Fundraising Tips - Getting Free Supplies

Free Supplies And Merchandise

Get Free Supplies For Your Nonprofit Organization

NAEIR is the largest provider of free merchandise and supplies to the nonprofit industry. It stands for National Association for the Exchange of Industrial Resources.

It has over $100 million in free supplies that it distributes to schools, churches, and other nonprofit organizations from across the U.S..

Let's look at the broad categories that they have available:

Office Supplies

Janitorial Supplies

Toys

Tools

Computer Software

Sporting Goods

Arts and Crafts

Books

Audio Tapes and CD's

Holiday and party goods

Classroom Materials

Clothing

Computers

Maintenance Items

Actually you can ask for anything you want and they will check their database for you. If you want to contact them, call 800-562-0955 (then press 7) to get a Free Supply Information Kit sent to you. You may also fax them at 1-309-343-0583 or mail to 560 McClure St., P O Box 8076, Galesburg, IL 61402.

For instance, let's look at Janitorial Supplies. Here are just a few items available: paper towels, hardware, locks, glass cleaner, light fixtures, sponges, faucets and sinks, trash can liners and more.

NAEIR does have a membership cost, but you can apply for and get as many items as you can handle for your organization as often as you like.

Anything that you can buy in a regular store will eventually show up at NAEIR's warehouses, because the merchandise is nonated by so many different companies. Many of these companies are name brand too.

Here are some of the names that you may recognize: Gateway, Microsoft, Stanley Tools, Oreck, 3M, Rayovac, Intuit, Spalding, Rubbermaid, Reader's Digest, Land's End, Pep Boys, Reebok, Gillette, Xerox, Grainger, Minwax, Tupperware, American Express, Caterpillar, Sauder Woodworking, Avery Dennison, Rand McNally, Conair, Thomas Nelson Publishers and many more.

You must be a school, church, government organization or any 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization as recognized by the IRS. The government states that these items must be given away free and cannot be sold or charged for them by the group. Member organizations can not resell the items either.