E! Online is reporting that there were some interesting new fundraising tactics taking place at the annual GLAAD awards celebrating equality among sexual identities in the media. Apparently, one of the event's organizers stood up at the podium and demanded that guests stand up and donate $1,000 or more to the cause! (Let's remember that these are very wealthy people at the party, people to whom $1,000 is NOT the same as it is to most of us!) People slowly started to stand, leaving those who were still sitting to feel embarassed about their stinginess! Eventually, the room was full of standing participants willing to give heaps of money to the organization.

I think this is such an interesting tactic! Rather than having people bid on an auction item or pay for access to special events (although I'm sure the tickets to the fundraiser were also quite pricey!), the organizers basically shamed the guests into giving more money! All donations were voluntary, of course, but it seems that a certain amount of pride and competition helped move things along. It got me thinking about how this might be applied outside of a banquet hall. I don't believe in shaming people for how they choose to spend their money. But how can we make it more STANDARD to care about the world . . . less of an exception and more of expected? How might your club or organization urge people to look at the efforts of others and push through to a whole new level of generosity?

Just a thought . . .

(Thanks www.eonline.com)