HOBT is in trouble

[dreamshark]

I saw in the Strib that HOBT (Heart of the Beast Theater) is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy due to loss of some long-term grant money and devaluation of their theater building. If I read the article correctly, the entire staff, including the co-founder and director, has been laid off but are continuing to work as volunteers. They're trying to focus the resources they have left on 1) fulfilling ongoing commitments for community art projects in progress and 2) keeping Powderhorn May Day afloat.

I had stopped donating to them a few years ago (except for money in the bucket at May Day) because they simply would not understand that "anonymous donation" meant not pestering donors constantly for more money. But this is just too sad; I'll forgive them and give them another chance. They probably don't have enough staff left to make fund raising calls any more anyway. I just made a substantial donation online.  I hope those of you who have the means will do the same.
      

Comments

[mle292.livejournal.com]

You are the one who told me about "Network For Good," and I LOVE the ability to give to a charity and not have everything I've contributed to go back into trying to get me to contribute more funds. I also will choose a different charity if I feel that one has been too aggressive in their follow-up requests.

Heart of The Beast appears to accept contributions through Network For Good.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

They also have an "anonymous donation" radio button on their donation site, which they may actually honor these days. Anyway, I just donated to them directly, so I guess I'll find out. They did not require a phone number, which is a good sign. I'm mildly annoyed by paper solicitations, but become absolutely livid at being phone-solicited.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

What do you consider too aggressive? Is being asked for more money too aggressive? Is there a time period after which being asked for more money is not too aggressive? Is being given information about an organization you have supported too aggressive? I don't understand what Network For Good is providing in your opinion if you think that giving to a charity via their service will prevent that charity from giving money to their development (money-raising) office --that being the employees whose job it is to make the ask for more funds. Network for Good has nothing to do with how a charity directs incoming donations.

For my part, I welcome being given more information about organizations I support, I will simply say "No, not this time" if I feel I am asked too frequently, and I think the 3% transaction charge of Network For Good (on top of the $40-$50 or more per month) is much too high a price for me to ask a small non-profit to pay. I absorb those costs by making my donations through other vehicles, so that the small organization gets every dollar I want to give it. Sometimes I even mail them a check.

We have a VERY high level of commitment to HOBT, and I have a VERY high level of inside information about their history, fund-raising, and income and expenses. Rest assured that everyone who is currently associated with the organization truly dislikes asking for money.

K.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

The anonymous button is there because I gave them YOUR feedback about follow-on solicitations.

K.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Being called on the phone and asked for money is my breaking point. I do not give money to organizations that solicit me by phone, ever.

I don't mind occasional flyers and updates on activities, but monthly mailings are too much. And if I have specifically ASKED not to get mailings and updates, I expect that to be honored. That is what I think "anonymous donor" means. If I ask not to get mailings it means, "I am throwing these away unread. Please use your money on something more effective."

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think I grok your position. I was asking mle292.

K.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Sorry, didn't mean to soapbox.

I have given this whole thing some thought, though. Obviously, it's hard for worthy organizations to walk the line between nobody knowing they are even there and coming on too strong. I think about the best they can do is give people some choices and then do their best to abide by those. Clearly, not everybody has the same preferences.

I think the choices should include at least the following levels of contact:
- Send me updates on what the organization is up to
- Send me donation reminders once a year
- Pretend you never heard of me (that's the "anonymous donor" choice).

I suppose one could also include "Send me donation requests every month" but does anybody actually want that? Note that I am not saying that HOBT did that. I'm pretty sure that they did not. However, a couple of local organizations that I donated to (exactly ONCE) did just that.

[mle292.livejournal.com]

I agree with what dreamshark has said. Well put!