support requests to activate even on plans where they're listed as included.
Pricing is subject to change. Verify current pricing directly with Storydoc before purchasing.
Nonprofit Pricing and Discounts
Storydoc does not publicly list a nonprofit discount program and is not currently available through TechSoup or similar nonprofit software discount platforms. This is a meaningful gap compared to competitors like Canva (free for nonprofits) and Gamma (free tier available).
What to Do
- 1.Start the 14-day free trial to evaluate whether Storydoc is the right fit for your organization before asking about pricing.
- 2.Contact Storydoc's sales team directly and ask specifically about nonprofit or social impact pricing. Vendors often have unadvertised discounts for mission-driven organizations.
- 3.Annual billing provides approximately 40% savings over monthly billing, which is the most reliable discount currently available.
If budget is a primary concern, consider Gamma (free tier) or Canva (free for nonprofits) as lower-cost starting points.
Learning Curve
Time to First Document
Most nonprofit staff can build a polished document within their first hour using a template and AI generation. The drag-and-drop interface is intuitive, and the scrollytelling format becomes natural quickly.
Where It Gets Harder
CRM integrations, personalization at scale, and advanced automation require more time to set up. If you need documents to automatically pull donor data from Salesforce, plan for several hours of integration work or professional help.
Mental Model Shift
Storydoc is not a slide tool. Staff accustomed to PowerPoint or Google Slides will need to think in terms of scrolling narrative sections rather than slides. Most users adapt within a few hours of practice.
Realistic Timelines
No coding required. Basic comfort with web tools is sufficient for most use cases.
Integration and Compatibility
CRM and Donor Management
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Pipedrive
- Zoho
Data Visualization
- Tableau (live embeds)
- Power BI
- Flourish
- Looker
Video and Scheduling
- YouTube, Vimeo, Loom
- Calendly (meeting scheduling)
- HubSpot Calendar
- Intercom live chat
Data Portability
- PDF download for recipients
- Zapier and API access (Pro+)
- No editable export (PowerPoint/Slides)
- Interactive elements lost in PDF
Vendor Lock-In Warning
Storydoc does not export to PowerPoint, Google Slides, or other editable formats. If you switch platforms, you'll need to rebuild all your documents from scratch. Before committing, verify that the platform's engagement and donation features justify this trade-off for your organization.
Honest Pros and Cons for Nonprofits
Pros
- Purpose-built nonprofit templates: Annual reports, donor impact reports, and sponsorship proposals are available immediately, no starting from blank.
- Proven engagement lift: Storydoc claims 41% more documents read in full and 37% longer reading times compared to static PDFs. If accurate, this represents a meaningful improvement in donor communication effectiveness.
- Embedded donation buttons: The ability to embed a give button directly in the annual report is a genuine differentiator that can convert readers to donors in-context.
- Actionable analytics: Knowing which sections grantmakers and donors actually read helps communications teams make smarter content decisions over time.
- Mobile-optimized out of the box: Every document renders correctly on mobile without additional configuration, important for reaching donors wherever they are.
Cons
- No free plan, no nonprofit discount: Storydoc is among the pricier options with no free tier and no publicly listed discount for nonprofits. Budget-constrained organizations may be priced out.
- Significant vendor lock-in: No editable export means rebuilding everything if you switch tools. Verify your commitment before investing in multiple documents.
- PDF loses interactivity: When grantmakers or board members request a PDF copy, all interactive elements, embedded videos, live charts, and donation buttons are gone.
- Not suited for live presentations: The scrollytelling format doesn't work for board meetings or conferences where slide-by-slide presentation is expected. You'd need a separate tool for those contexts.
- AI consistency issues: User reviews note that AI-generated content occasionally produces errors or inconsistent quality. Always review AI output before publishing.
Alternatives to Consider
Gamma
Free Tier AvailableAI-first presentation tool with a free tier and modern format. Less specialized for nonprofit annual reports, but significantly more affordable. Best if budget is the primary constraint or you want to test AI presentations without cost.
Canva for Nonprofits
Free for NonprofitsCanva's nonprofit program provides free access to Canva Pro. Massive template library including annual report designs, easy for non-designers, and extremely cost-effective. Lacks Storydoc's engagement analytics, interactive scrolling format, and donation button embeds. Best for organizations that need beautiful static documents without ongoing subscription costs.
