Can you chip in?
When things go wrong, why do they ask us for (more) money? PLUS two recommendations for inspiring and uplifting stories to read and listen to...that are way better than the news.
Since the Roe v Wade decision came down, I’ve received at least 3 texts and even more emails PER DAY asking me to “chip in $5 dollars” to help. After one particularly robust day of requests, I just yelled into the wind: if you keep chippin at me pretty soon there’ll be none of me left! I’m a fundraiser by profession, so you think I’d be used to this kind of thing, and that it wouldn’t bother me. But the truth is, as a fundraiser, I think it bothers me more. Because:
What’s my five dollars really going to do?
Not much. Especially if you give online—most of that will evaporate in processing fees. But the one asking for the money doesn’t care about that. The point of the solicitation is 1) to get a 1% return (that’s 10,000 five dollar donations if you ask a million people) and then 2) convert the now-hot 10,000 new donors into repeat donors—at a higher level. It makes more sense to think of this style of fundraising as marketing and upselling. It’s transactional—more for branding purposes than raising funds, which is why sometimes they’ll send you a beautiful sticker or a red hat in the mail before asking you for more.
Really? Me? I barely have five dollars!
Yes, you. If you’re reading this substack then I know that you, like me, are not a millionaire. You’re probably not even a 100,000-a-year-ionaire. But we work, eke together a living, and send our hard-earned money back out into the economy (including, often, small donations to good causes). We don’t really have the luxury of holding onto our money. We have to spend it to live. And because we know this, we also know the value in helping someone out. This makes us a big driver of the economy. Therefore, spending minutes to ask millions of us for $5 dollars will yield far better returns than, say, spending five months asking Bill Gates for a million*. Like our economy, transactional fundraising is all about volume.
Which leads me to the thing that bugs me the most about this “sales style” of fundraising: it only works for a few hugely influential causes (or candidates) that already have—or can afford to purchase—a list of 100,000 - 10 million people that they can ask for money…and it works best when there’s some kind of tentpole issue dominating the media that they can leverage to create urgency. Like Roe v Wade. Like Jan. 6. Like “Don’t say gay**.”
I had a conversation with a friend recently who was in the full grip of all this “news.” You know: spinning about how awful everything is, how everyone has their head in the sand, how nothing will ever really change. I could understand her anger and despair, because it’s happened to me. I get sucked in, I obsessively read about the horrible things…and I forget that most of this news I’m reading is distant. I can’t go outside my apartment and see this news in real life—and maybe do something about it. Yet, I keep reading…because it’s designed to keep me reading. The news outlets are trying to sell papers and make money on ads that flash before your eyes. And reading it “might” help me to stay informed; more likely it will make me angry. What it won’t do, is change anything. Unless you can translate your anger into actions that you can take to make the world better. Which is why all those big guns capitalize on those hairy news moments (which are rather constant these days) to ask you for money. Promising that your five bucks will change the news of world you’re reading.
This is one of the things about my profession that deflates me. Because I know how the sausage is made, I know why they are asking for the five dollars, and I also know that when I give it, I’m just making some well-heeled entity…well-heelier. I’m still susceptible to the marketing though. I’ve made those contributions in the past. I have a sticker on my fridge like so many other people, who have the same sticker! For a minute it makes me think I’m a part of something! That maybe I can make a difference! Until time and sun make the sticker fade and nothing seems to change.
But here’s the thing: I can make a difference, and you can too. Now, I’m not talking about voting, or letter-writing, or protesting. Those things are great and do them if you are able. What I’m talking about is focusing on the well-being and uplift of the world and people who are within your reach.
You can donate to a local organization trying to improve your neighborhood, community, or City. You can be a philanthropist by helping your neighbor carry their groceries, or handing a fiver to someone on the corner who asks, or giving a ride to someone who doesn’t have a car. These days, looking someone in the eye and genuinely saying hello is a big deal. It’s just important to remember that, despite the urgency and frequency of things that go wrong, and the volume of requests you get for five dollars to help “fix them,” the most important and meaningful contributions you can make to the world are the ones in your most immediate vicinity.
—MBF
*This is about how much time it takes to apply for, and wait to hear about, a grant. Most likely, your grant request will be denied even though you have spent the time and energy applying. Because of this, many foundations won’t even let you apply unless they invite you first, to save you the effort. You may be wondering now how you get them to invite you to apply. Me too.
**GAY
Can you chip in?
So good, Melissa. And I'm getting those endless "please chip in" texts even over here across the sea.
Right on the money! It is so hard to resist the persistent onslaught of asks and stay focused. Thanks for your insights.