I had a NPO (non-profit organization) approach me earlier this month about wanting a designer cake for their event. Well, as we talked about it more she asked me if I would be willing to donate the cake in exchange for being involved in the event. I don't have the resources to do something of that scale for free. How do I tell her that nicely without feeling guilty. I would love to be Duff and have extra people and be making $1000 (at least) on all my other cakes so that one would be a drop in the bucket, but it just isn't so. So, what do you do? I have another person who asked me yesterday if I would be willing to donate. This is really my first experience with people approaching me like this. I donated a few cakes this month to a charity that we are really passionate about, but what do you do about the others?

You could tell them you are already booked with paying orders, or simply tell them you have already donated to your charity of choice. (I do this when I get those phone calls and it shuts them up pretty quick)

You tell them just what you told us. That it's too much time and energy and cost for you to do it and miss out on the other cakes that people will be paying for. What are they gonna do? Get mad? If that happens, they'll just be showing that you prolly don't wanna work with them anyway. Business is business, and just because they're non- profit doesn't mean you are too.

I agree. Just say you've already donated to your allotted donations and they can't argue with that.

If you are still wanting to so something, just not on that scale, you could do a small dummy cake for looks, and give a gift certificate for an occasional cake for up to a certain dollar amount for someone to bid on. Ok. Sounded better in my head than on paper. UGH

This is what I sent:

As much as I would love to be able to help you out here (and someday hopefully I can) I don't have the resources available to be able to donate such a large project. It will cost me quite a bit in time and ingredients. I would have to turn down the rest of my month of orders to do it and I really can't. I can certainly look at donating part of it, but I couldn't do the whole thing.
Thanks so much,

DH works for a pretty big non profit, so we ask for donations all the time, and we arent upset if someone says they cant do it. You could offer to do something on a smaller scale for them at a later date, but just not something of that scale. if they are like our NPO, they have alot of events, and would love to have you do something else for them in the future. Honesty is always the best policy!

Tell them that you have a budgeted amount for donations for the month/year/whatever, and that that amount has already been used....it usually gets met by the end of January(or whenever your's happens to get maxed out). The best that I can offer you(and this is only if you wish to do the cake) is 10%(or 25% or 50%) off the total. That along with not having to pay tax on it would be a considerable discount over full price. Think about it and let me know by.....

I haven't been asked to donate cakes, but when npo telemarketers call I tell them the truth - sorry, I've already allocated my donations to another chairty.

What always chaps my a$$ is that the npo are quick to ask for donations, but don't buy from me when their employees need a birthday cake or party cake or such. Srsly, if you're a regular customer, I am MUCH more willing to donate to you or your employer.

As you know, I'm pretty good at saying what I think, and I have actually asked, "Do we have a business relationship? Can you give me a couple of examples of purchases you're made from me? Because I donate to those people who are my customers."

Yeah, that conversation ended pretty quick.

DH and I are very big on supporting the community, and not over asking anyone. If we ask a business for a donation, the way it SHOULD work is for us to use them and help stimulate the economy by making purchases on a local level. I cant imagine asking someone for a donation and not using their services when it isnt free. Nothing is free, not time, not ingredients, not energy to make what you donate. Mutual respect is always the best policy.

I at times really don't mind helping out and donations are ok, but after awhile I feel it really takes advantage of me, my time and talent. I also try to consider who it is for and if they do business with me. Someone out of the blue asking, or somone who I know buys from someone else it is most of the time no. Sometimes I want to ask them if they would be willing to make my next payment on my kitchen in exchange for the donation. I once had a groom try to convience me to make his groom cake free of charge. I didn't, I did ask him if he would like to make my payments! right wrong what ever. Like what makes them think your expenses are any less than theirs.

I get requests all the time. I have donated in the past and it has not helped my business. I agree with LeahS, if you or your organization supports my business then I am more likely to consider it.
Most of the time there is no relationship established and folks still won't patronize you.

Everyone wants something for free and while I recognize that organizations do great things in the community my bills still need to be paid. When you donate to one many start calling.

I used to feel bad at first, now not so much. I used to think that if I did things to support the community they would support me, I am finding that it really isn't working like that.

How many people on committees know about your donation? How many come back and purchase cakes or something? How many even pass your name along and give you referrals that lead to orders?

I am pretty frustrated with it if you cant' tell!

If can't just say so, you really don't have to explain and let it go at that. Don't feel bad about it, we can only do what we can do.

Actually, I probably wouldn't be so bothered if she had started out asking can you donate. She brought it up pretty early on, but it was more, can you donate part of the cost of it in exchange for advertising not can you donate the whole project b/c I would have told her from the get-go that I wouldn't be able to donate this large scale thing.

I'm with Leahs on this one. The most I've done is donate a gift certificate for a certain amount, then the customer pays the difference. So it's like they had a coupon.

Does anyone know/worked with an NPO? I just voluntereed and so far it hasn't been what I exprected. I thought I would get a little more "direction" or help from them, and I've gotten.... nothing. I don't mind having to do the leg work to help out, but it's not the impression I was under when I signed up.

I was asked earlier this month to donate 400 cookies but I wasn't able to do it because I already had my schedule almost booked for the end of April. I did feel bad at first but at the same time my employee's kept telling "wow that's a LOT of free cookies" and I guess they were right. We're not a huge operation either so I can definitely understand why it's ok to say "no".I think your E-mail was very professional.

I have done some thing for fundraising before my daughter is a gymnest and brother in law had a brain injery soI had a benfit for him. If I was going to do it I would jst give them a gift certificate for a smaller cake to auction off.