The most useful in-kind donations
Posted on June 2, 2009 at 9:28 am
After having posted a contest to find the worst examples of in-kind donations, it was suggested that there are some in-kind donations that can be useful. Thus, in this post I am asking for examples of the most useful in-kind donations.
I invite you to submit examples of useful in-kind donations, research demonstrating the best types of in-kind donations, or criteria for useful donations.
I’ll start by submitting two sets of guidelines from the World Health Organization; Guidelines for Health Care Equipment Donations, and Guidelines for Drug Donations. The four criteria given in the first set of guidelines are specific to health care equipment, however donors would benefit from considering these criteria for all donations.
World Health Organization Guidelines for Health Care Equipment Donations
The four core principles underlying the guidelines are:
2. a donation should be given with due respect for the wishes and authority of the recipient, and in conformity with existing government policies and administrative arrangements;
3. there should be no double standard in quality: if the quality of an item is unacceptable in the donor country, it is also unacceptable as a donation;
4. there should be effective communication between the donor and the recipient, with all donations resulting from a need expressed by the recipient. Donations (solicited) should never be sent unannounced.
World Health Organization Guidelines for Drug Donations
2. All donated drugs or their generic equivalents should be approved for use in the recipient country and appear on the national list of essential drugs, or, if a national list is not available, on the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs, unless specifically requested otherwise by the recipient.
3. The presentation, strength and formulation of donated drugs should, as much as possible, be similar to those of drugs commonly used in the recipient country.
4. All donated drugs should be obtained from a reliable source and comply with quality standards in both donor and recipient country. The WHO Certification Scheme on the Quality of Pharmaceutical Products Moving in International Commerce should be used.
5. No drugs should be donated that have been issued to patients and then returned to a pharmacy or elsewhere, or were given to health professionals as free samples.
6. After arrival in the recipient country all donated drugs should have a remaining shelf-life of at least one year. An exception may be made for direct donations to specific health facilities, provided that: the responsible professional at the receiving end acknowledges that (s)he is aware of the shelf-life; and that the quantity and remaining shelf-life allow for proper administration prior to expiration. In all cases it is important that the date of arrival and the expiry dates of the drugs be communicated to the recipient well in advance.
7. All drugs should be labeled in a language that is easily understood by health professionals in the recipient country; the label on each individual container should at least contain the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) or generic name, batch number, dosage form, strength, name of manufacturer, quantity in the container, storage conditions and expiry date.
8. As much as possible, donated drugs should be presented in larger quantity units and hospital packs.
9. All drug donations should be packed in accordance with international shipping regulations, and be accompanied by a detailed packing list which specifies the contents of each numbered carton by INN, dosage form, quantity, batch number, expiry date, volume, weight and any special storage conditions. The weight per carton should not exceed 50 kilograms. Drugs should not be mixed with other supplies in the same carton.
10. Recipients should be informed of all drug donations that are being considered, prepared or actually under way.
11. In the recipient country the declared value of a drug donation should be based upon the wholesale price of its generic equivalent in the recipient country, or, if such information is not available, on the wholesale world-market price for its generic equivalent.
12. Costs of international and local transport, warehousing, port clearance and appropriate storage and handling should be paid by the donor agency, unless specifically agreed otherwise with the recipient in advance.
What other guidelines are out there? What research should be shared? What are some of the best in-kind donations you’ve seen?
Related Posts:
A contest to find the worst example of in-kind donations
6 questions you should ask before donating goods overseas
« Donors must, because nobody else can • It’s time to stop telling pretty stories and start really evaluating the impact of aid »
Salter scales are almost always useful. Also surgical gloves.
Vaccines are an obvious example.
Less obvious (and perhaps not what you were meaning) are in-kind donations of services e.g. support with logistics and delivery of supplies from transportation companies. Donations of airtime for public service announcements from media companies.
Another idea getting a lot of coverage at the moment is recycling cellphones.
Suggested by @NFIguy via twitter.
“’08 Copenhagen consensus: micronutrient supplements, donated by Micronutrient Initiative, ’07: 530M doses”
http://www.copenhagenconsensus.com/Default.aspx?ID=1168
The 2008 Copenhagen Consensus ranked micronutrient
supplements as the top development priority out of more
than 40 interventions considered. Specifically, vitamin A
supplementation for children (every 4‐6 months, from age
6 months to 5 years) and therapeutic zinc supplementation
for diarrhea (10‐14 days of supplementation, up to the age
of 5) were considered. Vitamin A supplementation can
reduce all‐cause mortality for children 6‐59 months by 23%,
and several studies suggest that therapeutic zinc supplements
for diarrhea can reduce diarrheal mortality below the age of
five by 50%.
Blood.
Thought I would add corporate donation guidelines from The Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) http://www.cidi.org/guidelines/donate-corp.htm
“There are many factors to consider when promoting corporate contributions for international disasters and CIDI is here to offer guidance to a corporation in making these vital decisions.
Corporate Donations of Materials, Equipment and Services May be Useful, If:
1. The government of the affected country has requested and authorized international assistance in forms other than cash contributions.
2. The offer is based upon a specific request from a legitimate, recognized humanitarian agency with existing operations at the disaster site.
3. The recipient agency has a demonstrated, verifiable capability for distribution of commodity or supporting personnel.
4. The offer responds to a specific need that has been evaluated for cultural and economic impact.
5. The offer provides a quality product or service measured against a recognized international industrial standards, familiar in the recipient country.
6. Offers of technical assistance should not over-ride local expertise and management. Foreign providers of technical assistance must recognize that their role will be a support function and not a command function. The government of the affected country maintains decision-making authority.
7. The quantity of donated product will not adversely impact the viability of local business in the short or long term.
8. The material or service offered is not a solicitation for a future business relationship, nor does it obligate or establish a dependent relationship or cost for future maintenance and operation.
9. The declared value of the good or service is of the equivalent wholesale price in the recipient country or the wholesale price for a generic equivalent.
10. Commodity donations are sent with detailed inventory and are packed in accordance with international shipping regulations and standards.
11.International and local transport, warehousing, port clearance, storage and handling costs are paid by the donor.”
Useful in-kind donations are those that provide needed services to the organization – such as grant research, virtual assistance, training and other beneficial services that advance the mission of the nonprofit.
Paula Constantino via LinkedIn
Submitted by Jim Johnson via LinkedIn
I was once asked by a church as to what the people needed or could use the best where I was working, mainly who to give money to. I suggested using the money to buy stuff toys and sending down for the hospital as it was trying to build a maternity/pediatric ward. Those toys were extremely popular and then became matched by locals, still going on today after 23 years. Not sure if it counts as “in kind” but was certainly kind and successful, took us from being at the bottom in treatment rates to the highest. Happiness heals.
The United Methodist Committee on Relief has us putting together 1 gallon zip-lock plastic bags with a comb, toothbrush, toothpaste*, fingernail clippers or nail file, bar of soap, washcloth, towel, and 6 bandaids (all items being new, of course, and a dollar bill being preferred to toothpaste, which can expire if too old). These seem pretty useful and not making too many strange assumptions. What do you think?
James,
That would really depend on the situation. For overseas it wouldn’t be a good idea as all those things could be purchased locally and differ slightly from country to country. For at home after a local disaster or emergency, probably a good idea as people can get cleaned up easily and start to feel human again.