10 Sites to Find Donations and Donors | Nonprofit Fundraising

Summary

In this video, Amber Melanie Smith, a non-profit founder and executive director, shares valuable insights on how to find donations for your non-profit. She covers 10 useful websites where you can research and apply for in-kind donations, financial gifts, or matching donations. Some of the platforms include DonateStuff, Good360, The Share Way, Double the Donation, and Benevity. Amber also discusses donor prospecting techniques and encourages building relationships with donors and giving intermediaries. The video is packed with practical tips to help non-profits secure much-needed resources.

Takeaways

• 🔍 Starting a nonprofit can be challenging, especially when looking for donations. The video shares tips on how to begin this process.
• 🌐 Donatestuff.com is a newer site where nonprofits can find in-kind donations like clothing, electronics, and furniture, though availability is limited by city.
• 📦 Good360.org helps nonprofits find excess goods from major retailers like Walmart and Amazon, often at a lower cost than market value.
• 🎁 TheShareWay.com is ideal for finding food donations, gift cards, or even alcohol, making it useful for fundraising events like auctions and raffles.
• 📝 NonprofitMegaphone.com lists 77 businesses known for giving grants or donations, offering a solid starting point for research.
• 💸 MillionDollarList.org tracks donors in the U.S. who have made million-dollar gifts, useful for donor prospecting.
• 📊 FEC.gov provides information about donors to political campaigns, helping nonprofits identify potential local donors with specific interests.
• 💰 DoubleTheDonation.com helps nonprofits find companies that offer matching gift programs, doubling the impact of individual donations.
• 📈 Benevity.com allows nonprofits to register in a corporate database, helping them connect with employee giving programs and corporate donors.
• 🎯 GivingCompass.org and Stanford's Philanthropist Resource Directory provide tools to help nonprofits get discovered by donors, especially high-net-worth individuals.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video?

The video provides a list of 10 websites that non-profit organizations can use to find opportunities for donations, both in-kind and financial, as well as other resources for fundraising.

What is the difference between in-kind donations and financial donations?

In-kind donations are goods or services provided to a non-profit instead of money, such as equipment, software, food, or materials. Financial donations, on the other hand, are monetary contributions made directly to the organization.

What is donatestuff.com, and how can non-profits use it?

Donatestuff.com is a platform that connects non-profits with individuals or businesses offering in-kind donations such as clothing, furniture, and electronics. Non-profits can request donations in their city or express interest in having the service expand to their area.

What type of donations can non-profits find on Good360?

On Good360, non-profits can access excess goods from large businesses like Walmart or Amazon. Items include toys, hygiene products, and other materials. Some goods may come with a small fee for delivery or at a price well below market value.

How does The Share Way help non-profits with fundraising events?

The Share Way connects non-profits with businesses offering donations for auctions or raffles, such as gift cards or discounted alcohol, which can be used to reduce costs for events like galas or fundraisers.

What is the purpose of the Million Dollar List?

The Million Dollar List tracks donors in the United States who have given gifts of $1 million or more to charities. Non-profits can use this information to identify high-value donors in their area or those with an interest in similar causes.

How can non-profits use data from fec.gov for donor prospecting?

FEC.gov (Federal Election Commission) provides information on individuals who have donated to political campaigns, including how much they donated. Non-profits can use this data to identify potential donors, assess their capacity, and gauge their interest in related causes.

What are matching gift programs, and how can non-profits benefit from them?

Matching gift programs are offered by companies that match donations made by their employees to eligible non-profits. Non-profits can use platforms like Double the Donation to identify such companies and encourage donors to leverage these programs to double their contributions.

What role does Benevity play in helping non-profits raise funds?

Benevity is a platform where companies manage their corporate and employee giving programs. Non-profits can register on Benevity to ensure their organization is visible to companies and employees looking for charitable causes to support through matching gifts or donations.

Why is it important for non-profits to be listed in giving directories like Giving Compass or Stanford’s Philanthropist Resource Directory?

Being listed in giving directories like Giving Compass and Stanford’s Philanthropist Resource Directory increases a non-profit’s visibility to potential donors, especially high-net-worth individuals and giving intermediaries who advise major philanthropists on where to direct their funds.