Sponsoring adults' races/walks/bike rides etc...

[TwinFoxes]

It seems like this spring I'm getting hit up more frequently to sponsor someone for some activity or another. I honestly don't know how I feel about this. Most are good causes. But some charities I would never think of sponsoring on my own (like a Chicago-area animal shelter). One of the charities is extremely well known, but from my time as a journalist I also know a lot of money raised goes into administration, very little goes into charitable works.

But all that aside, the whole sponsorship thing is just kind of annoying to me, and I don't quite know why. This isn't really a bitch, I'm not mad at anyone, it just bugs me. I'm just curious how others feel about being solicited for sponsorships. These have come from my SIL (sent today for a walk coming up on Saturday, so clearly this isn't something near and dear to her heart), good friend from college, former work colleagues, etc. I'm going to support a couple that I think are worthwhile.

[elliput]

Personally, I only do one or two sponsorships a year and they are for charities which are near and dear to my heart. These are charities for which I would make a donation to anyway regardless if they held a walk, run, canoe race or whatever.

[Fairy]

This is a very timely thread for me. I have become very unsure how to handle all the sponsorship requests. I have a huge fundraising drive twice a year for my own charity interest (we don't do sponsorships), and I always use alot of my own money for that. On top of that, there are at least 10 people a year now that come to me with a race for a cure of some kind. They're all worthy, no question. Some speak to me more than others, which is to be expected. I used to be good for $20 to anyone who asked at any time. often more. Now, times are tighter, and I just gave $50 to a good friend for their deal, and now I know the Cancer Walk & Roll is coming, which will be a huge thing at my company, and ther will be at least a few of them.

I would love to hear from others on this. I don't mind being asked. The nature of charity is giving, and usually one needs to be asked to be made aware. I do not like the high administrative overhead that so much of our money goes to. I learned alot more about that when I raised for Komen last year. It's a "necessary" evil that I don't know how to avoid. But I think more about the grassrootsy orgs because of it.

I don't have a good answer, but I do know that I will have to limit either the number of sponsorships I give to this year, or I will have to give alot less overall.

[JoyNChrist]

Good thread!

Personally, I only donate to charities that I or my family are personally involved with. I do a ton of work with Relay for Life every year (and spend a lot of my time and money on that), and then my sorority's charity was the Make-a-Wish Foundation, so I still do things with the alumni association for that. And I have an aunt with ovarian cancer, so my whole family does things with that organization. My mom has been involved with the March of Dimes since I was a baby (I was a 26-week preemie), so I try to help out with that.

But for all the other walks, events, etc that friends or acquaintances participate in, I just usually say something like, "I'm sorry, but we've already planned all of our charitable contributions for the year" when someone asks. I'd love to help out every time I'm asked, but we just really can't afford it (especially since I try to help out with our nieces' and nephews' fundraisers for school and church and stuff).

ETA - I also try to help out with local stuff like a benefit if someone's had a house fire or a library fundraiser or whatever. But sponsorships, not so much.

[ezcc]

I take these case by case and often do give a little for this. I don't feel bad if i don't though and I don't get bothered when people ask, I just say no or even ignore the request if it is clearly a mass request or on facebook or something. I am more inclined to give if I know the person is closely involved with the charity for some reason.

[vonfirmath]

I am also more inclined to give if the person is spending a great deal of their own time on it. A good friend did the Komen race, in honor of a joint friend that had breast cancer. And she was up early/late, etc EVERY DAY for months preparing for the race.

[TwinFoxes]

I have a huge fundraising drive twice a year for my own charity interest (we don't do sponsorships), and I always use alot of my own money for that.

I wish more places would just do fundraising drives. I'm not more likely to give people money just becaused they walked. I get the bonding thing for participants, especially something like Komen. But the random 5k that someone signs up for to get exercise doesn't move me to donate. Someone really involved like you are, I'd be more likely to donate to.

[ewpmsw]

We usually donate something if asked, but prefer to do it anonymously if possible. We don't like getting on a lot of mailing lists, but there doesn't seem to be a way around that. Most of the people asking us lately have been friends who have invested a lot of time and effort in their training. We donate to show support for them as much as their cause.

A very good friend is a Big Sister. We donated to Big Brothers, Big Sisters last year. Feedback from that experience for PP: Don't encourage people to donate more in order to get some kind of gift package and then NOT follow through on the 'gift' that was supposed to come with their donation level. It's a small thing, but seeing how poorly organized the event/gift package thing was made me reluctant to donate again, and it's a cause I'd love to support. The event didn't stay open as long as it was scheduled to, which was disappointing to the people arriving as rides, music, everything shut down early. (The event was packed.)

[wellyes]

We have planned giving each year - and I'm fine with telling people who ask for a sponsorship exactly that.

I do sometimes opt to give if asked.

I know it's not logical but I am MUCH more likely to give if asked indirectly, in a way that does not require any response by me and allows me to give anonymously. For example: friend asking directly gets told no. Friend sending a letter with a website I can put in a contribution usually does get an anonymous donation.

I think it's the same reason I always politely decline jewelry / candle / purse parties - I just don't like being put on the spot or having my relationship used that way. But give me a chance to contribute on my own time and I will look it over and give if it seems like a good cause..