fundraising techniques

(Written last night.)

The Jewish approach to fundraising -- or, at least, fundraising for the synagogue -- is really starting to get on my nerves.

Any organization with activities and a building has operating expenses. Churches rely on donations (I believe that's pretty much universal); synagogues collect annual dues, with fixed fees. I have no problem with this part of it; in fact, I think it's remarkably frank and up-front to do it this way. It forces the organization to be explicit about expected expenses, and it confronts the member with some approximation of his fair share of that. (Yes, of course those with limited means get adjustments. Part of my fair share is supporting folks like that, because I can.) I think this approach is good. The vast majority of operating expenses come from dues, augmented by things like interest, rental fees, fees for certain optional activities, and so on.

However, I hadn't realized how much additional fundraising tends to be involved. Further, the approach to that additional fundraising is much more in-your-face than I care for. ( Read more... )

penguin organizational behavior

tangerinpenguin has to see this.