VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

Rognog · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 6:34 am Post subject: SNAP, Inc.

www.snapclinics.org

I got an email from this morning asking me to do a pro bono 5-minute narration for a video. They're a non-profit and they seem legit, but I like to do my due diligence. Has anyone else been asked to do pro bono work for them?
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Bish · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 8:15 am Post subject:

Just a general point regarding this stuff. I've done a certain amount of charity & pro bono work, and will always look at something that's put in front of me. In my cases, I've been approached by existing business clients who also do pro bono work of their own. They have asked if would like to help, I've reviewed the "cause", and happily agreed.

To cold call a professional and ask them to work for free for a good cause is certainly a tried and trusted way of getting stuff done, but I prefer a more personal approach... a request from someone I know or have an existing relationship with, or a charity that is known to or personally important to me. I support a number of charities, but I don't like emotional blackmail.

It's not the charity (this one looks as worthy as any other)... it's the cold call requesting your services for free that I find troublesome. I wonder how that worked out for them with Verizon, ConEdison... or even Starbucks? Sorry to be Grinch-like... but one simply cannot give to everyone just because they ask.
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Lee Gordon · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:36 am Post subject:

I'm with Peter on this. There are plenty of organizations or projects for which I will gladly do a pro bono narration but in most cases I need to already be familiar with the organization or have an existing personal relationship with the person making the request.
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Deirdre · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:51 am Post subject:

Even charities have budgets.

If everyone else on the project is working totally for free, that will pique my interest, but I'm in league with Peter and Lee— I like to have a relationship with the people I spiff.
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Bruce · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 10:55 am Post subject:

+1 to all the above. I need someone I can look in the eye (literally or figuratively) who can assure me the organization is a worthy one.

B
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jsgilbert · Posted: Wed Jul 11, 2012 5:07 pm Post subject:

Beyond what's already been mentioned, I can't tell you how often this sort of request comes from the production company, often who is being paid handsomely to produce said "charitable piece". Getting free videographers, narrators, on-camera talent and resources in the guise of "charity" is one way some folks are making a go of it with very little available work.

Be careful
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Diane Maggipinto · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:09 am Post subject:

and if you need a graceful way to say no, simply tell them you do one pro bono project per year, it's already been selected, and you will add them to the list for 2013 (2031!)
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Bish · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 8:45 am Post subject:

Lee Gordon · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:24 am Post subject:

Whenever those alleged police organizations call asking for a donation, I always ask them to mail me their literature so I can look it over at my convenience. If they have none, that immediately identifies them as not being legitimate, and if they do have some, it's a painless way to end the phone call.

I used to feel slightly guilty about not making a donation but still using the note pads, return address labels and other miscellaneous crap certain charities send out, but then I told myself, "I didn't ask them to send me this shit. Throwing it away would be wasteful."

It does irk me just a bit that organizations like the Heart Association and the Cancer Society seem to spend the entire amount of my contributions on printing and postage to send me more solicitations for additional donations.
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Lee Gordon, O.A.V.
Voice President of the United States
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todd ellis · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:55 am Post subject:

since we're on this now - i have given money to a particular charity over the years and support the work they do. every couple of weeks i get a "free gift" from them - gardening gloves, labels, note pads, et. al. over a 4 month period i saved all this un-opened stuff and sent it back to them - in a fair-sized box - with a nice note explaining that i would continue sending them money ONLY if they stopped sending me their crap. i said it in a nicer way - but that's the gist. i didn't hear back - it frustrates the crap out of me because i still get their stuff every two weeks - - and i don't send them any more money.
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Bish · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:36 am Post subject:

I'd just like to throw in a note to balance this a little. I have every admiration for the grass roots workers who give freely of their time and resources for a cause they believe in, but I get really teed-off with the corporate face of professional fund-raising. I certainly understand the business argument that someone who increases a charity's income by $1M may well be worth the $500K salary or consultancy fees. But it just doesn't sit right with me. I don't want to be put in a position where I am forced to see charities as businesses like any other... I know that's the reality, but I need to see them as a bunch of inspired volunteers. Any policy or action that blatantly tells me otherwise shatters my self-imposed delusion.
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Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

todd ellis · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 11:46 am Post subject:

i agree - you just have to do your due diligence - for example - here's the break down for the Wounded Warrior Project:

Programs: 82% Fund Raising: 12% Administrative: 6%

as opposed to the Firefighters Charitable Foundation:

Programs: 7.7% Fund Raising: 85.6% Administrative: 6.7%
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"i know philip banks": todd ellis
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Bruce · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:31 pm Post subject:

I have read that 99% of those benevolent police and fire organizations are ripoffs and have nothing to do with first responders. And most of the "donate your car to charity" organizations are a ripoff if they're not associated directly with a very well known charity such as your local PBS station or The American Cancer Society.

After all these years I have no compunction in telling solicitors early on I don't give money to anyone over the phone or through the door. They're usually quite happy to move on, one step closer to the next sucker.

B
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I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

ccpetersen · Posted: Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:13 pm Post subject:

And, follow up with a "Put this number on the do not call list."
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melissa eX · Posted: Sat Jul 14, 2012 9:34 am Post subject:

Most of those PBA calls are from professional fundraisers. Very little actually gets to the charity from what I've read. I always just tell them I support my local police department, thank them for the call and hang up.