Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, says the old proverb. But that referred to trusting an adversary, not receiving gifts from an ally. Corporate partners are well-meaning friends whose gifts don’t always hit the mark. It’s like your Grandma who struggles to buy Christmas presents for the teenagers in the family. My Gran used to give us new cotton handkerchiefs for Christmas, as she passionately believed that nice girls always had a clean hankie in their bag. By the end, I had enough cotton to make into two giant tablecloths.
Pro bono gifts and services from corporate partners can be extremely valuable, especially for grassroots charities. They lower operational costs and add valuable insights and innovation; if they’re well-chosen and managed. But there are hidden costs that need to be considered carefully before you accept well-meaning gifts.
Transport
I’m assuming you don’t have free access to a fleet of transport vehicles. Even if you’re as well equipped as the Salvation Army with their big vans, there is a cost to running them. A corporate partner may well be offering free goods, but where are they? Can they help with transport or the cost of moving them to somewhere you can actually distribute them? I was once offered a container load of Kelloggs cereal for the people in Fukushima after the earthquake. Leaving aside the fact that Japanese people don’t eat cereal for breakfast, the corporate hadn’t considered how we’d move a container load of goods across a landscape with destroyed roads. Be aware of the transport costs, especially if you’re offered bulk items that need to be moved long distances.
Storage
You may be offered a lot of useful items all at once. But you need to find and pay for storage if you don’t have room. I worked with a children’s charity that had a campaign to knit blankets for babies in developing countries. We had plastic bags filled with blankets stacked to the ceiling and couldn’t move in the office for 6 months whilst they awaited shipping. You may be lucky enough to have warehouse space, but you’ll need to maximise every inch to be effective. Can you ask your corporate partner to help with storage costs or even stagger the delivery so you don’t squeeze out other important items?
Maintenance
Some things don’t store easily or need specialist environments for storage. One organisation was offered pet vaccines that were extremely valuable in their programs and a big operating cost. The catch was they had only 6 weeks left to expiry. Similarly, we encountered a generous offer from a corporate to help with the famine in the Horn of Africa. They offered container loads of fresh eggs. Of course it wasn’t practical to store, refrigerate and transport eggs to Africa. Be prepared to say no to the offers that won’t work.
Sorting
Maybe you have teas of willing volunteers to sort through donated goods- or maybe you’re taking your paid staff away from their regular tasks to clear the backlog. Either way, time is valuable. If you receive a truckload of clothes in all sizes and shapes, you need to factor in how long it will take you to sort them into useful categories. Organisations like Our Village have been successful in mobilising teams of corporate volunteers to help with sorting and preparing goods for distribution. It’s also been a great way for people to learn more about their work and become champions.
Corporate partners are usually well-intentioned when they offer pro-bono goods and services. Give them guidance about your needs and limitations or you’ll add to your operating costs very quickly. There are always some that are simply getting rid of unwanted items or end-of-season lines, but one person’s leftovers is potentially treasure for you. Not every gift is a trojan horse so maximise the opportunity and be smart about the hidden costs.