Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth

Have you ever gotten a donation so strange you don’t know how to use it? The quiet computer repair guy made a killing on cryptocurrency. The quirky widow owns a piece of property in another country. That sweet, older couple are part owners of a racehorse three states away. And they want to pass it all on to you. Now what? 

Nonprofits find themselves in sticky situations sometimes. A donor has an appreciated asset that the organization couldn’t possibly monetize on their own—who would they sell it to? Who would even want it? 

Yet appreciated assets are some of the most important and valuable gifts that people have to give. And donors don’t always know what to do with them either. If you can take an unusual gift, turn it into a valuable donation to your cause, and help the donor offload a unicorn of a property in a tax-savvy way, that is the definition of a win-win. It will build affinity and loyalty with your donor, which data from our planned giving surveys show are important characteristics for a potential legacy donor. 

So what do you do with those unusual gifts?

We suggest finding a private foundation that handles odd donations, such as the Dechomai Foundation or a local community foundation. Groups like these can help you and your donor in a tricky situation. Don’t turn them down or another organization might ride off into the sunset with your gift!