My Nonprofit Reviews

I imagine the intention of this organization is or was good at some point, but it fell short on so many levels. Especially the reckless manner in which donors money was spent as "expenses".

You can see for yourself in the list below, what we were presented with after the event. We received about 25% of the money collected. Far, far below what any charity watch would measure as a successful ratio.

Our non profit worked with Hearts for San Diego for a Halloween event. Every year this time of the year, as Halloween arrives I am reminded of what an awful experience it was. It has been several years, the event stands out as one of our worst fundraising experiences ~ on so many levels.

For the four years prior to the event, we had held our very own event Halloween fundraising event. We thought this might be a great change for our donors and supporters. Bigger venue, fresh ideas, and maybe not as much work. (I will preface this review by saying I initially wrote a positive review in another forum BEFORE I received the expense report and check).

I wanted to share the following information for those who might be considering working with this organization. We were not allowed any say or input in the event. In fact, we were not even "allowed" to place the event on our social media to help promote the event. We were actually asked to remove our post, although there was a link back to Hearts for San Diego to purchase tickets.

We understood there was a 50% split, less expenses. We had no idea how recklessly the money would be used for "expenses". We received about $1200, which worked out to be about 25% of the what the event raised. We donated several items to the event, including a hotel stay for downtown hotel, which we could have raised several hundred dollars on our own. We also provided 6 volunteers for the evening.

We were frankly shocked to see how the "expenses" were calculated. Shocked to see how money was totally wasted. For example, a whooping $392.73 was taken out of the proceeds to buy "gas" for the organizer and founder of Hearts for San Diego. That works out to be about a 1/3 of what our non profit received from the event. About $200 was spent on ribbons for the costume contest, something we would have never been so wasteful with. Nearly $200 was spent on coffee etc for "meeting expenses"? $200 was given to have a couple "DJ" the event. We would have easily had volunteers who would have done that, as we had done the past 4 years with our own sound system. $240 was used to purchase a hot air balloon ride... the total auction items show value of over $3500, but ALL of that only brought in $535? So much wasted money could have been used to help save lives and feed homeless dogs at our dog rescue. This accounting shows a reckless use of donors money. Can you imagine if we tried to run a non profit like this?

At the event, our booth/table was placed in the back along the side where it was buried among other vendors selling jewelry, etc. Yet, the "advertisers" tables were front and center next to the stage. Anyone at the event would have thought it was an event to simply promote the advertisers.

Instead of being able to stay at our booth to talk to guests, and promote and share what we do in the community as the founders, my husband and I were "required" to judge the costume contest which took up the majority of the evening. A ridiculous use of our time as the founders. We should have been free to mingle with our donors and supporters. And after the event we weren't "allowed" to have any of the email addresses of the attendees who attended.

All in all, if you are desperate and inexperienced to have a fundraising event, that would be the only situation where I could recommend. You have absolutely NO say in how the founder spends the money for unbelievable "expenses", no say where your booth is located, no mailing list from the event, no say in what you are required to do at the event and you aren't allowed to promote it to your friends and followers on FB and social media.

It still was one of the most awkward events we have ever participated in the last ten years.