What is an in-kind donation?

An in-kind donation is anything of value given to a nonprofit that isn't cash. Common examples: a printer donating event programs at no cost, a lawyer donating an hour of pro-bono advice, a restaurant donating food for a fundraiser, or a supporter donating used equipment. The gift is valued and recorded, but no money changes hands.

For US tax purposes, donors of in-kind gifts can sometimes claim a deduction based on the fair market value of what they gave. Nonprofits usually acknowledge the gift in writing without assigning a value — the donor is responsible for substantiating value with the IRS.

CrowdCreate handles cash donations only — Stripe payments toward your fund. Tracking in-kind gifts, valuing them, and acknowledging them is something you'd do outside the widget, in your own records or a donor-management system.