Non-Profit Freebies

Non-profit freebies include anything that is free which is offered by charities or non-profit organizations. Non-profits are similar to businesses except that they work for a cause (instead of profit) and they have tax-exempt status (as long as they are a 501c3 organization).

Non-profit organizations exist for a variety of reasons and purposes. There are some who will provide freebies, such as food, to anyone regardless of their income or other criteria. However, most non-profits are established to serve a specific purpose for a specific group of people. Some are established to help low-income individuals, others are established for many other reasons. Some are established to help middle-income families since the government generally focuses on low-income. Some are established to help businesses, communities, or the environment, as well as many other reasons.

Are Non-Profit Freebies Actually Free?

Most non-profit freebies are actually free to the recipients. However, someone pays for it. Some non-profits receive grants from government and private organizations. Others are supported by donations from individuals. See also Government Freebies.

If you meet the criteria for a non-profit freebie, then you can generally receive it without any type of exchange or monetary payment. However, if you are not in need yourself or able to volunteer, then you can sometimes get freebies for volunteering. For example, a non-profit gives out meals will probably give you a meal in exchange for volunteer work. See Volunteer For Freebies.

One way to obtain freebies for a specific cause or purpose is to establish your own non-profit organization. Establishing a non-profit makes it easier to receive donations for your cause since donating to a non-profit is tax-deductible. Start with the IRS for finding out how to start a non-profit organization. Find more info on starting a non-profit from USA.gov. See also Local Retail Leftovers.

Where Can I Find Non-Profit Freebies?

Non-profits are generally established to serve a specific purpose or a specific group of people. Non-profits usually don’t describe what they offer as a “freebie” or “free stuff”. They will call it “assistance”, “aid”, “support” and other similar terms. You must meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for a particular freebie. You can start your search by identifying a problem that you need to be solved and then looking for a non-profit that solves that problem.

Non-profits are not obligated to give you anything. A lot of them are organized by nice people who are being courteous and trying to help. Don’t come knocking on their door expecting them to give you free stuff just because you asked for it and certainly don’t expect them to satisfy you like a corporation that is trying to perform customer service. Corporations will try to satisfy paying customers to keep them coming back, but if you have the same attitude with a non-profit, then they might appreciate it if you didn’t come back. There is a different attitude, an attitude of gratitude, which is generally required to obtain free stuff from non-profits. Also, the information on AF.c is simply provided for those who can use it, not to encourage a “free loader” attitude from non-profits. Take any freebie you want from for-profit organizations, see commercial freebies. But non-profits are different. Use them if you need them. If you don’t need them, then consider giving to help others.

There are multiple databases and search engines that will provide information on non-profits. Some are focused on providing information for donors who will want to know which non-profits have the lowest administrative costs (meaning more of the donation will go towards the cause). Some non-profit databases will provide information for volunteers, who will want to contribute to causes they believe in and find local non-profits where they can participate. Some databases will focus on recipients of non-profit assistance.

Here are some places to start your search:

IRS Tax Exempt Tool – Use this tool to verify that a particular organization has 501(c)3 tax-exempt status.

National Center For Charitable Statistics – They provide a non-profit search engine as well as data on non-profits.

GuideStar.org – Search a large database of non-profit organizations. Up to 5 searches are available without creating an account, once you create a free account the searches are unlimited.

JustServe.org – Volunteers can find local opportunities to contribute to non-profits.

Whenever useful resources are discovered they’ll be added to the Non-Profit Directory which includes resources for recipients, volunteers and the non-profits themselves.