I signed up to give a whole 10 bucks per month to the ACLU, and even that amount in this financial climate seemed like a lot to me. And now two months in a row since signing that piece of paper, I've received material mailed to my house pleading for more money. It really bugs me when I give money to an organization that turns around and spends my money trying to get me to donate more money.
It's insane and it's insane to donate money to these organizations.
I want to be removed the money-pleading paper mailer or I'm going to stop my tiny little donation. In this day and age, you'd think email would be the only option (and then I can forward your email to the trash rather than add more junk to a landfill.)
When your folks are in the parking lot at Trader Joe's looking all forlorn, pleading for money for the cause, you need to tell them to let us know before hand that our donations will be spent annoying us, asking for more money because had I known that's what my money would be spent on, I'd not have signed up. Either that, or I would have given $20.00 bucks to pay for postage.
Ten bucks could go to my local homeless shelter and be used more wisely. Ten bucks could buy a tree to replace the ones you're killing. Ten bucks could go to a really cheap hit-man.
This goes for you too, SF AIDS Foundation. I told you no matter how much you beg me for money, and even telephoned (!!) to beg me for money, I will only donate in December when I receive my holiday bonus and can afford to donate. I've kept my word. Now please keep your word. Stop harassing me before I get an ACLU lawyer to look into this matter. I have rights too!
Love,
18 comments:
Amen. My son joined the ACLU when he turned 18 and we are still getting TONS of mailings, even though he became a poor college student and has not renewed his membership. In this day and age, non-profits (and I work for one) cannot afford to piss off their donors.
Oh I hear you! I donated to NPR one year. Then all of a sudden I started getting all these mailers AND phone calls! I finally told the guy he better stop spending the money that I sent him to CALL me and MAIL me stuff asking for MORE $$$.
He couldn't understand why I was upset! grrr
Totally agree! All charitable organizations should allow us to opt out of mailings. Everything should be electronic!
Nonprofits ARE trying to be more progressive with their opt-out processes. And most are very responsive if you email or better yet, call member services and ask to be removed from call or mailing lists and many more are adding email only lists like Roxie mentioned.
But the fact is that direct mail fundraising is still the most effective way to get new and renewing support so nonprofits can keep their programs running and live up to the mission of their organizations. Online fundraising still typically only amounts to at most 10% of the organizational revenue. The rest is made up offline.
The ALCU (to use your example) is a 4 star Charity Navigator charity that only spends 8.9% of their annual budget on fundraising and 80.2% on their programmatic work (http://bit.ly/a5urXM). That is a great breakdown.
Full disclosure, I'm an online strategist for a consulting firm and we specialize in nonprofit fundraising, though none of my clients are listed in your post of the comments thus far :)
Thanks for bringing up an important issue - being responsive to donors needs and requests.
Thanks for everyone's comments thus far.
Brenna, So great to see you stop by and your comment.
Another organization I donate to, The Sun magazine, used to send out donation requests repeatedly yet they are really struggling for funds. I pleaded with them to get into paypal and start asking for funds this way rather than via mail. And so far, it's working. The ACLU has a great website and I checked out the charity navigator. I'm just frustrated with the constant paper push. It's so bloody wasteful.
I've been donating to United Way for the past 5 years and the only thing I've ever gotten from them was annoying emails. I don't mind those though, because at least they're free.
I totally agree with your plight though. STOP WASTING MY MONEH!
I actually don't understand these people either - post?? paper? are they insane? I chuck more paper into the recycling than soft Mick. Grr.
Oh [smiling sweetly] and I promise to only beg for money via email. And that ALL the money I beg for will go to my charity...do NOT delete me! If they post you anything [or me] I shall beat them about the legs with a wet dish towel ;o)
I remember once years ago my mother telling me the only thing she ever gave to was the Billy Graham Association because you could give once and never get another solicitation from them. (Not sure how it is now that Billy's not in charge any more). She gave to them every single year because of that.
As for me, well, I started writing "return to sender" on any of the unasked for mailings and sending it right back to them. I also have opted out of emails from various charities and still gotten emailed. So I send them to Spam. And I stop donating.
I hate unsolicted requests anytime! Clearly you need a good laugh so go look at my sweaty mess pic today that I posted on my blog. If that doesn't cheer you up nothin will:) http://susansjourneytokeepfit.blogspot.com/
I hear you, friend! This subject is one of my biggest pet peeves too.
In this difficult financial climate, I've stopped giving to charities like PBS. I find the most compelling charities to be those that just help people just survive. Food bank, homeless shelters, the like. Also no-kill animal shelters...because animals are suffering very badly in this economy too. They are being abandoned or people can't afford to get their animals neutered.
But it sure drives me crazy when I donate to a cause and then they send me SO many junk mailings...I think...wow, did you spend all my donation money on this fancy three-color mailer and postage??? Guess you don't really need my money after all!
It's a problem and I don't know how to solve it. All we can do is keep trying to let them know how we feel, I guess.
I know.
Youre so right and yet Im compelled in this instance to plug my ears and sing LA LA LA I DONT ACLU HEAR U :)
xo xo,
a woman whose mom was the regional president of the aclu
Well I hate the ACLU in the first place (it's the Republican in me)...so please excuse my comment, lol. But I lol'd at you saying $10 would buy a really cheap hit man...you're a trip. :)
I agree. I would rather give money to someone I know who is having trouble. Right now, that could be me! You commented on my blog about following drama from a distance. It's interesting with me and hubby. He is a control freak and has no idea how bad he is. Should be interesting when I go home...he says he is letting me come home. Don't think he's read the guest post yet. I was mad at him and well...said too much. They say the truth can set you free...we'll see. Got any room at your house :)
give em your time..rather than your money...that's what I say..
btw..NO, I didn't take the picture of the croc..twas in the newspaper..isn't he lovely!!
I gave money to an organization after Katrina hit New Orleans. They kept after me after that till I called them and asked that they stop. I found them in the first place and I told them that if I wanted to I would find them again, and as you said, it would save them money to leave me alone. I once went to the ACLU for advice because my long hair and crap that I was getting about it in medical school. They said they couldn't help me. I kept it long!
Like the new format.
I meet weekly with a men's group of committed do-gooders (I don't know why they let _me_ join), and they all complain of the same thing: the endless drumbeat to give, give, give. They're suffering appeal fatigue.
Part of the feeling of affront, I think, is that the fundraising efforst are entirely impersonal. It's a business. They want you to have an emotional connnection to their charity, but they connect with you in a totally impersonal, manipulative way -- as if they were selling soap or hybrid cars or political candidates. It's just another business.
There are big charities that are worthy, but they need to find better ways of connecting with you and me when we give money. Meanwhile, these days I'm giving locally. They use some of the same tactics, but they at least reach out personally through open houses and parties and such.
Boy, do I Hear Ya! I've made a few donations only to find them sending me acres of address labels! I mean how much mail can a person send these days with email and all.
You could not have said that better. Stupid, stupid people in charge.
Post a Comment