Just Giving?? Or should it be Just Taking?
Just Giving?? Or should it be Just Taking?
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W12GT

Original Poster:

4,288 posts

245 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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I’ve seen the news that Just giving took over £300k from Colonel Tom for transaction fees, apparently they have now made a £100k ‘donation’ back but that still leaves a whopping £200k!

Considering transactions are almost fully automated that seems way OTT.

What alternatives are there that don’t charge or charge absolutely minimal amounts?

Blue62

10,318 posts

176 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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Not sure there are any easier platforms, but Tom was a rather exceptional case. Most of us who do a run of tide for charity are doing well to raise a few hundred quid, on which basis their fee goes unnoticed.

A Winner Is You

25,844 posts

251 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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I don't really see the problem here, they state it upfront and still have their own website and staff to pay for.

Diplomatico

255 posts

78 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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Funny how a good thing has ended up as a st storm for the company administering it. Classic UK cynical press!

glazbagun

15,178 posts

221 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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He used a service usually used by people to raise a few quid and ended up raising millions. His fees probably subsidised all the charity efforts that hit £10 of their £200 goal.

Gargamel

16,160 posts

285 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
quotequote all
W12GT said:
I’ve seen the news that Just giving took over £300k from Colonel Tom for transaction fees, apparently they have now made a £100k ‘donation’ back but that still leaves a whopping £200k!

Considering transactions are almost fully automated that seems way OTT.

What alternatives are there that don’t charge or charge absolutely minimal amounts?
Is 200k ‘whopping’ ? Sounds like journo speak for anything more than a months expenses.

Just Giving is a well run, well functioning business that fulfills a need. It’s supposed to make money, it employs people, pays taxes and provides charities with publicity.

whats the problem ?

W12GT

Original Poster:

4,288 posts

245 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
quotequote all
Well why not for free? A charity run business for other charities? I don’t see that as ground breaking tbh. And by not charging fees they can still make money!

Sophisticated Sarah

15,078 posts

193 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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Not really any different to how a normal charity works (look at the wages the staff are on). One positive is I guess JustGiving will see more money going to the intended cause rather than via the ‘charity’ route?

bitchstewie

64,412 posts

234 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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I wonder if anyone has tried to put a figure on whether using Just Giving as the platform has resulted in more money being raised than if it was via the Marston Moretaine Chronicle website?

I kind of get why people think it's a massive sum, because it is, but I also think perhaps just take the good out of this which is what the old boy had done in raising £32M quid.

Pesty

42,655 posts

280 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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That’s frigging amazing compared to nearly all charities.

Remember this next the famous start preaching.

“ Bono's anti-poverty foundation ONE is under pressure to explain its finances after it was revealed that only a small percentage of money it raises reaches the needy.

The non-profit organisation set up by the U2 frontman received almost £9.6million in donations in 2008 but handed out only £118,000 to good causes (1.2 per cent).

The figures published by the New York Post also show that £5.1million went towards paying salaries.”

bigandclever

14,235 posts

262 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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1.5million transactions for £300k = 20pence a donation. Doesn’t seem particularly excessive to me for a for-profit business.

Oakey

27,970 posts

240 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
quotequote all
W12GT said:
Well why not for free? A charity run business for other charities? I don’t see that as ground breaking tbh. And by not charging fees they can still make money!
Is Just Giving a charity?

glazbagun

15,178 posts

221 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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Let the Daily Mail set one up if they think they can do better.

hotchy

4,795 posts

150 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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bigandclever said:
1.5million transactions for £300k = 20pence a donation. Doesn’t seem particularly excessive to me for a for-profit business.
Considering the bank/payment gateway will also take a transaction fee from each donation probably between 1-2% aswel, personally dont think it's that bad.

pincher

10,105 posts

241 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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I imagine that there would be some costs attached to ensuring the Gift Aid is processed/collected properly. I can’t envisage the Gov just paying the bill presented without sort of representation.

I personally don’t really have a problem with the costs involved - like someone else said, it’s been a huge volume of transactions to process and quite outside the ‘normal’ scope of Just Giving I would have thought

petemurphy

10,755 posts

207 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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they had thousands if not millions of people donating at once - that kind of back end to cope with that does actually cost money so don't begrudge them tbh they are a business. that said it may be worth the gov setting up a similar system that works for 0 profit for the future but whats the betting a gov run system would cost a lot more to run.

anonymous-user

78 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
quotequote all
glazbagun said:
Let the Daily Mail set one up if they think they can do better.
The Daily Mail struggle with being a news paper/website.


Jordan210

5,152 posts

207 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
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When I did some work with a charity I asked about just giving. most don't mind about losing a little bit of money to them due to the work they do. Means the charity's don't need to hire x amount of staff to do the same jobs.

BT has my donate that was a free/less expensive than just giving. its now closed.

Gareth79

8,776 posts

270 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
quotequote all
Pesty said:
That’s frigging amazing compared to nearly all charities.

Remember this next the famous start preaching.

“ Bono's anti-poverty foundation ONE is under pressure to explain its finances after it was revealed that only a small percentage of money it raises reaches the needy.

The non-profit organisation set up by the U2 frontman received almost £9.6million in donations in 2008 but handed out only £118,000 to good causes (1.2 per cent).

The figures published by the New York Post also show that £5.1million went towards paying salaries.”
Although "it does not provide programs on the ground but instead is an advocacy campaign for their funding. The organization was not fundraising or accepting donations, and was receiving most of its funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation"

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation does not waste money either - it is well-known for allocating money only where they believe it will make a difference.


HTP99

24,793 posts

164 months

Saturday 9th May 2020
quotequote all
powerstruggle said:
The Daily Mail struggle with being a news paper/website.
I think you'll find that that are actually very successful at it.