If you have a heart of gold and your passion for helping others extends beyond your nine-to-five day, then you are probably looking for a way to do more…with less. Have the following questions crossed your mind: How do I stretch every dollar donated? How to find more hands to make light work of an important project? How to receive an in-kind donation so your money can go straight to your service program? Whatever your situation, here are a few tips on how to get services or a rental truck donated to your charitable efforts.
Do Your Homework
With any product or service you are in need of and requesting to receive, be sure to check out the company’s website or give the company a call to find out if they consider donating products or services. The last thing you want to do is waste your time pursuing a donation from a company or organization that is not in a position to help. If they consider donation requests, ensure that you are in compliance with all the guidelines and that you provide all the required information. Many companies will not consider a request that is lacking the necessary documentation and details.
Plan Ahead
Give yourself enough time to request the donation and follow up with the company you’d like to get a donation from. I’d recommend planning ahead three weeks to a month in advance to submit the request and follow-up. In-kind donations often have many components and can take some time to orchestrate. This will also allow you to prepare to execute a “Plan B” in case things don’t work out.
Show Your Gratitude
Once you receive the donation from the company or organization, show the them some love! Post a photo or message on their Facebook wall or tweet to them and say “Thanks!” Print and frame a group photo with the donated product or service in action and send it to their office. A little thanks will go a very long way.
Think Outside the Box
In the event you’re not able to obtain the donated item you need, what next? Be creative! What about using a trailer to move and store your items instead of a moving truck? It’s better for the environment and your pocketbook. You may have more resources available to you than you think, and reaching out to others may help you spread the mission and goal of your efforts and organization.
What resources or tricks have you found helpful in receiving donated goods or services? Comment below to share your thoughts!
