Spring is the time many people deep clean and declutter. Maybe you’re getting rid of old stuff to make room for Memorial Day weekend sale purchases. Or, maybe you were inspired by minimalism and want to pare down your belongings.
There are many options for where to take unwanted stuff and contribute to local causes. In-kind donations can be a significant part of nonprofits’ budgets, said Jeanne Kojis, executive director of the Nonprofit Network for Southwest Washington. According to the Nonprofit Revenue Review that her organization published two years ago, homeless service provider Share had $653,000 in non-cash income, which represents the value of donated goods.
Kojis suggests that people give to an organization that has some flexibility for how in-kind donations can be used.
“If they can sell your items and realize some cash to help offset program costs, that is equally as valuable to an organization as if they’re going to put that to immediate use for a client,” Kojis said.