observation

[truepenny]

mirrorthaw and I donated to four charities for our Observance of Axial Tilt last year. We have received acknowledgments of our donations from all four. Two of them have used those acknowledgments to demand more money. Two of them have not. I was in fact deeply, if somewhat ridiculously, touched by the recorded phone call from Heifer International's president--which started by apologizing for being a recording--because I was expecting all down the line that there would be a "give us more money" worked in there somewhere, and there wasn't. It was a thank you, full stop.

Guess who we're more likely to donate to again?

Comments

[allichaton.livejournal.com]

Considering not fifteen minutes ago, I got a call from Doctors Without Borders thanking me for my donation and trying to cajole me into signing up for a monthly automatic donation, I can really sympathize. What was the other one that didn't try to get more money from you, if you don't mind my asking?

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Our local Humane Society.

[michaeldthomas.livejournal.com]

Good. I had hoped that was the other one.

The worst for us are alumni/alumnae associations and big Chicago cultural institutions.

[rabidfangurl.livejournal.com]

I agree about the alumnae associations. Mine keeps asking me for money, despite the fact that I only graduated two years ago and therefore have no money for them, since I'm still paying off the student loans required to become an alum in the first place.

*needs a real job OMG*

[wintersweet.livejournal.com]

Heifer is definitely one of the better things to come out of Arkansas. :)

[libskrat]

YES. THIS.

I must believe there's a market for an (audited) intermediary which would handle donations such that no more dunning communiques came to the donor. I object to these organizations wasting their money on mailing me stuff and calling me.

But boy, I would sign up for such a service in a heartbeat.

Locals: I donated to the Keep Wisconsin Warm fund recently, and haven't heard a peep since they acknowledged the donation. Thumbs up.

[libskrat]

Oh, and apropos of nothing, this, for your octopus-worshipping ways. :)

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

Octopus 1, humans 0.

[kayjayoh.livejournal.com]

On the one hand (and as someone who sometimes donates) I can understand being annoyed at being asked for more.

One the other hand (and as someone who has worked for and with NPOs) you don't usually get unless you ask. In fact, you are *far* more likely to get is you ask than if you don't. And as far as where to direct the resources it takes to do the asking, people who have already given are probably more likely to give again than those who haven't given at all, so I can certainly understand why that happens.

I guess, what would be best, would be to give a simple thank you, wait a bit, and then ask for more. But I don't think you want to punish a worthy charity just for asking.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Unless they get punished for bad behaviour, they'll keep on behaving badly.

I never give again to charities that beg -- though it's often more like a demand -- for more. In fact, I've got to the point where I only give anonymously, because I don't care about the tax break so much as I care about not having my mailbox stuffed with begging letters. Some charities sell lists of people who gave, and once you get on that, all you can do is move.

[kayjayoh.livejournal.com]

Have you ever done fundraising? The sad fact is that while begging may lose a few people (like you) it brings in more funds than not doing so. If I needed to raise money for something I believed in, I know which approach I'd take.

For the record, I don't like getting begging notices, but it takes me but a moment to throw it out or thank them for their work and politely hang up. It won't stop me from donating to causes, organizations, and/or politicians I support when I have the money to do so.

I also hate getting phone bank calls, and get off the phone quickly when they happen. And still I know that the groups who don't use that strategy are the ones who lose out when it comes down to it. (Ditto for door-to-door canvassing in election season.)

[truepenny.livejournal.com]

That doesn't make it good behavior. Nor does it mean that I have to let myself be shamed, nagged, or hounded into giving more money to a charity I've already donated to.

[kayjayoh.livejournal.com]

It doesn't make it bad behavior, either.

Nor does it mean that I have to let myself be shamed, nagged, or hounded into giving more money to a charity I've already donated to.

Then don't. Toss the letter, politely hang up the phone... I don't you are so easily manipulated that a little bit of "Please ma'am, can we have some more?" is going to have you handing over your credit card.

