The constant begging for donations...ideas for dealing with it
Since I moved out last fall and established a nice looking office of my own on a busy street, the requests for donations have just mushroomed. Suddenly, I think everyone thinks I am an endless fountain of cash. As a result, here are a couple of things I’m doing to combat it…as always, your ideas are appreciated…
First of all, unless it is legitimate tax-deductible advertising, I specifically ask for no acknowledgement or publication of my donation. All this does is encourage more people to ask me for money. Secondly, and probably more importantly, I'm in the process of writing a donation policy that informs solicitors that (1) I don't have unlimited resources, (2) I donate three places: the local United Way, the local community foundation and my church, and (3) Those three organizations are responsible for ultimately who or what organizations benefit from my goodwill. I'm going to list contact information for those organizations and give that handout to anyone soliciting donations and nip this stuff in the bud going forward. Besides being an ice-hole, what have you all done to combat all the begging?…and right on cue, there’s a big Red Cross ad for Chile posted on this forum…imagine that…
Thankfully, I can already say that I donate to the Red Cross through United Way.
Alot of those places get a list of new business registrations and solicit to them. Asking for donations, doesnt matter if you are on the dnc or not.
But, also in your policy, make it that you only donate once per year, at the end of the year to a select few organizations.
Are you sure you want to or need to write a policy for donations? How about whenever someone walks in that doesn’t look like a prospect, just get up from your desk and yell “Get the fuck out of here!”
I ask if their charity is rated by www.charitynavigator.com - It's the only way to know if an organization is legit.
I wouldn't give any money to anyone who is not rated - unless you know them personally.
What if they say "Yes, I am rated by charitynavigator"? Then you are stuck, there goes your objection. They're already eyeing your checkbook before they even answer that question. Of course this is a good thing if you like giving to many charities.
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