Shareway – How to Win In-Kind Donations Using This Smart Platform
Wiki Article
When nonprofit organizations or school fundraising committees look to source in-kind donations of gift cards, merchandise, services or experiences, adopting a tool like Shareway transforms the process from scattered cold calls into a strategic campaign. At its core, Shareway functions as a directory and request platform that matches charities with companies willing to donate non-cash items. By leveraging this resource, your team can scale the “breadth” of your donations—securing numerous smaller items—while still leaving capacity to pursue headline experiences that drive engagement and revenue.
To make Shareway work effectively, start by defining clear targets and an item mix before you create a single request. Decide the net fundraising goal for your event, then translate that into categories: perhaps 40 percent gift cards, 40 percent themed bundles, and 20 percent high-tier experiences. This helps you focus your outreach through Shareway toward companies whose donation programs match your priorities. Having this structure means your volunteers ask for the right items, reducing wasted effort and increasing approval rates.
Organize your team for efficiency: assign volunteers to defined roles such as researcher (uses Shareway directory to identify potential donors), requester (sends tailored requests), confirmer (tracks responses), and fulfillment lead (coordinates donated items arriving and readying them for your event). Using templates with your organization’s mission, nonprofit ID, pickup/shipping plan and sample language, combined with batch requests timed around company giving windows, further increases your success rate.
For the best results, supplement the many smaller items from Shareway with one to three marquee experiences—travel packages, VIP events, or major outings—to anchor your fundraising catalogue. While Shareway helps fill many lots, these headline items create the “buzz” that motivates higher bids. Your event software should then feature clear branding of all items, appealing visuals, countdowns and mobile bidding if possible. Good signage, bundling related items and timed closings keep momentum high and boost total revenue.
Finally, track your metrics: measure the number of approvals per total requests submitted, median bid-to-value ratios, volunteer hours per dollar raised. These numbers help refine your strategy for future events. Always follow up: thank your donors promptly, share fulfillment photos and donor impact stories. That not only pleases the companies on Shareway but builds relationships that facilitate future outreach.
In summary, Shareway is a powerful tool when used as part of a structured strategy rather than a scatter-shot approach. Define your goals, organize your team, use templates and timing, combine with marquee items, and track metrics. With these steps, your next fundraiser, auction or raffle can benefit from a robust pipeline of in-kind donations and deliver stronger results with less volunteer fatigue.