(cont'd from Mar. 6th post)
Here’s how the Reject Gift Drive works: Organizations solicit and collect
unwanted, unopened gifts throughout the year. (Note the phrase “throughout the year.”)
Random thoughts:
- Wedding and Valentine’s Day gifts can be particularly good auction items, in terms of monetary and/or entertainment value.
- It’s easiest to solicit unopened, unused gifts, but there are exceptions to this rule (see above).
- Encourage in-kind donations of all sizes. A lot of little reject gifts can be artfully displayed in the proverbial nonprofit auction basket (as in, “Italian Dinner in a Basket,” “Spa in a Basket,” etc.) encased in cellophane and adorned with a big bow.
- I find that this fundraising tactic works as a complement to more conventional fundraising, as opposed to a substitute for same. (Sometimes you collect great stuff; other times – not so much.)
Reject gifts can be used as auction items and raffle prizes.
