Can we seek inkind donations online?

Summary:

There's a website that offers some help with that. And some suggestions of straightforward techniques.

Answer:

The website Oodle (http://www.oodle.com) aggregates classified advertisements in several cities. It includes a feature allowing charities in those cities to post wish lists so people willing to give stuff away can consider that option -- choose the "Give Locally" tab to learn more. There's also a sign-up page to be put on a list to be notified when the service expands to your area.

Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.com) is active in many cities and allows posting notices of all sorts. The service reaches a wide audience.

Many locales have dedicated local nonprofit discussion lists and some of them permit posting requests for needed supplies and materials. Since the readership of these lists includes mostly other nonprofit people, the most promising sort of request is for office equipment and other common items where something worn but durable may be surplus for one organization yet useful for another.

Some organizations successfully put wish lists on their own websites. That technique is likely to work best when the website is one that supporters want to visit anyway; as is true of the web generally, it is not a strong medium for reaching strangers who have no connection to the organization or the mission.

(I'd be pleased to learn of other techniques or resources that have proven successful. --Ed.)

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Created 6/28/05 -- PB