Let In-Kind Giving Boost Your Donations
By Mary Stange; Client Advisor
What is an in-kind gift?
In-kind giving can be a way to boost donations for your parish or school, outside of the normal parameters of financial giving.
In-kind contribution of Goods: Contribution of materials or assets that a non-profit can use to enhance some aspect of their work.
In-kind contribution of Services: Donation of time and expertise to perform a service that your non-profit would otherwise have to pay for.
Donors need to receive a written acknowledgment from the non-profit to claim these gifts on their tax returns.
What qualifies?
In-kind contribution of Goods:
- Office Supplies to assist in delivering services: based on the type of non-profit entity, let it be something they would use for their work.
In-kind contribution of Services:
- Pro Bono Services that the non-profit would otherwise pay for.
- Legal Services
- Accounting Services
- Website Development
- Advertising
- Payment on an invoice on behalf of the non-profit.
Benefits & How to Solicit
- No middleman
- Faster turnaround
- More collaboration with donors
- Active engagement on goals
- Financial flexibility
Soliciting in-kind donations can feel daunting. There is a lot of value in vulnerability-based trust, built over time with donors. One of the driving factors for in-kind giving, though, is that donors like knowing what their time or money is going toward. That concrete objective is being met through their assistance.
Web development is a huge avenue to look into in-kind giving. It’s an arena that is getting more complicated and more necessary. Get to know your parishioners and school families, even if you don’t have any web developers among them there might be someone who can help you network towards an in-kind gift.
Overall, focus on driving the tax benefits to the donor. Writing off goods or services can be incredibly beneficial on corporate tax returns and can lead to a mutually beneficial relationship for years and years.