From a local need to a confirmed delivery.
Communities and organizations say what they need, companies pledge goods item by item, and carriers help move them. The recipient has the last word on whether they arrived.
For communities and organizations
Free, always. Requests must serve a group of people, not one person or family.
- 1
Join as an organization or an individual
Shelters, schools, clinics, non-profits and councils verify once, then post projects whenever they need to. Individuals can join too, to raise a need that affects their whole community.
- 2
List exactly what is needed
Break the project into items with quantities, such as 500 blankets or 12 benches, and add a photo. Companies can then pledge all or part of any line.
- 3
Build support
Requests from individuals start on the Community page, where neighbors upvote the ones they know are real. At 20 upvotes a request reaches companies, or sooner if a reviewer brings it forward.
- 4
Accept pledges and confirm delivery
Accept the pledges that fit and talk with each donor in a shared deal room. Follow every shipment, then confirm when the goods arrive so the donation counts.
For companies
Give what you already have, and show where it went.
- 1
Find a project
Browse by place and category, and save projects to hear when they open for pledges or have news.
- 2
Ask questions
Message the team behind a project to ask about timing, delivery or anything else before you commit.
- 3
Pledge line by line
Pledge all or part of any item. You can also list surplus stock and see which projects could use it.
- 4
Ship and report
Each deal has a room for customs guidance, paperwork and tracking. Once delivery is confirmed, it counts toward your impact report.
For carriers
Free to join, with no platform fee.
- 1
Get verified
Show us who you are with an email on your company's domain or a document, the same way organizations do.
- 2
Take on shipments
Your dashboard lists accepted deals that still need a carrier.
- 3
Move the goods
Update each stage in the deal room, and share evidence along the way so everyone can see where the shipment is.
What we check
- Organizations
- An organization proves who it is once, with an email on its own domain or a document. A reviewer can ask for more before approving it.
- Community requests
- A reviewer confirms each request and names who will receive the goods before pledges open.
- Pledges
- Donors confirm that their goods can legally leave the origin country and enter the destination. We also screen pledges for restricted destinations and possible military use, and a reviewer looks at anything flagged. Food, medicine and other humanitarian goods are not held back just because of where they are going.
- Delivery
- Impact counts only when the people receiving the goods confirm that they arrived.
Common questions
- Does any money change hands?
- Not for donations. Companies send goods or sponsor freight, so there is no donation balance on the platform. Companies pay Ask In Kind a separate annual plan, and we take no share of what they give.
- Can I ask for help for myself or my family?
- No. Ask In Kind is for needs that serve a group, such as a shelter, a school or a neighborhood. Personal appeals belong on crowdfunding sites.
- Can companies write off what they give?
- Often, yes. Donated inventory can qualify for a tax deduction, depending on the recipient and where you file. Your impact report records what was delivered, but it is not a tax receipt, so check with your tax adviser.
- Who pays for shipping?
- The donor arranges or sponsors freight, either directly or through a verified carrier on the platform. Companies can also ask us to help coordinate a shipment, and we quote first.
- Can recipients contact companies directly?
- Companies make the first move, by saving a project or starting a conversation. This keeps company inboxes free of unwanted requests.
- Does Ask In Kind give legal or customs advice?
- No. Ask In Kind gives each deal a starting brief on the route, but both sides are responsible for confirming the rules that apply to their shipment.