Comments on: Liveblogging No More Homeless Pets: In the halls, plus fundraising

By: Rinalia

Rinalia — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:07:10 +0000

My apologies for misunderstanding your comment!

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:18:17 +0000

I get that, but … it’s not me. I’m a journalist. :)

By: Rinalia

Rinalia — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:42:36 +0000

Gina, it’s really unfortunate fund-raising is spurned. It’s the bread and butter of all nonprofits - none of us could do the work we do without asking people for help (money).

Nonprofits who cannot fundraise cannot survive. Which means they cannot do some of their awesome work (sheltering animals, saving lives, educating the public, creating publications, etc.).

By: John

John — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:09:33 +0000

Gotta find Nathan today and follow up on that all animal thing!

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:57:02 +0000

Lots of nonprofits could generate substantially more revenue by fine tuning their mailing list and their approach to reaching donors. It’s usually easier to generate donations from previous donors than find new ones.

We donate gently used items to a thrift store which benefits an animal shelter in our area. Over the past seven years, I’ve probably donated used items to them on average three times per year.

We have yet to receive a thank you or request for cash donations. They have my snail mail address and email.

In another situation, I’ve volunteered for and donated cash to a local animal related group. Very rarely do I get a donation request from this group. They send email on occasion asking for volunteers for fundraising events but don’t use email at all for donor requests. Those are infrequently sent by snail mail.

By: Gina Spadafori

Gina Spadafori — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 06:03:05 +0000

Seems maybe if the journalism work dries up, I could make a living writing fund-raising pitches … Not!

By: Rinalia

Rinalia — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:25:20 +0000

Mary Mary - I hear you. We get donations from folks using return cards from more than a year ago. There is something to be said for having the reminder right there in front of you.

EmilyS - You can get off of mailing lists if a nonprofit has a privacy policy. The problem is this: Let’s say your mom donates to Charity A and has not told Charity A to keep her name private (don’t sell/trade). To enrich their lists, Charity A trades its donor list with Charity B. Now Charity B has your mom’s name and sends her a generic “acquisition” mailing piece. Charity B DOES NOT have your mom in their database because your mom isn’t an actual donor but a potential donor. Now let’s say Charity A trades their list with five other nonprofits - now your mom is getting acquisition pieces (different mailers than what organizations send to actual donors) from several different groups. The ONLY way to ensure your mom does not get on charity mailing lists is to make sure her name is marked as private with EVERY organization she actually donates to. Most charities have privacy policies - if a charity does not, and they refuse to remove your mom from the mailing list, more action might be necessary.

By: Kim Thornton

Kim Thornton — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:18:24 +0000

Thanks for the great reports! Wish I were there. I decided I couldn’t go to APDT because I needed to be here to receive a car today and then they told me last night it wouldn’t be available after all. Sigh.

By: EmilyS

EmilyS — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:06:48 +0000

you cannot get off the mailing lists of nonprofits, however much you try. At least, after 6 months of returning mail requesting to be removed, my mom is still getting direct mail pieces from the same organizations, sometimes several times a month. Nature Conservancy, HSUS, National Wildlife Federation, all guilty guilty guilty. Shame on them, really.

By: Mary Mary

Mary Mary — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 02:59:13 +0000

Rinalia,

I write some fundraising appeals too. The thing with direct mail is it hangs around. Emails … blip, they are gone. But that letter or postcard can sit there by the front door for weeks (in my house, even longer). True “junk” mail goes into the trash right away, but appeals from charities I like … I don’t toss them immediately.