A load of bingo daubers!

To begin with, I have deep reservations with governments that utilize gambling revenue to support social programming and charitable organizations. Yes, the cash bonanza they once provided resulted in an explosion of charities vying for a piece of the pie.

Long before the anti-smoking legislation, bingo revenues were in decline. But now gambling has become a business – a business that supports many provincially run programs – our social safety-net is now tied to business cycles. Now this could take up volumes of text to explain, but basically, when you base the support of social programming on revenues from gambling – you’re asking for problems.   It becomes a vicious cycle.

Councillor Alan Halberstadt stated in Gord Henderson’s column today:

“…rationalization is under way, with the number of registered organizations down by half, to about 300. I don’t see that as necessarily a bad thing. If a “charitable” organization can’t survive without the extracted contributions of poor, inner-city Detroit residents, does it deserve to survive? Wasn’t it built on fiscal quicksand? And what’s a real charity? I don’t view, to cite one example, bingo revenues being used to purchase team jackets as a bonafide charitable undertaking.“

Amen.  Someone finally said it publically.  But again, I ask those charities who are screaming “crisis,” you knew this was coming. What have you done?

Well, let’s turn to the Trillium Foundation and see what others have done, namely Canadian Mental Health. They received $135,000 over three years to implement recommendations from a consultant’s report on capacity building, which include increasing future fundraising, securing monies and improving promotion of the organization.

Now Councillor Halberstadt says on his blog Trillium Funding has dried up for non-profits, that it only funds capital projects, or one-time grants  – true, but funding capital projects only is a load of bingo daubers, as you can see with the Canadian Mental Health example.   It is how you plan and use the funding to your agency’s full potential that matters.  It isn’t meant to EXPAND an agency, it’s meant to deal with your core mission only and to free up existing funds FOR operational expenses. 

Charitable organizations would be best served by moving away from reliance on gambling revenue to sustain their organizations and I’ll say again, seek innovative long-term solutions.  Several resources are available to charities to get them “connected”, such as the Association of Fundraising Professionals. There is a Windsor Chapter also, who could provide some consulting or get you connected.  And look, a fundraising plan would be foolish not to have this.

Times have changed. Charities now must seriously look at professional fundraising through it members, those it has helped, networking, attending community events, and applying for both federal AND provincial grants. 

Failure to do any of these things will result in more charities shutting their doors. And as Councillor Halberstadt states, that might not be such a bad thing as made out to believe. 

By the way,  for listing of all the things Triullium has funded in the Windsor area over the last year visit their website.