New scheme from 'Giving Aid'

Hi
I attended the launch of this last week (launched by the Lord Mayor of Plymouth) and was blown away by the amount of money Giving Aid could raise for charities that are really struggling in this credit crunch. It’s basically a way for individuals to give to charity and then get their friends/colleagues/family to do the same and get rewarded by the charity for raising money for them (therefore covering the cost of their own initial donation). What a fantastic idea!!! I have since signed up and signed up some friends too - we are all very excited about the fact that you can choose what charity the money goes to - unlike other schemes. I have done my own checking and Giving Aid have the support of top Solicitors and Accountants. I have also met and spoken to a few members of the Board of Directors (who are not in salaried positions) and they are genuinely excited about helping out charities. Do you not think that it’s refreshing in this age that there are still people who want to do good!! The support that I have received from Giving Aid is amazing - they are always on the end of the phone or email and I even attended a meeting yesterday at Plymouth Chamber of Commerce Board Room with the Chairman of Giving Aid to discuss ways that we can talk to people and get them to join too (this is not a one off - it is a regular meeting for anyone to attend).

If anyone is still not sure and would like more information please email me at bruhay34@blueyonder.co.uk and I will be happy to help.

Its a fairly common reward system used in companies, used by companies to get more people signed up and by network marketing companies to reward distributors.

I'm declaring an interest here, I'm a network marketer with Kleeneze catalogues.

While I'm not dead keen on their donation levels, and won't be taking part at all, the system can be made to work.

Its a pyramid scheme in the same way that a charity agreeing to get people to do sponsored events is. Each person signs up a load of people making donations to get extra money for charity.
In this case, extra money for themselves too. Which is the attractive bit in this economy.

It can work. Just not sure it will be as beneficial to charities as they'd want, based on the information I've read on the Giving Aid site.

Martin

*slightly irritated from squinting her way down the teeny tiny text in "how it works"*

I'm all for incentivising fundraising, but if this does become popular, I, for one, will be Most Annoyed if I get constant invites to sign up from acquaintances-I-can-barely-remember who e-mail all on their contacts list (ancient internet jokes, "pass this chain letter along or your hair will all fall out etc" and hysterial fake virus warnings are bad enough :S).

It is a pyramid, but looks like it stops at 2nd tier (i.e. £2 for every person you sign up, 50 p for every person *they* sign up) - and that's it.

Sandre
-------

It's perfectly sensible to be sceptical about a new business offering to provide fundraising services to your charity.

Giving Aid seem to be offering a new model for the fundraising sector, although incentives for giving and/or fundraising are not in themselves new.

A quick look at their website (I'm awaiting a news release from them) finds that they publish a postal address and full contact details, usually a good sign. However, I couldn't find a mention of named individuals who run the company.

It's not difficult though to find a name, based on their recruitment ad on Gumtree last month.

There seem to be only two charities registered as available to receive donations, but then this is a two-day-old start-up company so it is unlikely to have lots.

Anyone else care to share their thoughts? Can anyone spot any issues with the reward element?

Thanks
Howard