By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the government reader and the purpose of the report

• Determine the level and type of information required to support decisions

• Plan reports efficiently using a spidergram

• Write clear, concise sentences that highlight key messages

• Eliminate unnecessary words and repetition

• Use formatting techniques to improve readability

• Edit their own work with confidence and accuracy

• Use AI tools appropriately to polish reports while maintaining professional judgement

Introduction

• Purpose of reporting to government

• Differences between progress reports and final reports

• Understanding government audiences, including officers, auditors and ministers

What government funders care about most

• Accountability, outcomes, risk and value for money

• How these priorities shape report content and structure

Understanding the readers

• Who is reading the report and why

• Decisions or actions the report supports

• Primary and secondary readers

• Addressing multiple audiences in one document

• Appropriate terminology, tone and document flow

Key components of a government report

• Executive summary

• Activities completed

• Outputs versus outcomes

• Aligning outputs and outcomes to KPIs and milestones

• Evidence sources, including surveys, case studies and performance metrics

• Budget and expenditure reporting

• Explaining variances and underspend

• Documenting in-kind contributions

• Preparing for audit trails and verification

• Risks, mitigations and lessons learned

• Presenting challenges without undermining credibility

• Next steps or sustainability plans for final reports

Planning the report

• Using a spidergram to identify content and plan structure

• Writing efficiently from the spidergram

• Benefits of structured planning

Editing and proofreading your report

• Editing techniques aligned with departmental style guides

• Sentence length and structure

• Leading with the main message

• Active versus passive voice

• Plain English and appropriate word choice

• Eliminating wasted words

• Formatting techniques to support readability

• Using AI to polish the document

• Proofreading techniques for accuracy and consistency