Feb

6

Get Something Back When You Donate

Filed Under Donation Requests 

Non-profit organizations are preparing their donation request list, and you’re on it. They often ask for gift basket donations for their black tie auctions. The number of requests may become overwhelming for you, especially when every organization asks at the same time. Your main concern is:

Are donations worth my time, or should I focus solely on paying clients?

Here’s how to give away leftovers rather than deplete your “good” inventory and a photo of how I arranged four items in a leftover container.

Experienced designers set donation limits, and they also expect certain opportunities as part of their charitable giving. Consider these three options the next time an organization contacts you for a donation.

1. Work with groups that focus on a cause close to your heart. Homelessness, youth activities, or cancer prevention may top your list.

2. Ask about opportunities to become a board member. Many individuals on non-profit boards have the power to get your gift baskets into doors that you cannot open on your own.

3. Request tickets to the annual event as part of the donation. If your gift basket will be there, so should you.

The next time you’re asked to donate, consider the benefits that both you and the organization bring to each other. Then choose a cause, give, and get something back.

Here are four articles with insights on when to donate (newspaper links within the articles may be broken due to age).

Donate Baskets to a Good Cause
How Do You Handle Donation Requests?
How to Choose Charities to Receive Your Gift Baskets
Donating Does a Lot of Good

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Read these related articles:

  1. Welcome to Gift Baskets, Create a Brochure
  2. Start-Up Money, Get Organized, How to Donate
  3. How Donations Bring You Business
  4. Donations, Gift Basket Contest, How to Ship
  5. How to Satisfy Your Customers

Comments

2 Responses to “Get Something Back When You Donate”

  1. Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. on February 22nd, 2009 12:24 pm

    Callers asking for donated gift baskets can become overwhelming. You’ve shared great advice that has worked for me.

    I’d like to add that donating supplies rather than your time may work for some groups. This works well when the group has eager volunteers and donated gifts, but no containers, shred, etc. B sure to calculate the dollar value of your donation for your taxes. It’s a win-win situation when you can dispense with some of your overflow and help the charity as well.

  2. Shirley George Frazier on February 22nd, 2009 12:32 pm

    Great point, Flora, about what to donate and how to ensure that the donation is calculated for taxes. That’s very important for their bottom line and each of ours.