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posted July 23, 1996


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I have recently become involved with a volunteer program to help teach computer and Internet skills to underprivileged adults and children in the inner city. We have had no problem coming up with volunteers or students -- but we have a severe shortage of equipment, and much of what we do have is badly out of date. What is the best way to go about getting grants or donations of equipment -- both from government programs and from individuals?






Moneyman: You should try get an interview with weekly newspapers. Give them information on your problem -- they offer the lowest cost way to get help. Also, a lot of companies change over to newer equipment during the year. It might be possible to submit a request for equipment from them. They end up with a tax credit and good public relations, and you get equipment that might not be more than 2-3 years old.

lobster: I just assisted a low income resident association group obtain hardware and software from a local bank. It is not cutting edge equipment, but they residents had only typewriters until last week. In some communities, local foundations have been very helpful in granting monies to local nonprofits for hard/software.
Currently, a consortium of universities, neigborhood organizations and funders have initiated the Ohio Urban Universities Neighborhood Network to address this very need and develop an implementation plan.
Good luck!

DeWittsMom: There are many non-profit organizations throughout the country that serve as "recyclers" of computer equipment by receiving donated equipment from industry and government and then refurbishing it to distribute to schools and community organizations. To name just a few of these organizations:

Non-Profit Computing, Inc.
40 Wall Street, Suite 2124
New York, NY 1005-1301
212/759-2368

Computers 4 Kids
20 Tuttle Place
Middletown, CT 06457
203/635-5460

The Lazarus Foundation
10378 Eclipse Way
Columbia MD 21044
410/740-0735

In addition, President Clinton signed an executive order this past April to improve the distribution of excess federal computer equipment to schools and non-profit organizations. Non-Profit Computing, Inc. and the LINCT (Learning and Information Networks for Community Telecomputing) Coalition have been asked by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, Executive Office of the President, to assist in implementing this order.

Nancy Clinton
Director, State Organizations
Tech Corps

StaciaR: Most of the big-name firms (IBM, GE, etc.) have programs to donate used computer equipment. AND, they're easy to find since they all have webpages and community relations people. Just look them up, call and ask for their community relations person, and submit your request. It might take a while to actually get the equipment, but there's a high success rate if you're persistent in your requests! You'll have the best chance with a firm that has a large presence in your area; most firms prefer to show that they're helping out the local community and thereby being a good corporate citizen (helps when they're being accused of polluting the groundwater or something onerous like that!).

arl: This is not necessarily the time to be looking to the government for money. Likewise foundations are being overwhelmed with requests from organizations that have been hard hit by recent government cuts. I think your best bet at this time is to look around your community, find out who already has computers, and try to develop a partnership with them for use. Donors are getting fed up with duplication of services and resources, so whatever we in the not-for-profit world can do to conserve will be respected.

RMnichols: Surplus Exchange in the Greater Kansas City area actively solicits donations of computer equipment, which they then make available to qualified non-profit groups. The Surplus Exchange, 1107 Hickory, 64101, 816-472-0444. If you have good, used equipment to donate, call them. If your organization needs equipment, call them. I am a member of a non-profit organization that has received help from Surplus Exchange.

BrotherDavid: Working for a non-profit organization, we have had considerable luck expanding and improving our computer equipment by approaching major corporations that were upgrading. We took the hand-me-downs, but built a successful and comprehensive office network while they took the donation tax breaks and upgraded their old equipment. It was a win/win for both sides. A lot of times all you need to be able to do is to approach them directly. Check with your volunteers, some of them may know of someone who is going through (or wanting to) the upgrade process. Admittedly, we don't get the state of the art, but what we get works and works well.

mokummer: Some years ago was unexpectedly let's call it downsized and became involved with a foodbank serving two large counties. I was told that my first priority would be to find money. First I went to the local library and did some research on foundations that provided grants for worthy projects. Since I had some experience writing Requests for Proposals I started to write proposals for grants. Within the next two years I was able to raise more than $35,000.00 for two new computers, a printer, a brand new 2,800 cubic feet freezer, a major roof repair and some other miscelleneous items.

I found that it is most important to follow these rules:

1. Provide complete financial statements.
2. List the members of the Board of Directors.
3. Provide resumes of the responsible staff.
4. Explain in detail what the needs are and give an estimated cost, if possible a vendors quote.
5. Explain what the long term benefits will be for the organization, and the people it serves.
6. If relevant list how many hours of volunteer service are provided locally, annually.
7. If a grant is received be sure to send the granting organization a detailed list of the expenditures.
8. Do not forget to thank the organization and invite their Trustee(s) for a visit to see what their Grant did accomplish.

Good luck and don't look at this as a dilemma but an opportunity.