Re: [TheThinkTank] How do you keep track of your in kind donations?
we have a computer program that will generate a receipt when a Donner asks for one. we make a simple note saving for instance; one trek 4000 bicycle and two bicycle wheels. we do not assign a value or go into any detail concerning condition or quality. we also do not connect the donation to subsequent sales or disposal of the donations. jim bicycle kitchen los angeles
--- On Thu, 7/16/09, reno bikes renobikeproject@gmail.com wrote:
From: reno bikes renobikeproject@gmail.com Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] How do you keep track of your in kind donations? To: "The Think Tank" thethinktank@bikecollectives.org Date: Thursday, July 16, 2009, 9:50 AM
poorly,
to say the least
On Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 9:01 AM, rachael spiewak rachael@sopobikes.org wrote:
Hi, everyone.
Gotta bookkeeping question for you. How do you keep track of your in kind donations, especially used items? Do you log every item? How do you assign value? Help me finish this sentence:
The annual cost of stocking Awesome Bike Co-op's community bike repair shop is $X. Funding sources and amounts include: $X - self-generated funds $X - foundation funds $X - in kind donations
I can assign numbers to everything but the in kind donations because we haven't tracked them, and a grant application is asking for this information. It looks like it would be good practice anyway. On the other hand, donations kind of come and go. People drop off handlebars and pick up a saddle with a total lack of formality. Should we exclude trades and stick only to the more formal donations (a box of parts, for example)? It would be easiest to restrict it to bike donations.
Thoughts?
Thanks! Rachael
We have a clipboard that we hand to people when they drop something off. It has forms with a tear off section if the donor wants a receipt, as well as simpler form we ask them to fill out for our records even if they don't need a receipt.
We used to have a volunteer who inputted all these into the computer (was easy if picked up every week or so). But she hasn't been able to do it for a couple months and we have a pile built up.
We don't tie it tie the information to later use of the bikes, but can if, for example, we learn that a bike was stolen then brought to us (has happened once). The form also has a place to sign-up for newsletter updates, etc. A good place to have it since you know that donor is already supportive.
For small donations - a couple pedals, a box of nuts and bolts, a stem, we usually don't bother getting the form filled out unless the donor requests a receipt.
Also, in lieu of cataloging all that, you can assign an average value to the things you sell or use. So if you know you gave away 50 bicycles as part of a project, just say that they were all worth $50 or $100 or whatever, and put that in as the in-kind contribution.
- Colin
On Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 1:24 PM, james blesdoe jamesbleds0e@yahoo.comwrote:
we have a computer program that will generate a receipt when a Donner asks for one. we make a simple note saving for instance; one trek 4000 bicycle and two bicycle wheels. we do not assign a value or go into any detail concerning condition or quality. we also do not connect the donation to subsequent sales or disposal of the donations.
jim
bicycle kitchen los angeles
--- On *Thu, 7/16/09, reno bikes renobikeproject@gmail.com* wrote:
From: reno bikes renobikeproject@gmail.com Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] How do you keep track of your in kind donations? To: "The Think Tank" thethinktank@bikecollectives.org Date: Thursday, July 16, 2009, 9:50 AM
poorly,
to say the least
On Thu, Jul 16, 2009 at 9:01 AM, rachael spiewak <rachael@sopobikes.orghttp://us.mc655.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=rachael@sopobikes.org
wrote:
Hi, everyone.
Gotta bookkeeping question for you. How do you keep track of your in kind donations, especially used items? Do you log every item? How do you assign value? Help me finish this sentence:
The annual cost of stocking Awesome Bike Co-op's community bike repair shop is $X. Funding sources and amounts include: $X - self-generated funds $X - foundation funds $X - in kind donations
I can assign numbers to everything but the in kind donations because we haven't tracked them, and a grant application is asking for this information. It looks like it would be good practice anyway. On the other hand, donations kind of come and go. People drop off handlebars and pick up a saddle with a total lack of formality. Should we exclude trades and stick only to the more formal donations (a box of parts, for example)? It would be easiest to restrict it to bike donations.
Thoughts?
Thanks! Rachael
-- Sopo Bicycle Cooperative 404-425-9989 www.sopobikes.org
Hours of operation: Tues, Wed, & Thurs 7 pm - 10 pm Sat & Sun 2 pm - 6 pm
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participants (2)
-
Colin Dixon, Phoenix Bikes -
james blesdoe