2010 - Year of the Donor?

I'm just now getting around to reading Roy MacGregor's Dec. 21st column in the Globe and Mail. In it, he talks about how we're innundated with at-the-cash donation requests over the holiday season and wonders if this has created donor fatigue - perhaps contributing to the Salvation Army falling short of its 2009 Kettle Appeal goal.

Rather than donor fatigue, perhaps the culprit is donor disconnect. While these corporate-charity partnerships likely help raise significant funds, what's in it for the donor? They receive no tax receipt, no thank you from the charity, no report on how their donation has helped and, in fact, five minutes after leaving the store, most probably can't tell you which organization they just gave a twoonie to. These types of donor relationships can leave us feeling empty and dissatisfied.

But now, with a new year and a new decade upon us, donors are stealing the show. Aid agencies are overwhelmed by the support they've received since January 12th. Websites are crashing trying to process the thousands of donations pouring in. Donors aren't fatigued. Our hearts and wallets are open when we clearly understand the charitable cause, and how we can help.

It's time for all of us who care about the charitable sector to declare 2010 The Year of the Donor. And that will be the focus of our blog for the coming year.