Phobio for Good
Raise More Funds Through Used Tech Donations
Phobio for Good turns old, unused devices into real financial support for your 501(c)(3), giving your supporters a simple way to make a meaningful impact.
Your supporters enjoy effortless giving, and we ensure your organization receives the most value from those donations.
No cost and no fees
There is no cost to setup or manage the program. Your organization just receives the value of used tech donations.
No drain on your staff
There is no drain on your staff to manage or administer the program. We handle all service support on your behalf.
Free shipping and support
We handle all shipping and handling costs with no fees – just real value to your organization.
Create and Promote Your Campaign
- Phobio will create your customized and branded device donations page.
- Phobio also provides graphics, QR codes and copy to help you promote the fundraising campaign to your supporters via email, social media and other channels.
Your Supporters Donate Devices
- Through the portal, your supporters donate their old phones, tablets, and laptops which are designated as non-cash charitable contributions to your organization.
- Donors receive prepaid shipping labels and packing instructions to send in their devices securely.
Your Organization Receives the Funds
- Upon receipt and inspection, Phobio sends your donor an IRS-compliant tax-deductible donation receipt on your organization’s behalf.
- Phobio pays your organization monthly via ACH the final fair market value for all devices received.
Phobio ensures compliance with IRS tax-deductible contribution requirements and provides your organization with detailed transaction reports for recordkeeping.
The Economics of Device Donation
To reach a fundraising goal of
$50,000
with an average device value of $180, you only need
278 device donations.
ESG and Sustainability Reporting
As a responsible steward of used consumer electronics, Phobio integrates ESG and Sustainability into all of its products. This allows retailers, businesses and consumers to understand measurable sustainability outcomes and provide our partners with transparent, data-driven insight into their environmental impact.
Two environmental impact metrics—CO₂e Saved and Waste Diverted— integrated into the Phobio platform quantify the positive environmental outcomes generated through device reuse and responsible recycling within our trade-in ecosystem. These two metrics directly address the most significant environmental risks and impacts associated with the industry’s core business model: rapid product obsolescence, reliance on rare materials, high energy usage, and significant waste generation.
CO₂e Saved
Estimated CO₂e savings represent the avoided greenhouse gas emissions achieved by extending a device’s useful life through reuse, compared to the emissions that would have been generated from manufacturing a new, functionally equivalent device.
This metric highlights how each trade-in contributes to reducing the carbon footprint associated with new device production. It reinforces the sustainability value of reusing rather than replacing electronics.
Waste Diverted
Kilograms of electronic waste prevented from entering landfills through the reuse or responsible recycling of devices, thereby extending material life and reducing environmental impact.
This metric measures the total volume of e-waste avoided, demonstrating the tangible environmental benefits of circular economy practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Device Erasure Process and Sustainability
All devices Phobio receives are processed in accordance with R2v3 standards. The vast majority are resold for reuse, extending their lifecycle through refurbishment and redistribution to new users. Less than 3% of devices are deemed unsuitable for resale; these are responsibly recycled to recover valuable materials.
Phobio enforces a strict zero-landfill and zero-export policy for all recycled materials. Recycling is performed exclusively through R2v3-certified downstream partners, ensuring environmentally responsible handling and full compliance with sustainable e-waste practices.
Donor Support
Phobio sends your donors emails and reminders to assist them in the process, and also provides online and email support to address their questions or needs. Phobio’s Customer Satisfaction ratings are the highest in the industry, and we are proud to extend this quality of support to your donors.
Shipping Materials and Costs
Phobio provides shipping materials and prepaid shipping for all device donations, ensuring simple and secure delivery to Phobio’s receiving and inspection facility.
What about devices that can’t be found on the portal?
Devices which cannot be identified through the portal are not eligible for donation through this program.
What devices are ineligible?
The following devices are ineligible for donation as they are either: unsafe to ship or unable to be refurbished and reused:
- if they cannot be powered on and thus, data erased from it
- if there are signs of battery swelling
- if the device is Activation Locked or still being financed and is not wholly owned by the donor
Phobio’s Mission & Business Model
Phobio promotes sustainable technology by maximizing the usable life of consumer electronics. Our trade-in and donation programs incentivize device reuse, fueling the circular economy while reducing e-waste and global demand for conflict minerals.
We finance our operations, software, and services through the strategic resale of consumer electronics into secondary markets.
Since 2010, Phobio has powered device trade-in programs for retail partners across North America, processing over 20 million devices and paying out more than $1 billion to consumers.
Our donation services deliver enterprise-grade data security, seamless shipping logistics, comprehensive marketing support, and exceptional customer service to retail, OEM, and mobile carrier clients—all at no additional cost.
To maintain this high standard of service, Phobio for Good cannot accept ineligible devices, including stolen devices, those with Activation Lock enabled, or units that cannot be powered up or properly data-sanitized. Our donation program accepts thousands of models across computers, tablets, smartphones, and wearables from hundreds of brands in nearly all conditions.
In addition to providing the donation services at no cost, Phobio for Good waives all setup fees to launch donation portals for 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations which retailers would typically incur. Phobio also provides pro bono marketing support for donation campaign planning and creative development.
We’ll help you unlock more support through old tech.