AltruAI
Nonprofit-SpecificBuilt specifically for nonprofit annual reports, starting at $45/month with a free trial. Less feature-rich in interactivity than Storydoc but purpose-designed for the nonprofit context with modules for financials, programs, and board governance. Best for organizations that want a nonprofit-first tool.
Why choose Storydoc over these alternatives: If engagement analytics and embedded donation conversion are essential to your donor communication strategy, and your team produces frequent high-stakes documents (annual reports, major donor proposals, grant reports), Storydoc's feature set is genuinely differentiated. For organizations producing one annual report per year with a limited budget, start with Canva or Gamma first.
Getting Started with Storydoc
Start the free trial (no credit card)
Go to storydoc.com/nonprofit and start the 14-day free trial. Browse the nonprofit template library before creating your first document to understand what's possible.
Generate your first draft with AI
Use the AI generation feature with your website URL to auto-apply branding and create an initial structure. Alternatively, upload last year's annual report PDF and let the AI restructure it into the scrollytelling format.
Replace AI content with your real data
AI-generated content needs editorial review. Replace placeholder text with your actual program outcomes, real photos of your work, and accurate financial information. Add a Loom or YouTube video testimonial if you have one.
Send to a small test group and review analytics
Before full deployment, share with 10-15 donors using unique per-recipient links. After a week, review the analytics dashboard to see what readers engage with and where they drop off. Use these insights to refine before broader distribution.
Need Help with Storydoc Implementation?
Setting up interactive annual reports and connecting donor personalization workflows can take time your team may not have. One Hundred Nights can help you get up and running quickly, from initial setup to creating your first personalized donor impact report.
Get Implementation HelpFrequently Asked Questions
Is Storydoc free for nonprofits?
Storydoc does not have a free plan and does not publicly list a nonprofit discount. It offers a 14-day free trial with full platform access and no credit card required. Annual billing saves approximately 40% over monthly billing, with plans starting around $19.80/month when billed annually. Contact Storydoc's sales team directly to ask about any unadvertised nonprofit pricing.
What nonprofit templates does Storydoc offer?
Storydoc offers 16+ nonprofit-specific templates including annual reports, interactive annual reports, NGO reports, small nonprofit annual reports, annual impact reports, charity annual reports, foundation annual reports, donor impact reports, one-page donor reports, and charity sponsorship proposals.
How does Storydoc's engagement data help nonprofits?
Storydoc tracks which sections of your annual report or donor communication actually get read, how long readers spend on each section, and where they stop reading. This data helps nonprofits understand what content resonates with donors and grantmakers and identify weak sections. Each shared document gets a unique URL for per-recipient tracking, so you know who opened your report and what they read.
Can Storydoc documents include donation buttons?
Yes. Storydoc documents can include embedded donation buttons, allowing readers to give directly from within the annual report or impact document without being redirected to another page. This shortens the path from reading about your mission to making a gift.
What integrations does Storydoc support for nonprofits?
Storydoc integrates with Salesforce and HubSpot for CRM data, Calendly and HubSpot Calendar for scheduling donor meetings, YouTube, Vimeo, and Loom for embedded video, and data visualization tools including Power BI, Tableau, Flourish, and Looker for live charts. It also supports Zapier and API access (Pro plan and above) for custom integrations.
What are the main limitations of Storydoc for nonprofits?
The main limitations are: no free plan and no publicly listed nonprofit discount; documents cannot be exported to editable formats like PowerPoint or Google Slides, creating vendor lock-in; the PDF export loses all interactive elements; the scrollytelling format is less suited for live board presentations; and white-labeling (custom domain) reportedly costs an additional $100/month.
How does Storydoc compare to Canva or Gamma for nonprofits?
Canva is free for nonprofits through the Canva for Nonprofits program and offers a massive template library, but lacks Storydoc's engagement analytics and interactive scrollytelling format. Gamma has a free tier and is more affordable, but is less specialized for nonprofit annual reports. Storydoc is the strongest choice if engagement analytics and embedded donation buttons are important to your organization and budget allows.