Membership in In Kind Canada
Temporary Halt on New Full Memberships
As of October, 2009, IKC has temporarily stopped accepting applications for new members. We are working to develop a new method of facilitating gifts in kind and until such time as the model is operating, we don't feel we can provide the value necessary to new members.
Once we are back up and running, full membership will be available at the cost of $250 per year and is available to registered charities who wish to access our full gamut of services, including in kind gifts from corporate donors, group discount programs and financial, insurance and benefit programs.
Members of In Kind Canada pay no additional administration or service fees to IKC for accessing our group discount, financial, insurance or benefit program offerings.
In Kind Canada also charges no additional administration or service fees to its members when they access in kind gifts through us. For each donation, In Kind Canada asks the donor to cover the cost of shipping the donation to the member charity. Where this is not possible, or where In Kind Canada accepts a gift in kind on behalf of a number of our member charities, the cost of shipping may be passed on to the member receiving the gift in kind. In every instance, the costs assumed by each party are agreed to prior to acceptance of the donation. For a detailed break down of the steps in the donation process, please visit the Donations Through IKC page.
Once we are back up and running, if you would like to apply for or renew your full membership with In Kind Canada, please join now!
Program Memberships Still Available
Program membership is still available at the cost of $100 per year and is available to both registered charities as well as not-for-profit organizations, who wish to access our group discount, financial, insurance and benefit programs. A Program membership does not allow the organization to access in kind gifts facilitated by In Kind Canada.
A key reason many organizations choose to join with this membership is to gain access to the OASSIS Not-For-Profit Employee Benefit Plans for Community-Based Organizations. OASSIS has been providing Employee Benefit Plans on a not-for-profit basis across Canada since 1990. Benefit plans offered through OASSIS include Medical, Dental, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Basic Group Life Insurance, Optional Group Life Insurance, Employee Assistance Plan (EAP), Group Home and Auto.
If you would like to apply for or renew your program membership with In Kind Canada, please please join now!
How we work for our members
We accomplish our mandate by representing our members in three primary areas:
1. In kind gifts from corporate donors
2. Group discount programs
3. Financial, insurance and benefit programs
In kind gifts from corporate donors
IKC acts to solicit and organize in kind gifts from corporate donors to distribute to our members.
In kind gifts are defined as gifts of property other than cash (i.e. cheques and credit card payments) and marketable securities. Examples of gifts in kind include:
• Supplies
• Equipment
• Books
• Artwork
Many potential donors of in kind gifts find it very challenging to locate charities interested and able to accept the in kind gift being offered in a timely, efficient and organized manner. Many smaller charities cannot make use of the large quantities of an kind gift and most corporations do not have the time and resources available to locate and coordinate with a number of charities to disperse one lot of an in kind gift. By representing hundreds of member charities, IKC is able to facilitate such in kind gifts, simplifying the process for the donor and allowing our members to gain access to gifts they would otherwise not be able to coordinate.
The work IKC does in this area is as follows:
1. We survey our members on an ongoing basis to assess what goods would be of the most use to our membership as a whole, as well as take requests for particular goods of interest.
2. We solicit donations of in kind gifts from corporate donors (largely manufacturers, distributors and retailers) that fit our membership needs or the need of a particular member.
3. We receive and assess donation offers from corporate donors to determine if our membership is in need of such goods.
4. We determine fair market value (FMV) of the goods to be donated, either through a knowledgeable assessment by our staff for goods under $1,000 or in partnership with external professionals who are qualified to assess value for goods over $1,000. Charitable donation receipts are issued from IKC to the donor and we facilitate the transfer of the gift in kind from the donor to our member charities.
Group discount programs
IKC acts to identify and register for existing group discount programs our membership are eligible for as well as to establish new group discount programs in areas our members have expressed interest.
There are numerous group discount programs available in areas such as telecommunications, travel, office supplies and shipping, each with particular qualifications necessary in order to receive the discount.
The work IKC does in this area is as follows:
1. We survey our members on an ongoing basis to assess what the most common expense areas are as well as to take requests for group discount programs of a particular type.
2. We identify all relevant group discount programs for our membership, assess requirements and enroll IKC and our members in those programs we qualify for.
3. For common expense areas where no group discount program is available or for which we qualify, we work with leading players to discuss the establishment of a group discount program or adjustment of the qualifying rules to allow IKC to join.
Financial, insurance and benefit programs
IKC acts to establish programs and products designed specifically for charities and not-for-profit organizations. The design, structure and activities of these programs or products are decided upon in consultation with an industry partner who tailors existing programs or products to best fit the needs of our members.
For many charities and not-for-profit organizations, finding financial products (such as low-limit credit cards or lines of credit), insurance products (such as policies that cover the Board for liability) and benefit programs (such as those that allow volunteers or single-employee organizations to offer benefits) is very difficult.
The work IKC does in this area is as follows:
1. We survey our members on an ongoing basis to assess what the most common challenges are in the provision of such services, including both situations where products offered are ill-suited to our members’ needs as well as situations in which no product or program exists.
2. We conduct research into all available options and provide current listings of companies who offer programs or products suited for our members.
3. We undertake regular initiatives with leading providers of service to facilitate the establishment of programs or products that best suit our members.