In-Kind Contribution Tips
In-kind contributions take many forms. They may include items like free space for offerings, discounts on supplies, or shared facilitators. In all cases, tracking in-kind contributions helps you visualize the amount of community support for your organization. It also helps your board understand the financial implications and benefits these non-cash contributions bring to your organization.
Some commonly-overlooked supports include:
| Contribution | Example | How to Calculate Cash Value |
| Rent-free space (facility for program offerings or office space) | The local municipality provides free office space, or the library provides free space for you to run a program offering | Ask what they would normally charged for the space |
| Shared facilitator/instructor | A partner organization pays wages for the time their staff is facilitating with your CALP | Calculate the approximate wage of the instructor x number of hours in the program |
| Food/snacks | The local grocer/store gives you a discount or donates food for your class | Calculate the cash value of the discount or the total value if the food was donated |
| Advertising |
The local paper writes an article about your organization, or the town gives you space for an ad on their utility bill |
Calculate the cost of an ad that size (i.e. 1/4 page) |
| Equipment | A local business donates a laptop | Look up its current market value (i.e. Kijiji or Facebook marketplace) |
| Services | A tech person provides IT support for free | Ask what their fee would be if they were charging for the service |
| Materials and supplies | A business supplies printing services or supplies | Calculate the cost of the materials you use if you had to buy them |
| Utilities | Your landlord or legal host pays for internet in your space | Calculate the cost of the utility if you had to pay for it |