Beyond the Pie Chart: Choosing the Right Data Visualization for Your Nonprofit Story

Why Pie Charts Are Overused

Pie charts are everywhere in nonprofit reports. While they can visually represent proportions, they often oversimplify complex data and make comparisons difficult. The truth is, better data visualization options exist to tell your nonprofit’s story more effectively.

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When Simplicity Backfires

Pie charts feel familiar—and that’s part of the problem. Their simplicity can actually work against your message, especially when you're dealing with more than three data points or percentages that are close in value. These visuals can quickly become cluttered or misleading, which muddies the clarity your story needs to land with donors, board members, and funders.

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Choosing the Right Data Visualization

Here’s a quick guide to choosing the best data visualization for your nonprofit’s impact:

• Bar Charts – Best for comparing numbers over time (e.g., yearly donations, program participation).
• Line Charts – Ideal for tracking trends (e.g., increases in volunteer hours).
• Maps – Great for showing geographic impact (e.g., locations of community projects).
• Timelines – Perfect for illustrating milestones and long-term progress.
• Heatmaps – Useful for identifying patterns (e.g., high-need areas for support).

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When to Use Interactive Visuals

If your nonprofit wants to engage audiences more deeply, consider interactive visualizations, such as:

• Hover-over details that display in-depth information.
• Filterable graphs that allow users to see specific data points.
• Embedded maps showing impact areas by zip code.

These elements are the foundation of what we at Plotline call Story Maps—scrollable, immersive data storytelling pages that guide your audience through an experience, not just a report.

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From Charts to Story Maps

Start with the story you want to tell—then choose visuals that support it. Bar charts, stacked columns, and line graphs all bring clarity. But when arranged thoughtfully into a longer, scrollable format, your data becomes more than a snapshot. It becomes a journey of transformation and impact—and that’s where Story Maps shine.

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Final Thoughts

The right data visualization can transform how people understand your nonprofit’s impact. Avoid defaulting to pie charts—choose visuals that bring your story to life and inspire action.

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👉 Schedule a consultation today!