But whatever. Your house, your decision. I just happen to think they are not crossing any sort of behavior boundaries, and it is foolish to penalize them for it. <shrugs>

[kayjayoh.livejournal.com]

Hell...rudely hang up the phone for that matter, if you want to vent. They're used to it and it comes with the territory.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

So because I've donated to them once, you think now and forever after they're entitled to steal my time and attention and concentration with their demands? It might be easy for you to ignore it, but it takes me an effort. If somebody telephones me to beg when I'm writing that isn't just two seconds to hang up, that might be a whole mood dissipated into irritation.

The only way I have to stop them doing this is to make sure I don't reward it and encourage them. You say you're doing it because it works. Therefore, if it doesn't work, you'd stop doing it. It doesn't work on me.

[ken-schneyer.livejournal.com]

Heifer is a class act. And such a good concept.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

With any donation I refuse to give a phone number and I always include a note saying that they should have me on their Do Not Call list because I never respond favorably to phone calls.

If they call me, they get a single warning on my zero tolerance policy. Call me again, and they are off the list--there are plenty of other worthy causes out there.

[kimsheard.livejournal.com]

What about the snail mail, though? I truly hate for "my" money to be wasted sending me beg after beg after beg...

[pbray.livejournal.com]

The constant snail mail does bother me, particularly those that send out "Annual Renewal Due Now!" notices less than a month after I've sent them their check. But at least snail mail can be dealt with on my schedule and isn't an interrupt to my life the way phone calls are.

I do wish more charities could be like public broadcasting and figure out that I'm going to send one annual pledge, and that pestering me every few weeks throughout the year is a waste of postage and trees.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

We gave to an anti-diabetes research group in memory of a dead friend one year. They keep sending me mailings that I consider the absolute lowest of the low: they affix a nickel to the letter, indicating that they need "every nickel they can get!" And it's just such a cheap trick: ooh, we'll make you feel like we've given you something so that you feel more obligated to give us something.

Next time a friend dies of something related to diabetes, I will be sorely tempted to give the memorial money to something else important to them, like clean rivers or a battered partners'/families' shelter.

[marydell.livejournal.com]

My easily guilt-trippable best friend called me in a panic when she got one of those "this nickel could feed a hungry child" letters.

I told her it was pretty irresponsible of them to send her that nickel instead of using it to feed a hungry child, and she agreed that she should pass the nickel along to a more responsible organization.

I do give to one organization (Chicago Food Depository) that sends letters asking for more, but they're not guilt-trippy and they do extremely good work. Although I have found that setting up a regular monthly donation, instead of a yearly lump, makes them leave me alone except for sending their newsletter, which I like to get.

www.charitynavigator.com has good info about charities, including whether they disclose their privacy practices and what percentage they spend on fundraising.

re: snail mail

[mevincula.livejournal.com]

actually the paper requests bother me the most. Particularly when it's coming from environmental group. I recycle, literally, 2 paper grocery bags of junk mail PER WEEK. Almost half of it is donation requests (the rest is credit card offers). Honestly, I don't make much money, and I don't give much. I don't know where they think it's coming from, but the environmental groups just don't get my $$ anymore because they waste it.

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

That's how the Sierra Club got me to be a Wilderness Pioneer or whatever they call it -- the monthly donation thingy. They called me up to thank me for my donation, and to ask about my preferences regarding communication. Did I want to be notified of actions I could take? Petition drives for important votes? Results of lobbying efforts? etc. and down near the end of the list, fundraising. The guy cheerfully told me, become a Wilderness Pioneer and this is the last phone call you'll ever receive from us!

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

PS - I agree with what others have said. Heifer is good people.

[cissa.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes.

"Thank you! and your gift was NOT SUFFICIENT and ao you should GIVE US MORE!!!!" is not an attitude I'm inclined to encourage.

Just like I am not inclined to encourage people who WAKE ME UP to request/demand contributions. OK- I have a weird schedule... but waking me up to require more puts me right off.

Charity Donations

[innerplatypus.livejournal.com]

I sympathize with both sides on this issue. I hate those phone calls but I know I'm more likely to contribute to those who ask. So now whenever someone calls I ask to be put on their do not call list. I decide ahead of time who I'm going to contribute to and often ask not to be contacted except for a tax receipt.