Does anybody have firsthand inside experience in the charity industry?

Specifically, I am wondering if there are one or more central databases
where donors and prospective donors are tracked.

From the outside it looks to me like the name/address of somebody in our
family is in one of these databases and every time they respond to a
solicitation, the point value assigned to them is incremented.

Then it looks like various charities that subscribe to that database
service put together mailings based on that point value.

The good-hearted person in question doesn't have a suspicious bone in
their body and routinely sends $20-$25 to charities I've never heard of
and the contents of our mailbox keeps growing and growing with
solicitations form more and more "Charities".

Quotes because every so often I get all spun up and I spot check some of
them against www.ChariteyNavigator.com. Hint: if it's anything to do
with active military, veterans, or cops that's not a good sign. -)

Yesterday, the mailman was barely able to fit it all into the box - and
this is a pretty good-sized box.

Also the apparent commitment of charities to individual mailings seems
to have gone up. Now we are getting dollar bills, checks for $2.00,
and coins in some mailings - predicated, I guess, on pushing some
people's "Obligation" buttons. Maybe this hypothetical database
service is sophisticated enough keep score by the types of solicitations
and which buttons they push?

So: does my hypothesis about the central database hold water?
--
Pete Cresswell

On 9/20/2015 7:05 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Does anybody have firsthand inside experience in the charity industry?

Specifically, I am wondering if there are one or more central databases
where donors and prospective donors are tracked.

From the outside it looks to me like the name/address of somebody in our
family is in one of these databases and every time they respond to a
solicitation, the point value assigned to them is incremented.

Then it looks like various charities that subscribe to that database
service put together mailings based on that point value.

The good-hearted person in question doesn't have a suspicious bone in
their body and routinely sends $20-$25 to charities I've never heard of
and the contents of our mailbox keeps growing and growing with
solicitations form more and more "Charities".

Quotes because every so often I get all spun up and I spot check some of
them against www.ChariteyNavigator.com. Hint: if it's anything to do
with active military, veterans, or cops that's not a good sign. -)

Yesterday, the mailman was barely able to fit it all into the box - and
this is a pretty good-sized box.

Also the apparent commitment of charities to individual mailings seems
to have gone up. Now we are getting dollar bills, checks for $2.00,
and coins in some mailings - predicated, I guess, on pushing some
people's "Obligation" buttons. Maybe this hypothetical database
service is sophisticated enough keep score by the types of solicitations
and which buttons they push?

So: does my hypothesis about the central database hold water?

While I can't attest to ever seeing such a mechanism, your observations
hold true here, as well.

It only stands to reason: someone who *has* made a donation is
probably more likely to make ANOTHER donation than someone who
you'd have to contact "cold".

We've been moving towards sending cashier's checks (keep receipt for
tax purposes) in lieu of personal checks. This lets us give as we
please, maintain the tax deduction, keep off the ever growing lists
of beggars, *and*, oddly enough, saves those organizations from
their eager attempts to solicit a *second* donation! (some seem to
spend your entire *first* donation on POSTAGE/mailings to solicit
further donations!)

By far, we prefer to give our time to charities that we consider
worthy. You also learn a lot about the inner workings of these
groups by doing so; things that you'd never know (nor approve of!)
if you just "wrote a check".

[Many charities are just thinly disguised efforts to "employ some
select few on the good will of many"]

Per Don Y:
It only stands to reason: someone who *has* made a donation is
probably more likely to make ANOTHER donation than someone who
you'd have to contact "cold".

That was me years ago when I started giving to Amnesty International....
then the mailings from other fund raisers skyrocketed and then they set
the telephone solicitors on me.

I tried a few other reputable charities - telling them beforehand that I
did not want to be on their mailing list or any other list.

For awhile, it would hold, then the telephone solicitors would start in.

Now nobody gets a nickel and each got a letter telling them why they
would not be hearing from us again. ****ing in the ocean, I know...
--
Pete Cresswell

On 9/20/2015 4:59 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Per Don Y:
It only stands to reason: someone who *has* made a donation is
probably more likely to make ANOTHER donation than someone who
you'd have to contact "cold".

That was me years ago when I started giving to Amnesty International....
then the mailings from other fund raisers skyrocketed and then they set
the telephone solicitors on me.

I tried a few other reputable charities - telling them beforehand that I
did not want to be on their mailing list or any other list.

The organizations that I volunteer with (or *have* volunteered with)
typically don't even have my full name, address or phone number. I
try to keep it a one-sided transaction. If this doesn't suit their
"requirements", then I can shrug and take my labor elsewhere!

[One organization wanted me to become a member, pay *dues*, etc. JUST
to volunteer. WTF?? I have to PAY for the right to GIVE you my time??]

For awhile, it would hold, then the telephone solicitors would start in.

Now nobody gets a nickel and each got a letter telling them why they
would not be hearing from us again. ****ing in the ocean, I know...

I have a friend who is a "big giver" (5 and 6 digit checks) -- I'll withhold
judgement on her giving choices (that's *her* perogative!).

One day, at her house, talking... phone rang. She stopped and went to
check the CID. Then, looked back up at me with a look of disgust on
her face. "name of charity... they're looking for more money."
Her solution was obviously just to ignore their repeated contacts.

One has to wonder if these organizations ever think about what their
*donors* (underwriters!) must think when they are constantly calling
with their hands out?

[Ans: they probably DON'T think!]

I was putting in some time at a charity with which I was affiliated
some years ago. A "strange woman" (visitor of some sort) cornered
me in a hall and started peppering me with questions. Long story short,
she wanted me to ALSO volunteer with the organization *she* ran!
I smiled politely (despite the anger welling up inside me -- who the
hell are you to think you can *impose* on me that way?) and told her,
"I'm sorry, THIS is where I donate my hours..."

