Go straight to Jail, do not collect $200.

Posted: Tuesday, April 19th, 2011 at 9:11 pm

Go straight to Jail, do not collect $200. Image

Todd’s Insider take.

Today I lost my temper with a non profit fundraising program that I think Sucks

Fundraising Hostage!

Really is this what it gets down to?  I am involved with several non profit groups in my community and as most of you all know, non profits spend a huge amount of their time raising money.  Missoula is home to hundreds of non profits so between the fundraising I do personally and the donations I get asked for at the store, I am usually up to the drill.  Make me a good sales pitch and I can usually do something as a donation.  This year with business being off so much I am having to say no more than I would like  But this one, well it really gets under my skin.

They want to come and “Arrest” me take me across town and make me stand in a cell and call friends and family to “make bail”.  If you get arrested you can chose to have 3 other people arrested.  Deal is the non profit will not tell you who threw you under the fundraising bus and will protect your identity from the 3 people you toss under the bus.

I call BS on this type of fundraising, I am sure it works, and at some level everyone has to ask in their own way, but really this feels like such an intrusion I just have to vent.

The first year I bailed as I was out of town…

Second time I said I couldn’t do it,

While I do not want to lie to these folks I just cannot tell the poor nice “paid” volunteer that the whole concept pisses me off to the point that I will never give the organization any money.

It is not that I do not believe in the mission, I just cannot handle the method of the ask.  4 emails after the initial phone call, totally flooding me with stupid poster designs and crap that is designed to help me raise money.  Again keep in mind this is all for a fundraiser that I did not ask to participate in and they will not tell me who put my name in the hat.

Just call me and ask if me or my business can help.