6 Creative Ways to Solicit In-Kind Donations for Nonprofits

While monetary contributions are always useful for charitable organizations, many nonprofits can benefit from diversifying their fundraising efforts by collecting in-kind donations. These gifts of goods or services can enhance your organization’s financial flexibility, help you obtain resources more efficiently, and deepen community partnerships.

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When donors contribute in-kind gifts, they better understand their impact and can support your mission in more diverse ways. To tap into this win-win revenue source, you’ll need to get creative with solicitation. Explore the tips in this guide to ask for in-kind donations in a way that entices donors to give.

1. Launch a skills bank.

Many professionals are willing to donate their time and expertise, but they need a structured way to do so. Create a virtual "skills bank" where volunteers can sign up to offer in-kind services using a spreadsheet or a dedicated volunteer management system.

To gather in-kind donations that align with your organization’s current needs, meet with your team regularly to discuss your goals and which services would be helpful. Then, add these stipulations to your system to inform volunteers what you need.

For example, if you’re hosting a fundraising event, you may need volunteers willing to donate photography services to capture your event. Alternatively, you may let volunteers note their areas of expertise and match these offerings to projects as they arise.

Brand your skills bank to your organization, and advertise it on your nonprofit’s website, social media, and newsletter. Emphasize how even a few hours of expertise can help your organization budget for other costs and pursue its mission.

2. Create item wish lists.

Creating shareable wish lists ensures you receive items that align with your needs and gift acceptance policy. As YPTC’s nonprofit financial management guide explains, “It’s especially important to have a gift acceptance policy in place when you’re collecting in-kind donations so you can prevent donors from contributing items you can’t use, such as expired items, broken or damaged goods, items with legal restrictions, or hazardous materials.”

Develop different lists for different campaigns or projects. For example, if your educational nonprofit is running a back-to-school campaign, you may create a wish list with items like:

• Backpacks
• Lunch boxes
• Pencils
• Pencil cases
• Notebooks
• Textbook covers

These lists also make it easy to steward in-kind donors because you can receive notifications of who purchased each item and when. Then, you can send them a thank-you email that doubles as a donation receipt they can keep for their records.

3. Host experiential in-kind donation drives.

Host memorable, themed in-kind donation drive events that actively involve supporters in the giving experience. Doing so makes contributing more meaningful and builds community among donors.

These drives may look like:

• A "supply safari," where donors walk through a mock jungle to drop off items at different stations
• A service fair where professionals offer short consultations and sign up for ongoing pro bono support
• A pack-a-thon where attendees bring items and assemble hygiene kits for your beneficiaries
• A “donate and play” event where supporters bring items for animals in your shelter and get time to play with them
• A “kids helping kids” drive where kids package items and write letters for kids in need

Enhance the event experience with food, music, and entertainment. You may access these services through in-kind donations of free services from a catering company, a local DJ, or a volunteer willing to play music.

4. Gamify your campaign.

Gamification involves tapping into supporters' competitive sides and transforming your fundraising efforts into games. Use leaderboards to show which supporters have contributed the most items or time to your organization. Offer small rewards like social media shoutouts, free merchandise, or event discounts to encourage participation.

You may also give out badges for hitting certain milestones, such as five years volunteering with your nonprofit, ten donation drives participated in, or fifteen items donated. Allow supporters to share these badges on social media for greater visibility.

5. Leverage storytelling.

When asking for in-kind donations, pair your requests with real-life stories. This approach helps donors understand their impact and build emotional connections to your cause.

For example, instead of just asking for art supplies, describe how a similar past donation enabled an after-school program to host its first student art show. Your story might look something like this:

Last year, our in-kind donation drive collected art supplies for the after-school program at Lincoln Elementary School. We collected enough supplies to power the program’s first student art show.

“It was so fun getting to show my art!” said Layla, a participant in the program. “I loved using the new paints and paintbrushes to make a painting of my dog, Spot.”

“These supplies truly transformed our program,” said Leon, one of the program directors. “The kids love unleashing their creativity after school and sharing their final projects with friends and families.”

Empower Lincoln Elementary to host their second annual after-school program art show by donating today. Whether you purchase one paintbrush or ten, you’re sure to splatter this school community with joy!

With your beneficiaries’ permission, accompany your stories with photos or videos that bring them to life. You may also repurpose these stories for social media to spread the word to an even wider audience.

6. Engage corporate teams.

Instead of soliciting typical corporate sponsorships, engage entire corporate teams to get employees involved in the local community. Work with human resources (HR) or corporate social responsibility (CSR) leaders at these companies to integrate giving into workplace initiatives. 

For example, you may collaborate with a business to create a team giving challenge in which different departments compete to see who can contribute the most in-kind items aligned with your mission. Alternatively, you may host employee volunteer days in which employees help you collect and process in-kind donations.

After partnering with a business, follow up with a personalized thank-you note. Let them know how much their support means and the impact your partnership will have on your beneficiaries. Then, recognize participating teams on social media and in your newsletter. Proper stewardship can help develop long-term strategic partnerships that benefit both your organization and the company.

Strengthen your in-kind donation solicitation strategy

In-kind donations provide an opportunity for donors to contribute in a unique way and for your nonprofit to acquire useful items or services to put toward its mission. With a creative solicitation strategy, you can engage supporters and maximize the in-kind gifts your organization receives.

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