Consumer habits have changed. The rise of “conscious consumerism” means people are more interested in making sure they engage with organizations, support brands, and buy products that align with their personal values. Why does this matter for your non-profit organization? It impacts how your organization connects with its current and prospective donors.
A recent Non-Profit Quarterly article highlights that nonprofit organizations need to adapt to this changing worldview because individual donors are a huge part of the nonprofit ecosystem. This ecosystem extends from your mission out to your vendors, suppliers, and donors with each segment wanting to accommodate the expression of their values.
The importance of in-kind donations
In a recent survey of 2500 nonprofit organizations conducted by Generous and MyRegistry,com, two-thirds of respondents said in-kind donations were central to their mission. The consumer’s desire to connect their personal values to how they spend their money means it is imperative to find ways to help them align their values with the needs of your organization. In-kind donations can serve as the vehicle for this greater connection.
In-kind donation campaigns drive new donors and increase donations from existing ones. They bring an organization’s mission to life in authentic ways that donors can align with. However, we’ve all seen the “who donated this?” videos that circulate on the internet. Sure, it’s funny - but it exposes three major challenges:
- In-kind donation campaigns are inherently challenging to manage – especially while executing multiple drives at scale
- Getting a single view of the donor population is hard as there are many entry points to participate, and
- Collecting and segmenting donor data based on engagement behavior (someone who contributes in-kind vs. cash vs. in-kind and cash) can become inefficient.
Organizations want to know who the donor is not just so they can thank them, but so they can continue to grow their relationship with them.
Enter the Gift List
The Gift List is a technology tool that can help nonprofit organizations connect the dots between your mission, your donors, and your objectives.
A Gift List provides your organizations with two value added benefits - choice and control. Every item you want, and need, to fulfill your mission can be included in a gift list. The list is both shareable and shoppable from any store, anywhere. With a gift list you have the ability to choose partnerships with retailers that you want from big box stores to local vendors and your organization can control the brands and companies it wants to be associated with. This in turn gives your donors the choice on how to engage with your needs.
A donor’s first purchase is just the beginning of their lifetime value for your organization. The Gift List provides you with control over the donor data - specifically who provided the gift, what was purchased, and where they purchased it. Knowing who your donor is, along with the added information about their donation, gives you the ability to thoughtfully engage and grow the relationship.
No other platform can deliver the flexibility and donor insight that a Gift List can provide for managing in-kind donations. Your donors will love it. Your staff will be excited by it and your mission will be moved forward because of it.