How disability services organizations get items donated

For letter structure and follow-up, see how to get silent auction donations and the donation request letter template.

Lead with the training item

This is the move that distinguishes procurement here. Most organizations approach a business asking for something. You can approach one offering an accessibility audit or awareness training — which they need, would otherwise pay for, and which opens a conversation a donation request does not.

Then ask, in the same meeting, for an item and for their internal channel.

The order

1. Employers with inclusive hiring commitments

A real business reason to engage, staff who want to be involved, and frequently a matching programme. The warmest corporate ask in the silo.

2. Equipment suppliers and adapted recreation providers

They sell to the same families, understand the equipment, and can donate goods, servicing or an assessment. Keep the ask clean of anything resembling a referral arrangement.

3. Therapists, clinicians and schools

Occupational and physical therapists, speech pathologists, special education staff. They refer to you already and are rarely asked for anything else.

4. Families and self-advocates

Their own businesses, professions and networks. Ask as you would any supporter, and separately from anything about their own or their child's story.

5. Service clubs

Several service organizations fund disability equipment as a stated programme focus, and a named device with a price is precisely the project shape they look for. Ask to present as well as to donate.

6. Accessible venues and the community

Businesses that have invested in access gain from being listed as accessible. Say so in the ask — it is a genuine offer and few of them have been told it matters.

What to offer

The item listing, a mention to your supporter list, recognition at the event, a receipt — and, for businesses, the training or audit item if it fits. Where a business has made its premises accessible, say so publicly; that is worth more to them than a logo.

Make the ask itself accessible

A small point with a large signal. Your donation request, forms and item submission process should meet the same standard as the auction — a PDF a screen reader cannot parse, sent by an organization that audits accessibility for a living, is noticed.

Timing

• Ten weeks — employers, led with the training offer
• Eight weeks — equipment suppliers, therapists, clinicians
• Six weeks — service clubs, whose cycles are slow, and families
• Four weeks — accessible venues and community businesses
• Two weeks — catalogue closed; access information verified on every experience lot

General information, not legal or accessibility-compliance advice for your organization. Accessibility obligations, and the language conventions your own community prefers, differ — the people you serve and your own leadership decide how any of this applies.

Committee structure: committee and volunteer roles.