Why do charities specify a particular donation?

Sometimes I'd like to donate an amount to a charity which has volunteers standing outside a supermarket but they won't take one-off donations now, they want you to sign up for a monthly amount.

Gone are the days when you could put a donation in a box and receive a paper sticker in exchange to show you've donated.
So they miss out on a donation from me.

The RBL does still do this, of course and also had mobile card machines this year as many people don't carry cash.

It really irritates me when they ask for a particular amount and definitely puts me off giving to them at all

Callistemon21

Sometimes I'd like to donate an amount to a charity which has volunteers standing outside a supermarket but they won't take one-off donations now, they want you to sign up for a monthly amount.

Gone are the days when you could put a donation in a box and receive a paper sticker in exchange to show you've donated.
So they miss out on a donation from me.

The RBL does still do this, of course and also had mobile card machines this year as many people don't carry cash.

I didn't realise charities wouldn't take one-off donations - even with a card. Surely they've shot themselves in the foot by so doing?

Some charities of course outsource their fundraising to companies that specialise in street fundraising who pay their chuggers, and they, the chuggers, can earn a bonus depending on the number of people they sign-up. Which is why my door-step chugger was not impressed when I asked for the charity's website address so that I could consider the possibility of a one-off donation online. Blow the charity - he wanted his bonus!

With the current hike in the cost of living, I'm sure there are many people who really don't want to commit to monthly payments although they might be prepared to make a single donation.

The modus operandi has changed so much now that they're using the business model. It would be interesting to know how much this has affected their donations because, as said, I think a lot of people are wary of signing up in this way, and others are suspicious, believing that too much money is spent on salaries - especially salaries for the head honchos, which is an added disincentive towards donating. Also, people don't like handing over their bank details to door-steppers who could, for all they know, abuse the information.

I'll stick with those charities that accept donations of amounts that the individual decides and are happy to take one-off offerings.

The chaps that came to my door - just before the watershed 9pm - got short shrift... I was flippin' busy and really didn't want the interruption. I'm willing to give to charity - even regard it as a duty, but it has to be on my terms and at my convenience. Any others will get the same unsympathetic rejection, because I don't like being put on the spot like that.

I hate being pestered in my own home, and object even more when it is a near neighbour as I am likely to know them a little bit, so feel awkward saying no. It's very intrusive, and must be awful for people who are hard up knowing that people will wonder why they bothered collecting a small amount. Also, there are so many good causes that you have to decide which ones to support and there isn't always a budget for others.

I never give to chuggers, but don't mind putting coins in a bucket, although I haven't seen anyone collecting that way for ages. It's the being bothered in my own home that I dislike. I feel the same about being bothered by phone calls from charities I support. I used to support Action Aid, but cancelled my subscription when they kept ringing me to ask for more money for unrelated causes. I'd much rather choose my charities, give by DD and let that be an end of it.

I don't care about the salaries of those who work for charities though. They won't stay long if they don't bring in far more than they cost, and if amateurs ran them they would be reduced to cake bakes and bring and buy stalls, and the accounting would be sure to go haywire.

Good Marketing, PR and Fundraising costs money, and doing that for a national or international charity is working at a level that would command a very high salary in any sector. If they want to get good people they need to pay high salaries.

Germanshepherdsmum

I was somewhat annoyed recently when one of the charities I support, who had sent a mail shot about gifts in wills, asked if I had, or would consider, leaving them a gift in my will. I replied truthfully that I had done so. Within days there was another letter asking if I had left a specific amount (and if so how much), my entire estate or a percentage of it. There was a ‘prefer not to say’ option. I could see no reason for the question being asked and thought it rather rude. Letter, meet bin.

Be careful. A friend left a significant gift to a charity in her will. When she died they were absolutely ruthless in coming after the relatives for the payout. I’m a bit hazy on the details but if I remember rightly, after expenses had been paid, there wasn’t enough cash left in the estate to honour the gift, and the charity were after property being sold so they could realise it. It all left a bad taste in the mouth.

BlueBelle

It really irritates me when they ask for a particular amount and definitely puts me off giving to them at all

I cancelled my regular monthly amount to British Red Cross after they persisted in contacting me by phone to ask for lump sum donations in excess of £100. I explained several times that I couldn’t afford that much and eventually gave around £30 as a one off. When the phone calls continued I stopped the direct debit, and wrote to the chief exec explaining why I would no longer be donating. Never heard anything back.

Don’t worry Pammiel, there will be plenty to honour all charitable bequests and my son and daughter in law are my executors - both solicitors.

Greed and pay CEO AND EXPENSIVE offices

Pammie1, it happened to my sister who took care of our cousin's estate. RSPB and National trust hounded her, wanted their share before other bequests and sent letters from their legal team saying that my sister should not have expenses paid out of the estate. She had to fly from Germany to clear the house and put it on the market.
Every week I get letters from Marie Curie asking me for donations because people should not have to die without the care and attention they deserve. The very same people refused me help when my DH was dying. It left me traumatised.

I only give when it says ' other ' not happy being told how much I should give, they don't know my financial circumstances and should just be grateful for anything given.

We have no TV or radio in our household by choice but I get, literally each and every day, 7 days a week multiple emails from countless charities saying ''give NOW, donate NOW''.

''Just give £80.00''. ''Just give £35.00''

No, I bloody well won't! And all the begging letters and plastic bags through the post!

I piggin' hate their never-ending demands for money and all the multimillionaire ''celebrities'' with their knitted eyebrows condescendingly saying ''just give what you can''.

There's about 168,850 registered charities in the UK and Wales and most of them constantly demand money!

I can't abide the give NOW donate NOW thing, it's intrusive and demanding!

