ROCHESTER, N. Y. – On this topic, Giving Tuesday, it is vital to emphasize the importance of giving wisely. I researched professional fundraisers who applied for outdoor outlets in the Rochester domain this summer. Professional fundraising is legal, but some of their strategies will surprise you
We all know that fundraising is hard, and charities rent for-profit fundraisers to do the paintings for them. But some of those professionals take most of your donation and give very little to the charity. I’ve been researching a charity’s fundraising strategies. For months and I’ve been waiting for your last tax return.
The charity recently posted it on its website, which provided data I sought after interacting with young adults soliciting outdoor contributions from TJ Max at Pittsford Plaza. It was a hot June day when we saw them, and 3 young adults were by a table covered with a pink tablecloth. These are the same fundraisers Carrie Dailor faced in Rochester’s Park Avenue neighborhood, and she immediately became suspicious.
“Just the way he approached other people aggressively. It looked like something was wrong,” Dailor recalls.
So I had some questions. One young woman told me she worked for the United Breast Cancer Foundation. Then he referred me to a colleague who gave me a brochure from the United Breast Cancer Foundation.
It’s just a $20,000 giveaway, and the cash will go toward paying a patient’s medical bills,” the young employee said. I am revealing the identity of the employee because the attorneys were employees, the leaders of the fundraising organization who were guilty of knowing and complying with state law.
“So how much of the donation goes to the cause?” I asked the workers.
“Eighty-six percent goes to families,” one young man replied. “It’s all on the online page, of course. “is to make a positive difference in the lives of breast cancer patients. Provides individual scholarships and other services. For the sake of transparency, the database publishes its 990 forms, a payment the IRS requires nonprofits to file each year. According to 2021-990, the charity’s profits were about $33 million last year. “So, you are volunteering for the United Breast Cancer Foundation?” I asked the workers.
“We paint full time,” replied one painter. “We’re in New York and we’re going on tour during the week. ” When questioned repeatedly, he kept insisting that he painted for the foundation. Finally, after continued questioning, he admitted that he did not paint directly for the non-profit organization, but painted for a for-profit fundraising organization. When I asked him what percentage of the donations were kept through the fundraising organization, he said that he didn’t know the main points and gave me the number of his supervisor. I called the number several times. No one answered and voicemail was not set up. But I found out that the for-profit fundraiser he hired these other young people was called Personal Fundraising Services. The United Breast Cancer Foundation’s 2021 990 filing shows that Personal Fundraising Services raised more than $5. 7 million on behalf of the United Breast Cancer Foundation, but only gave the nonprofit $948. $000 This represents only 16% of the cash raised from donors. In other words, if a donor donated $20, only $3. 20 actually went to charity. In fact, the tax form shows that the nonprofit organization hired five professional fundraisers who raised more than $20,600,000, but the United Breast Cancer Foundation only received $6. 5 million, or 31% of the donors. in cash they gave thinking they were helping the non-profit organization.
And that angers Dailor, who is a breast survivor.
“It really drives me crazy if it’s someone looking to benefit from it,” she said. “When I was diagnosed, other people wanted to know how they could help me and felt helpless. But if you donate to a network organization that you know is still local, it’s a way to help other people in our network.
I contacted United Breast Cancer Foundation and Personal Fundraising Services. Neither of us forwarded my calls or emails.
It’s vital to note that United Breast Cancer Foundation gets top marks from surveillance charities Guidestar and Charity Navigator, as it uses the maximum of the cash coming into the organization for its mission. But when you donate, it’s vital that you know if a for-profit fundraiser is making the appeal and how much of your donation that fundraiser will take.
You can locate this data through Guidestar and Charity Navigator, either of which gives you 990 organizations and compares the charity.
The New York attorney general also released a report titled Pennies for Charity that contains a wealth of data on charities in New York, adding their fundraising practices and how they are used.
And if you need to help breast cancer patients in the Rochester area, make a local donation. The Rochester Breast Cancer Coalition, Embracing Your Sisters and The Cancer Support Community Rochester are just a few of the organizations providing direct support and the money you donate stays in the Rochester area.
Anyone with a disability who would like assistance accessing the contents of the FCC’s public record contact Karen Calarese at kcalarese@whec. com or call 585-546-5670.