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Love the Worn and Ugly (Saddles)
Posts: 1937
   
| We donate to a lot of causes, but every other time the phone rings it seems like it's someone asking for a donation for this function or that cause. We hate to say no because some are still really great causes, or locals in the community, but how do you say enough is enough, we really can't afford to donate any more in this economy. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| I think it is hard to get away without donating, but you can always donate less. Also, make sure you get some advertisement out of the donations. The local schools are what really kill us. Every sport wants thier own seperate donation. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | Whiteboy - 2014-03-27 9:20 AM I think it is hard to get away without donating, but you can always donate less. Also, make sure you get some advertisement out of the donations. The local schools are what really kill us. Every sport wants thier own seperate donation.
I agree....if I were making a donation as a business...I would definitely want some advertisement! |
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 Friendly horse swapper
Posts: 4122
Location: Buffalo, TX | I get hit up all the time for donations at least weekly.....We decided several years ago that our donation money would be strictly used for ads in rodeo programs for all of the local round up clubs, all of the surrounding school FFA auction dinners, horse events at the Shawnee Expo center (we are only a couple miles away), and our dictrict NBHA finals can always count on me for a saddle and other awards....We always explain that to non-horse related things like sports calendars, highway patrol (the worst for soliciting!)...you get the picture....set a budget and decide ahead of time who will get a share and stick to it....
p.s.....I don't necessarily feel like I have to have advertising in return, but the nature of our donations goes in that direction on most things anyway....
Edited by Cindy Hamilton 2014-03-27 9:28 AM
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | I would set a budget and stick with it. If you have a $1,000 budget, maybe you can donate $100 to 10 different events. When it runs out, you just have to tell people that there is no more funding in your budget. |
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Love the Worn and Ugly (Saddles)
Posts: 1937
| Some do and some don't give us advertisement. There was a very large event here recently and they omitted our name on the banner with businesses that donated. |
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Love the Worn and Ugly (Saddles)
Posts: 1937
| Murphy - 2014-03-27 10:28 AM I would set a budget and stick with it. If you have a $1,000 budget, maybe you can donate $100 to 10 different events. When it runs out, you just have to tell people that there is no more funding in your budget.
A few years ago we did this. Then an employee's relative was in a car accident and paralyzed and we donated to his fundraiser after our budget was at zero $. That opened the floodgates for all the ones we had told we couldn't donate to start calling again. |
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Veteran
Posts: 229
Location: Montana | It depends on who is asking, my most recent was another business asking to sponsor an informational meeting they were having about their business. I just said "NO". We will often do a donation of product or services, very seldom money. We do not do the schools, we explain by saying (an its true), our donation budget is very limited and school functions are too plentiful to donate to all, so we do not donate to any. As far as benefits, if it is somebody we are connected to, we go and leave a check, how much depends on who the benefit it for. Good luck, you have to learn to say "no" nicely. |
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Love the Worn and Ugly (Saddles)
Posts: 1937
| runsupport - 2014-03-27 10:36 AM It depends on who is asking, my most recent was another business asking to sponsor an informational meeting they were having about their business. I just said "NO". We will often do a donation of product or services, very seldom money. We do not do the schools, we explain by saying (an its true), our donation budget is very limited and school functions are too plentiful to donate to all, so we do not donate to any. As far as benefits, if it is somebody we are connected to, we go and leave a check, how much depends on who the benefit it for. Good luck, you have to learn to say "no" nicely.
I need to learn to say 'no' period! lol. I'm a sucker for a sob story, but the ones I have said no to are fundraisers for people that live in a completely different state and I have never heard of, those are easy because they are probably not even legit. |
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| Prndi - 2014-03-27 9:43 AM runsupport - 2014-03-27 10:36 AM It depends on who is asking, my most recent was another business asking to sponsor an informational meeting they were having about their business. I just said "NO". We will often do a donation of product or services, very seldom money. We do not do the schools, we explain by saying (an its true), our donation budget is very limited and school functions are too plentiful to donate to all, so we do not donate to any. As far as benefits, if it is somebody we are connected to, we go and leave a check, how much depends on who the benefit it for. Good luck, you have to learn to say "no" nicely. I need to learn to say 'no' period! lol. I'm a sucker for a sob story, but the ones I have said no to are fundraisers for people that live in a completely different state and I have never heard of, those are easy because they are probably not even legit.
I always try to keep it local. We are a bank so if it isn't in the area we serve, I do say no. I also dislike when the coach or teacher send us a letter asking for donations. I want the kids to come ask, so that they know where the money comes from that funds their activities. I am also much more willing to give to people that already do business with me. |
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Sideways Riding Expert
Posts: 11371
Location: ND--it snows, it floods, it snows, it floods | We are a ag based buisness so we limit to ag based functions with a few town activities. |
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Veteran
Posts: 234
| We run a retail pharmacy in a rural farming community with 3 different school districts - so you have elementary donations - Jr high stuff- high school than all the FFA, Band, Cheerleaders etc etc etc well you get the picture. We several years ago making a budget then told EVERYONE to put their request in writing must be submitted by Dec 1st for the next year - decide who gets what and how much then learned how to say SORRY we have NO more money in our budget VERY VERY hard in a small community but we had to in order to stay in business. hope this helps |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
Location: North Dakota | It is YOUR business. You choose where your money goes. Period.
Donate if you want to. But if you have given enough $$$ for the year, then politely tell them no.
I've been on both sides of the fence (asking for money .... and donating) and even though I've been sad when a business tells me "no" on a donation, I understand that it is okay to say no.
Edited by r_beau 2014-03-27 11:31 AM
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| Murphy - 2014-03-27 9:28 AM
I would set a budget and stick with it. If you have a $1,000 budget, maybe you can donate $100 to 10 different events. When it runs out, you just have to tell people that there is no more funding in your budget.
This! When I was on our college rodeo team, we would ask for donations for our rodeo. Many, many businesses would say they couldn't donate because they had already spent what their budget was for donations that year. Our rodeo was in October, so being it was late in the year we had some trouble with it. |
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | Whiteboy - 2014-03-27 9:46 AM I am also much more willing to give to people that already do business with me.
^^^^ THIS......For over 30 years, my husband had a custom saddle shop, sold tack, and repaired shoes, boots and saddles....IF the person asking was NOT a customer, it was an automatic "no". Also, whatever he donated to must have to be directly related to HIS business......Otherwise, "horse related functions" or to people who would use his services! |
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Business owners, how do you handle or keep up with all the donation requests?