I've tried to block their emails but somehow they still get through!

I donate to charity in the way of going into a charity shop and buying/donating things but I refuse to hand over my soul to do online donations, I don't want them knowing my details!

They're like religious groups, once they've snared you, it's very difficult to get out of!

Charities that ask for specific amounts are greedy. The Salvation Army have done this for years.

They should start by cutting the CEO's ridiculously high salaries.

My mum taught me that those who ask don't always get. I don't donate to charity that specifies an amount they would like .

Sometimes they ‘kill the goose that lays the golden eggs ‘. My husband donated £15 to his chosen charity and promptly got a letter back asking him to donate a further £12! No! That charity has been struck off the list as far as further donations are concerned.

True story. A few years ago hubby and I parked at one of those 24/7/365 truck stops with showers etc. to shoot into the loos and WH Smith. Inside there was a bloke with a Air Ambulance charity table. The 1st second I saw him before going in my hair stood on end. As I went in he immediately leapt on me and started rattling his tin. I ignored him and went straight to the loos then the shops.

As I came out he again leapt on me saying ''donate''. I walked out. Hubby was already in the car waiting for me. Charity bloke looked daggers at me.

A couple of weeks later we were back there again and the same creepy bloke. Again, I ignored him, this time as I left, I was the 1st to the car while hubby was still inside, he literally followed me out and actually started running after me, rattling his tin saying ''donate, give to my charity''.
As a female who is scared of men because of past multiple abuse, this weirdo really freaked me out and I literally ran to the car shaking and crying. He was very intimidatory. Then when he realized he was getting nothing from me he stalked away saying ''well up yours then''.

I told my hubby when he returned to the car, who was absolutely furious and he ''had a word'' with this bloke whose attitude was he didn't care.

I contacted the charity H.O to tell them but they never bothered to reply.

I will NEVER support Air Ambulance if that's the sort of volunteer they employ.

I think they need to take a look at themselves. CEOs at these charities earn £120K plus, from our contributions.

I only donate to the smaller charities who always seem pleased with whatever sums they get. I never donate to a charity that has 'big named people' at the top of their letterheads, taking (in some cases) 6 figure sums out of the charity - for what? using their name?!!

To run a sizeable charity effectively you need a skilled CEO and other skilled people. They will command at least the sort of salary you mention Lynn.

One of the charities I donate to has a well known actor as patron - he isn’t paid. Can you name one of these charities with a well known patron being paid a six figure sum TM?

I have always contributed to charities all my life and still do. However the way I contribute has definitely changed. I used to give a regular contribution to two charities I supported but once they became very greedy and constantly asked me for more money and in bigger amounts I cancelled my contribution on a regular basis. I have no intention of being made to feel guilty , or be very annoyed by their lack of thanks and constant wanting more. Now I choose to save up money in my own account that I know is my charity account. Then I wait until there is a charity day such as RNLI or poppy day and choose to put quite a large amount into the collecting boxes. This is pleasing in many different ways. I have been able to make my own decision as to who I will and wont support, will not be pestered for more within a week of giving the first donation, keep control of my own money and keep the locus of control with me. As it is MY money I will not be badgered, made to feel guilty, made to feel whatever I offer is not enough. So their never ending badgering for cash means that they probably get less than they would do if they did not treat people like cash cows and not be grateful at all. So I still give what I am able , to whosoever I choose to give to and that is the way it is going to stay. The more grabbing charities get the less they will get from me and my friends.As i live on a very basic pension, not even the full amount that people get now it is something I have to think about, and what matters to me is to do what I can by my own free will and remain in charge of all aspects of my own life.

None of the charities to whom I make regular donations has ever asked me to increase the amount I give. All are animal charities of differing sizes. They seem grateful for what they get, unlike some ‘human’ charities which send mail shots telling me exactly what they want.

I saw the Crisis advert this morning and was surprised by the very specific amount requested. Maybe they think this makes it sound more realistic. I’ve donated monthly to a charity for about eighteen years. They have become very demanding, sending almost monthly requests for extra donations. I sometimes give in and send a cheque for £5.00, though they are suggesting higher amounts. I never send charity donations using my bank account details. They also send almost weekly emails advertising funding events, and reminders to tell me that I haven’t yet donated. I’m thinking of unsubscribing from their emails.

i support two charities with a small monthly donation, i am under pension age and i have lived on benefits for more than 5 years, when i get letters i ignore, phone calls don't get through as my dil set my phone up (honestly don't know how she did it) and with people in the street i tell them i am bankrupt and can't sign up for anything. i was bankrupt about 10 years ago when i had a breakdown and lost my job, my bank did agree to me keeping my account but not to have direct debits for anything other than household/benefits and wages if i went back to work.

LynnandGeoff

I think they need to take a look at themselves. CEOs at these charities earn £120K plus, from our contributions.

What would you rather? Pay the CEO £35k? Who would apply for that? Nobody who can seriously devote the time and skill necessary to run a national or international charity, organise fundraising, deal with PR, ensure that the money goes to the right places, manage a large staff etc etc. People who can do all that command high salaries for good reason.

Local charities often have volunteers, but they give a few hours a week, not full-time hours that involve a lot of highly skilled work. They very rarely raise large sums of money, which is fine when they want a scanner at a local hospital or a caravan for sick children to use on holidays, but something on the scale of Water Aid or Oxfam needs someone at the top of the game.

I really don't know why people resent charity staff earning good salaries. They work for the charity, which doesn't mean that they do so out of charity. It's a job, like any other.

I find this really annoying and it actually puts me off donating - people should be able to donate what they want and not told

They do it because statistics say it works to maximise receipts. Only possible reason.