In-kind sponsorship and donated goods or services

Ask businesses for goods, services or spare capacity instead of cash.

Typically raises

$1,000

$100–5,000 per sponsorest.

About $100 per organiser hour

Based on one business's goods or services

Is it right for us?

Money: $500–2,000
Work: A few evenings
Helpers: 1–2 people
Lead time: 1–2 months
Red tape: None

Common: asking for donated goods is standard practice

People: 1-2
Organiser time: 5-15
Lead time: 2-6 weeks
Up-front cost: Nothing up front
Risk: none
Who can use it: Anyone can receive in-kind support.

Suits: Kindy or early learning, Primary or intermediate school, High school, Scouts or Guides, Sports club or team, Team going to a tournament or tour, Charity, Community group, marae or service club

Less usual for: Cadets (ATC, Sea Cadets), One person (athlete, performer, student), Church, Kapa haka, choir, theatre or band

When: Summer (Dec–Feb), Autumn (Mar–May), Winter (Jun–Aug), Spring (Sep–Nov)

How big a job: A few evenings, 1–2 people

How it works

The money, as an example sum

Nothing to pay up front, and the typical result for one business's goods or services is about $1,000 per sponsor.

From the typical figure on this page. Your result will differ.

Where the money figure comes from

ESTIMATE: retail value of goods and services received. Not cash: it saves you spending.

Last checked October 2026. Ran this? Tell us what you raised and we’ll use real results to improve the figures.

Step by step

List what you'd otherwise pay cash for.
Match each item to a business type that has it cheaply.
Ask using the short script; offer specific recognition.
Confirm in writing (what, when, retail value).
Thank publicly and send a photo of it in use.

Getting the word out

Even a well-run plan fails if nobody hears about it. There are two asks, and the first one goes out first.

Ask for help: A member who knows the business owner to make the ask.
Ask people to buy: Local businesses to sign up as sponsors.
When to start: Ask for helpers first, as soon as the date is set. Start the public ask about 3–4 weeks out, and book newsletter and paper notices before that: small newsletters close early.

Where to put it

Asking people yourselfMost yeses come from someone asking directly. Give every member a short message they can send to family and workmates.
Email lists and group chatsYour members’ email list and the class, team or church group chats. Short, with one date or one link.
School, club and church newslettersYour own newsletter is free and read by the families most likely to say yes. Check when it closes.
Local Facebook pages and community groupsPost in your town’s community page and local groups (check their rules), and share from your group’s own page.

The full guide to getting the word out: every channel from flyers to the evening news, with lead times and costs.

What you’ll need

Place: Not neededNone needed
Landowner’s permission: Not needed
Council permit: Not needed
Food rules: Not neededNo food sold
Alcohol: Not neededNo alcohol sold
Gambling rules: Not neededNot gambling

Individuals get no tax credit for donated goods or services. Get each offer confirmed in writing with its retail value.

Tips

Spare capacity (empty seats, off-peak slots, by-products) costs the business least.

Watch out for

Accepting things you then have to store, transport or dispose of.