I think these sorts of people get so used to *asking* (for stuff)
that they are never embarassed by their actions! You or I would
probably be terribly reluctant to "ask" for something -- OF A STRANGER!
But, apparently, after forming that HABIT, it gets easier to ask
without any consideration for how tacky your actions appear!

On 09/20/2015 9:05 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Does anybody have firsthand inside experience in the charity industry?

Specifically, I am wondering if there are one or more central databases
where donors and prospective donors are tracked.
....

So: does my hypothesis about the central database hold water?

The national ones (and certainly the unscrupulous that are nothing but
fronts of which there are probably more than actually legitimate)
certainly keep databases and may well buy/sell their information with
others (the less legitimate, the more likely for both).

There are, of course, other outfits whose entire business model is
selling mailing lists.

To begin to manage the influx, see

http://give.org/for-donors/about-specific-giving-guidance/charity-mailing-list-removal/

--

On 9/20/2015 10:05 AM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:


So: does my hypothesis about the central database hold water?


I don't know how centralized it is, but I see the occasional misspelling
of my name repeated by others down the road. There is some sharing going
on.

I don't respond to mailings or phone calls so that keeps it to a
minimum. The one charity I do give to on a regular basis does not share
info from what I can tell.

Your friend is probably doing some good work, but is probably tossing
money at sleazy operations as well.

On 09/20/2015 10:15 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
....

I don't respond to mailings or phone calls so that keeps it to a
minimum. The one charity I do give to on a regular basis does not share
info from what I can tell.

Your friend is probably doing some good work, but is probably tossing
money at sleazy operations as well.

I concur with the advice/action...select one or a few or as many as wish
that, after due diligence, you're satisfied are good stewards of their
receipts and which are supportive of areas of specific interest and
concern to you. You may safely ignore all the rest without fail or guilt...

If one or more of the selected happen to be local; all the better, the
"more better" likely increasing inversely with the size of the locality.

--

On Sunday, September 20, 2015 at 7:05:05 AM UTC-7, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
Does anybody have firsthand inside experience in the charity industry?

Specifically, I am wondering if there are one or more central databases
where donors and prospective donors are tracked.

From the outside it looks to me like the name/address of somebody in our
family is in one of these databases and every time they respond to a
solicitation, the point value assigned to them is incremented.

Then it looks like various charities that subscribe to that database
service put together mailings based on that point value.

The good-hearted person in question doesn't have a suspicious bone in
their body and routinely sends $20-$25 to charities I've never heard of
and the contents of our mailbox keeps growing and growing with
solicitations form more and more "Charities".

Quotes because every so often I get all spun up and I spot check some of
them against www.ChariteyNavigator.com. Hint: if it's anything to do
with active military, veterans, or cops that's not a good sign. -)

Yesterday, the mailman was barely able to fit it all into the box - and
this is a pretty good-sized box.

Also the apparent commitment of charities to individual mailings seems
to have gone up. Now we are getting dollar bills, checks for $2.00,
and coins in some mailings - predicated, I guess, on pushing some
people's "Obligation" buttons. Maybe this hypothetical database
service is sophisticated enough keep score by the types of solicitations
and which buttons they push?

So: does my hypothesis about the central database hold water?
--
Pete Cresswell

Quit giving to ANY charity years ago.
But still give blood every 2 months to the Red Cross (just donated yesterday, still have the bruise)
I know some are decent but they all sell your names to other so called "worthy charities"
And if you see them advertising on TV?
FORGETABOUTIT
PAL "Police Activities League" is a total rip off.
The dude calling you gets 50% of your "donation" right off the top
The latest TV ad is for this Wounded Warrior Program that wants a monthly donations of ONLY 19 bucks a month.
They spend 1/3 of their money trying to get more money

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote in message
...
Does anybody have firsthand inside experience in the charity industry?

Specifically, I am wondering if there are one or more central databases
where donors and prospective donors are tracked.

From the outside it looks to me like the name/address of somebody in our
family is in one of these databases and every time they respond to a
solicitation, the point value assigned to them is incremented.

Then it looks like various charities that subscribe to that database
service put together mailings based on that point value.

The good-hearted person in question doesn't have a suspicious bone in
their body and routinely sends $20-$25 to charities I've never heard of
and the contents of our mailbox keeps growing and growing with
solicitations form more and more "Charities".

Quotes because every so often I get all spun up and I spot check some of
them against www.ChariteyNavigator.com. Hint: if it's anything to do
with active military, veterans, or cops that's not a good sign. -)

Yesterday, the mailman was barely able to fit it all into the box - and
this is a pretty good-sized box.

Also the apparent commitment of charities to individual mailings seems
to have gone up. Now we are getting dollar bills, checks for $2.00,
and coins in some mailings - predicated, I guess, on pushing some
people's "Obligation" buttons. Maybe this hypothetical database
service is sophisticated enough keep score by the types of solicitations
and which buttons they push?

So: does my hypothesis about the central database hold water?
--
Pete Cresswell

Donate to more than one your details are sold/passed on.
In short, you are on a Suckers List.

i donated a few bucks to the carnegie science center. its a nice place with a wonderful train display year round.

right after that donation i got soliciations from every organization.

i called and the carnegie confirmed they share their lists. i ordered them to permanetely delete me from their rolls and everyone they shared my info with.

i suggested they should request the privelage of sharing.....

i was really ****ed they will never get a dime from me. this must be 20 years ago when i had a little discreationary money.

now we struggle to survive

I see the correct spelling but same weird capitalization (HOfmann) on a number of charity (and non-charity) mailings, so either someone is copying/retyping/reselling my name, or there are an amazing number of coincidences.