How many on this forum have donated to the ATC?

[lemon b]

Been a member of the AMC, ATC, and GMC. I see the ATC as more of a lobbying group. Almost a necessary evil. The ATC well over 10 years in a row. On and off before. AMC on and off since the late 70's. AMC is the most difficult for me to give to because I just get a funny feeling of them going in to many directions and being way too structured. The GMC regularly for over 20 years. The GMC is the one I'm most comfortable supporting. The level depends on what I can afford in a given year, Being semi retired it isn't what it used to be but it's been enough to get invites to special get togethers.
Actually feel the trail workers and maintenance people do the most, they are the youngest and give a lot of bang per hour. So I do whatever I am able to make sure they have the tools and equipment necessary. Only thing about GMC that mildly upset me is that when I tried to link up with director on linkedin I pretty much was ignored and that just isn't wize with someone who's tossed in 4 figures over the years.

[rocketsocks]

I guess I'm the only one to raise my eyebrows on someone asking how and where I CHOOSE to donate anything. My stock, rude answer is NUNYA, as in None of YOUR Business. How and where and how much and how often is MY business. I consider it rude to ask about other people's money, but that's the way I was raised.

How will you decide who is rich, middle class or poor? We going to have a "fair share" of donations now? Taxes aren't enough?

As to the (my opinion) snarky "rich" comment, most of the rich get rich by working, not whining. Yes, there are questionable practices, but aren't they mostly legal? Is it a crime to make over a certain amount and donate to a politician?

Rant over. Apologies.

I agree.

But this is how we do it in my house hold. We have a list of charity's, foundations and causes we like, if I see one I want to give to, I ad it to the list, same goes for my other family members, but they have to justify (speak as to why they'd give) and when that charity, foundation, or cause comes to the top of the list, a payment is sent. I am not a member of the ATC but it is on my list...same with my local trail club NY/NJ trail conference.

[Coffee]

One thing to keep in mind is that supporting one or two organizations with a larger amount is usually more efficient than supporting a dozen or two organizations with small amounts. The reason for this has to do with the costs organizations incur when it comes to keeping in contact with donors and soliciting new donations. If you donate to a few organizations rather than a few dozen, this overhead is lower in aggregate making the giving more efficient overall. I wish there was a way to make a small conditional donation to a charity with the stipulation that the donation is being made conditional upon never receiving any mail or marketing materials in return. I guess this could be done anonymously through a cash donation.

[rocketsocks]

One thing to keep in mind is that supporting one or two organizations with a larger amount is usually more efficient than supporting a dozen or two organizations with small amounts. The reason for this has to do with the costs organizations incur when it comes to keeping in contact with donors and soliciting new donations. If you donate to a few organizations rather than a few dozen, this overhead is lower in aggregate making the giving more efficient overall. I wish there was a way to make a small conditional donation to a charity with the stipulation that the donation is being made conditional upon never receiving any mail or marketing materials in return. I guess this could be done anonymously through a cash donation.

You absolutely can do just that, never had one returned before being canceled...money is money no matter how small.

[Coffee]

You absolutely can do just that, never had one returned before being canceled...money is money no matter how small.

Do you just send cash through the mail?

[rocketsocks]

Do you just send cash through the mail?

My wife called first, we were giving to a charity and exactly what you suggested was happening...to much mail received for our givings...problem is after a while you eventually may get dumped back in the system again and then we just called again.

[rocketsocks]

Oops, sorry didn't answer your question. We usually pay by check, weather she makes it out to cash or whatever she is told over the phone I don't know, but I think it is goes across the desk of the person she spoke with so they know what to do with it, this is not an uncommon request these days, many people want to give but for whatever reason don't care to become full members.

[jimmyjam]

I donate regularly to ATC, also to the Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Association, and National Park Foundation. Our natural open areas are priceless, let's preserve, protect and enjoy them.

[QHShowoman]

One thing to keep in mind is that supporting one or two organizations with a larger amount is usually more efficient than supporting a dozen or two organizations with small amounts. The reason for this has to do with the costs organizations incur when it comes to keeping in contact with donors and soliciting new donations. If you donate to a few organizations rather than a few dozen, this overhead is lower in aggregate making the giving more efficient overall. I wish there was a way to make a small conditional donation to a charity with the stipulation that the donation is being made conditional upon never receiving any mail or marketing materials in return. I guess this could be done anonymously through a cash donation.

We love our low dollar donors! They're our bread and butter! Donations at the low dollar level (<$250) make up the bulk of many nonprofits' fundraising from private individuals. We don't care if you only give us $25/year -- just stay loyal to us year after year. We also find many of our major and planned giving donors from our low dollar universe.

It's pretty cheap to mail in bulk to a low dollar donor (usually <$300 per thousand pieces mailed). There's little personalization, we get bulk discounts on printing and production, and most mail at 3rd class nonprofit rate. The more names we mail, the cheaper it costs. High dollar donors, in contrast, often get costlier stationery, more personalization, first class postage AND stamped reply envelopes. In addition, organizations usually employ extra staff to manage relationships with high dollar donors, so they spend more money to make more money.

Some things to note when supporting non-profits:

1. You absolutely can ask an organization not to solicit you in the future or send you any marketing materials and most will flag your record in that way and respect that wish. But bear in mind that if an organization hasn't heard from you in 4-5 years, they'll likely remove those flags and start re-soliciting you.

2. You can earmark your gift for something specific, but gifts that are restricted are the least useful to an organization and often times, create more work for the organization to process. If there isn't an account set up for that specific restriction, it's quite a pain in the but to set one up in finance and in the donor database. It's best to let the organization decide where they need to spend the money.

