5 non-financial charity instruments

We are often asked: "How else, in addition to financial assistance, you can help the fund?". At Ufund we call it non-financial resources of philanthropy. And to understand this and answer this question, we have prepared a column with the five main non-financial instruments of NGOs and ways to work effectively with them.

Pro bono
One of the first non-financial instruments in NGOs can be called pro bono services, and they can be provided both within the company and abroad. This tool is easy to use: it gives the opportunity to participate in charity to specialized specialists (IT specialists, lawyers, financiers, human resources, etc.). On the one hand, pro bono services are a very versatile tool, as the format is suitable for many companies. On the other hand, narrow-profile specialists exercise their competencies at work on a daily basis and often want to change their field of activity by volunteering. That is, relatively speaking, not to advise NGOs on the financial statements, if the volunteer is an accountant by profession, and do other things not related to the main work while participating in socially significant activities. But,

In-kind
In-kind support for NGOs is another form of non-financial assistance. How can the In-kind format help? The donor provides premises, equipment (screens, laptops, etc.). Thus, NGOs do not have to pay for office rent, equipment, and tea and coffee for roundtable participants. These things are quite resource-intensive. Calculate how much it would cost you to hold the event without the help of In-kind partners. Two or three times more expensive. Another example is the provision of the company’s products for events: charity bazaars, sports events. Thus, if the company produces soap or cups, these products can be donated to NGOs for further sale as part of the event so that the money raised goes to the NGO’s program activities or its statutory purposes. The same - with sports equipment, if the event is sporting.

Highly specialized assistance to NGOs
For example, in conducting an audit report. You can pay the company money, or you can use the services for free if the audit company wants to help you. It is easier for NGOs to report to donors or other stakeholders with an audit report. The activities of the organization become more transparent, as it, this activity, becomes verified by an external, disinterested participant in the professional market. In fact, it is pro bono, but this service is not a specific person, but the company and its solution. This is the difference from the examples above.

Infrastructural support of fundraising efforts
Holding meetings, races, auctions, Christmas holidays is a set of events where you can get non-financial support. Funds saved on the organization of the event can be used for the main activities of NGOs. By the way, it’s not just about saving money, but also volunteer efforts, for example. Because the event can be organized by the company’s employees, while volunteers will be involved in the main activities of the organization.
What is meant: in the fund, the company’s volunteers can provide assistance as mentors or coaches, accounting advisers, IT specialists, teachers - in many areas. And when an NGO conducts a fundraising event, volunteers can join its preparation committee (the preparatory phase can sometimes take up to six months, depending on the scale) and work on site during the event. Such systematic support for the work of NGOs in various areas helps to significantly minimize costs.

Rules of corporate volunteering
And the last two points we would like to draw attention to:

When we talk about volunteering in a corporate format, we must always keep in mind the principle of voluntariness. It will be better for all participants in the process if 3 people from the company become volunteers voluntarily than 50 people - "under the stick".

And second - any volunteer assistance, from one-time to systemic, is a supplement to the financial. Volunteer help can replace money. Only with the availability of finances can an NGO realize its mission, albeit in the long run, albeit in the short term. Replacing money for volunteer assistance in the work of NGOs is possible, but such a model is unstable and can work well in the range of 6-9 months. And this must always be remembered.

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