Seeking donations? Come prepared.

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I spend a lot of time speaking to businesses to secure donations of goods. Whether soliciting an in-kind donation of food for the opening party of your campaign office, or asking for donated space for an event, one of the biggest keys to success I've found is coming prepared. What's that mean?

• Write a formal letter explaining your organization and event. A letter will make you appear more prepared, and provides the key details in one easy place. Plus, it's good for the business to have the letter for their own records. And it's helpful if you don't catch the owner/manager, because you can leave behind a clear request!
• Bring the appropriate paperwork. If you're a political campaign, have your in-kind donation forms ready. If you're a nonprofit, be prepared to write a tax-deductible receipt. The more you can handle on-the-spot, the easier for everyone.

Having a letter and the right paperwork handy will make your efforts much easier!

What's your key to success for securing donations? Share in the comments!

Laura Bartolomei-Hill is Training Logistics Coordinator at NOI

Photo from nerdcoregirl, via Creative Commons