Do in-kind donations promote cooperation among non-governmental organisations? Lessons from the Greek refugee crisis

Since 2015, Greece has experienced an unprecedented influx of asylum seekers. For several months, most humanitarian assistance provided to them by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) heavily relied on in-kind donations. Donations of tangible items frequently pose serious management challenges and may disturb relief distribution. Through empirical research based on a questionnaire survey and interviews, we find that NGOs have increasingly cooperated and coped well with these management issues. Despite the lack of formal coordination mechanisms, it seems that donation of goods acted as an incentive for cooperation. In contrast, in-kind donations of services (volunteerism) did not seem to have the same effect.