"In-kind" support (contributions of equipment, supplies, or other property as distinct from monetary grants) is often offered by corporate giving programs along with, or in lieu of, cash grants. Such support includes:
Products, supplies, and equipment
- furniture
- computers
- office equipment
Use of corporate services/facilities
- financial and administrative support services
- meeting space
- mailing services
- computer services
- printing and duplicating
Professional services and employee expertise
- graphic arts/design
- advertising/promotion/marketing
- legal assistance
- tax, business, and financial advice
- strategic planning
There are several national membership organizations that serve as clearinghouses for nonprofits seeking product donations:
TechSoup Stock is an online product donation service that connects nonprofits with technology product donations from more than 20 leading providers.
In addition, many companies reward employee voluntarism through matching gifts programs, and some even permit their employees to take paid time off from work to perform volunteer work. Corporations tend to support organizations where their employees are involved as volunteers, and some companies donate funds to these organizations exclusively.
Other forms of corporate activity — including event sponsorship, cause-related marketing, and social investing (none of which can be considered pure "giving") — have been on the rise in recent years.
To identify corporate funders that have shown an interest in contributing in-kind gifts, use the Center's National Directory of Corporate Giving and/or The Foundation Directory Online, which is available to the public at Center Libraries and
many Cooperating Collections free of charge. These resources are also available for purchase through our Marketplace.
When referring to the National Directory of Corporate Giving or The Foundation Directory Online, you can search the Types of Support Index under the following headings:
- cause-related marketing
- consulting services
- donated equipment
- donated land
- donated products
- employee volunteer services
- in-kind gifts
- loaned talent
- public relations services
- sponsorships
- technical assistance
- use of facilities
The following resources contain additional information on finding in-kind gifts:
- To find companies that may offer products or services your nonprofit is seeking, you might try the Thomas Register's ThomasNet.com. It has a searchable database of over 650,000 manufacturers and is browsable with thousands of product categories. It covers companies in the United States and Canada. Free registration is required.
- Berger, Harvey and Greg D. Goller. "Charitable Deductions: Are Donors Getting What They Need?" NonProfit Times 19 (1 January 2005) p. 25, 39. Discusses the documentation that should be provided to donors for tax deductions, such as receipts and acknowledgement letters. Rules are briefly explained for gifts of cash, stocks, vehicles, and other property.
- Berger, Harvey and D. Greg Goller. "Rule Clarity: IRS Clarifies Rules for Donations of Intellectual Property." NonProfit Times 16 (1 July 2005) p. 12, 20. Congress placed restrictions on intellectual property donations with the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004. The article explains recent guidelines from the Internal Revenue Service for donors and nonprofits.
- Eckstein, Richard M. (ed.) Directory of Building and Equipment Grants. 7th ed. Loxahatchee, FL: Research Grant Guides, 2004. Basic directory of more than 900 foundations that give grants or non-cash donations for equipment and buildings.
- Eckstein, Richard M. (ed.) Directory of Computer and High Technology Grants. 5th ed. Loxahatchee, FL: Research Grant Guides, 2004. Provides information on more than 875 foundations and corporations that grant funds or donate equipment to nonprofit organizations seeking computers, software, and related technology.
- Rosa, Paul. "In-Kind Gifts: Legal, Financial & Matching Considerations." Grassroots Fundraising Journal 19 (February 2000) p. 11-12.
- Schneiderman, Martin B. "Donating Used Computers." Foundation News and Commentary 41 (November-December 2000) p. 25-28.
- Schwinn, Elizabeth. "Congress Passes New Tax Rules on Gifts of Cars, Art, and Intellectual Property." Chronicle of Philanthropy 17 (28 October 2004) p. 57. Congress has passed the American Jobs Creation Act, which includes provisions intended to prevent individuals and corporations from taking excessive deductions on vehicles, intellectual property and other in-kind gifts. President Bush has signed the bill into law.
- Taylor, John H. "Your Noncash Gift Questions Answered". Currents 24 (July-August 1998) p. 46-52.
- Wallace, Nicole. "Technology Plays Many Roles in Aftermath of Disaster." Chronicle of Philanthropy 13 (4 October 2001) p. 22.
- Zale, Laurence C. and Philip T. Temple. "Donations of Art: They Are Not Just Appropriate for Museums." Trusts & Estates 140 (April 2001) p. 41-4.
For more books and articles on in-kind giving, try searching our Catalog of Nonprofit Literature (CNL), the Center's bibliographic database. You could start searching on the subjects "In-kind contributions" or "Corporate philanthropy".
Many of the books and articles found through CNL can be located in Center Libraries and some Cooperating Collections. It is best to call ahead to verify a specific library's holdings.
To learn more about corporate giving, attend our Introduction to Corporate Giving, a free one-hour class.
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