3. Don't assume that the national headquarters of an organization is sharing revenue with a local chapter of the same organization (or vice-versa). Relatively few non-profits are that coordinated. While many have revenue or name sharing agreements, some organizations are not connected at all to their local affiliates. Don't be afraid to ask questions about how your money will be spent.

4. The absolute BEST way to make your money go the furthest to the charity of your choice is to become a monthly sustaining member. By making even modest gifts on a monthly basis and having them automatically deducted from your checking account or charged to your credit card, it cuts down on a lot of the overhead of processing donations, the organization won't need to mail you additional solicitations on a monthly basis, and they'll know they can depend on your gift each month.

5. Beware of fundraisers on sites like "GoFundMe" if they're not sponsored by the non-profit directly. For example, Jane Doe sets up a Go Fund Me page to raise money to buy blankets for the homeless shelter in town. When you make a donation, that money is going to JANE, not the homeless shelter. Even if she uses every cent she raises to donate blankets to the homeless shelter, she's the only one getting a receipt for tax purposes. Skip the middleman and give to the charity directly.

[QHShowoman]

Also, I forgot to mention that most organizations won't bother to mail anyone who has given less than $5-10 dollars. So if that's what you give each year, it's not costing them anything to keep you on file.

[Bronk]

3. Don't assume that the national headquarters of an organization is sharing revenue with a local chapter of the same organization (or vice-versa). Relatively few non-profits are that coordinated. While many have revenue or name sharing agreements, some organizations are not connected at all to their local affiliates. Don't be afraid to ask questions about how your money will be spent.

Many national organizations that have local chapters have found that the locals bleed the national organization dry, and thus they end up being completely separate financially and each raises their own funding.

[capehiker]

I've donated 10 out of the last 16 years and will donate this year.

[JohnnySnook]

I thank all of you for your replies. I'm just getting back into hiking after many years of of just dreaming about. its a whole new world compared to the life I've lived the last 20 years. I've always dreamed about my younger years spent in the mountains even though life has since took other paths. I'm sure this will be touched on many time during my blog of this journey.

Yes, asking what people donate and their status in financial world may be taken harshly by some and others think its fine. Either way this thread has opened up my mind to the mentality of those in the hiking community. Which seems to be in fine shape compared to many other groups that raise money. Yes, as any group the sub-cultures fight among themselves. Nothing new anywhere in society.

My mom has donated small amounts of money to many of the NFP's that she believes in. She's a teacher close to retiring so when she can she sends a $5 check to this group or that group. I just over looked this when I was younger. Now that I'm a bit older I see the value; Not just financially but personally in my life.

As a surfer and fisherman I'm all for protecting the worlds resources. Fisherman often get the short end of there stick as we kill things and are far from united as a group. Maybe this will change as the right to catch fish in given areas changes.

As surfers we are well respect in our goal of protecting wildlife and surfing areas. We are not a bunch of W@@D smoking, non-working, losers. Most surfers are people that love the natural world and are people that train quite hard to be able to surf. The Pros all travel with trainers etc. Doctors at every event.

I just felt I could get a better gauge on a group of people from many ranges of life and financial situations. from what I can tell most feel donating is a good thing. That this is a group, involved in an individual activity, but united toward the end goal. Saving natural areas, hiking areas, and multi-use areas.

There are all kinds of groups that support the trail. As a group we all want the trail (And other trails and natural areas) to be there forever for our kids and grandkids to enjoy. Some groups want to make money but still give back. Some don't think thats right. Either way if the money is used to keep the trail intact than its all for the good of hikers. Will it one day become extremely commercialized? Possibly. Hopefully it can be restricted to trail towns.

Well these are just some of my initial thoughts and I'll re-read each post a few more times.

I will say of all the donations I've made I usually just get an email back saying thank you. It was very nice to get a call from a real person from the ATC thanking me for my donation. My donation wasn't anything special. I'm sure compared to others that donate publicly or privately. Either way it was something that meant a lot to me personally. I wish i could of chatted a bit more with her about the trail but i was on a job that will go down as one of the worst ever and couldn't. Maybe when i make it there i can asking in person who calls the people.

[Mrs Baggins]

Yes, been a member many years.

[Furlough]

Trail Maintainer, Member of PATC, Member of ATC.

[hooshr]

Yes, donate to ATC. Appreciate all they do for AT

[theinfamousj]

I donated to both that ATC and WB before being laid off. Since then I have been underemployed with very little money to spend, even on good causes, so I offered what I had instead: time. I volunteered with trail maintaining and wherever else help was needed.

Just landed a new, good, full time job and am looking forward to being able to give money again.

[RED-DOG]

I donate regularly to the PCTA and AMC but not to the ATC or WB

[peakbagger]

I guess I am donating a small amount to ATC every few weeks as I set up Amazon Smile to donate to ATC when I buy something. I am quite surprised that ATC doesn't publicize this in the magazine as its relatively painless way to get some income.

I did notice that once I became a life member of ATC that they were more restrained in asking for donations. Sure I get an occasional request but a lot less than when I was a annual member. Of course they may have just changed their approach.

[BillyGr]

Speaking about groups that send things for donations, take a look at it this way:
Our Troop does an annual 5K race. We get local businesses as sponsors at various levels, starting at $50. There has been discussion before if it’s worth sending letters every year to businesses that haven’t replied in the past, but even with postage at $0.49 (regular rate) you figure you can send 100 letters for $50 (no cost to print them as troop members do that, just postage and envelopes on sale). So if even 1 of the letters gets you a sponsor at the lowest level, you’ve covered the cost for all those letters. Any beyond that are positive income towards the race costs.
When you look at it that way, it makes much more sense to send the letters, as you never know when someone will say yes – it has happened after 2 or 3 years of no response, if you get the right person opening the mail.