Group challenges ethics of police telemarketing campaign

A new organization called 2 CENTS is publicly challenging the fundraising practices of the Sarasota-based International Union of Police Associations (’IUPA’) and their for-profit telemarketing contractor.

The group claims that "IUPA raised $4.8 million in public donations last year, but spent $4.3 million of those donations in the fundraising process, including $1.9 million in fees to a for-profit telemarketing company called LAS, LLC."

According a press release on Marketwatch, 2 CENTS recently "voiced support for a resolution that will be introduced at the national convention of the IUPA on August 6-9 in Orlando, Florida. The Resolution on Ethical Fundraising will request that IUPA comply with the standards set forth by the Association of Professional Fundraisers."

Last month, 2 CENTS sent out another press release where they complained about telemarketers at IUPA having criminal records. At the time, the group said they were "highlighting poor telemarketing practices that deceive the public" and that they believed that the telemarketing industry requires greater scrutiny, especially since telemarketers handle sensitive consumer information such as credit card numbers.

They went on to say "2 CENTS believes law enforcement organizations should have higher standards for fundraising. Allowing people who engage in such behavior to solicit donations is irresponsible."

I'm interested to see how IUPA responds next week to the increasingly loud drum of protest 2 CENTS is banging.

Nonprofit's fundraising call center to close down

In May 2006, the Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association opened a call center in downtown Coos Bay. Employees called residents all across the state, asking for donations to fund programs provided by the firefighters organization.

However, within the past month, the group’s Board of Directors decided to close the facility two days after Christmas. As a result, about 20 to 25 employees will lose their jobs.

Spokesman for OVFA Steve Schneiderman says it was an effective fundraiser, but scam artists used that to their benefit with many instances of impersonators posing as call center employees to make their own financial gain.

"There were some new laws that went into effect for fundraising and telemarketing in Oregon and that did show a decrease in the donations available. This is generally the major fundraising program that we do, so we are going to have to look for another way to raise the funds to support our programs."

That exploitation and the negative public view of telemarketing are the ultimate reasons Schneiderman believes the center went under.

My personal note to telemarketing scammers who impersonated the volunteer firefighters in Christmas and took away this source of funding AND these jobs - I hope your Christmas lights short-circuit and your house burns down.

UPDATE: This story from the Associated Press that appeared in The Register-Guard on December 29th paints a different picture of the story.

It appears there was an "investigation by the Oregon attorney general’s office into a New Jersey telemarketing company the state says takes the lion’s share of the money it raises." Under an agreement reached in November, "the telemarketing firm’s activities are restricted for five years, although it can operate charitable or nonprofit call centers under the terms of state law."

Rap video makes college telemarketing cool

The rumors of telemarketing's death have been greatly exaggerated.

It can be a very effective integrated marketing technique and even though Trent Stamp hates it, telemarketing can also be an efficient and engaging way to keep in touch with your donors.

If your program is slumping maybe all you need is a cool rap video to train your callers. The telemarketers at the University of Toronto put this video together.

Hats off to Dori Sonntag for the posting of this video and other great college telemarketing training tips at her blog, Inspired Annual Giving.

Michigan F.O.P. makes a terrible call

Grand Rapids police officer Bob Kozminski was killed in the line of duty on Sunday, July 8, 2007.

The Michigan Fraternal Order of Police is stirring up controversy by using the officer's death as part of a cold calling fundraising campaign. Callers apparently ask potential donors if they are aware that a Michigan police officer from Grand Rapids had been killed and was 29 years old and left behind a 3 year old daughter.

WZZM 13 News in Michigan talked to the Kozminski family and learned that even the officer's sister and mother both received the fundraising calls!

The family said they wished they would have been asked about using Bob's death to raise money. They would not have given permission because they say they don't have the time to research every fundraising firm.

The chapter's President, Sgt. John Kirkpatrick, says they have a fundraising firm that makes "cold" calls and they use a script to solicit donations. He says, "It makes reference to officers killed in the line of duty. Most recently we started using the script that makes reference to the Grand Rapids officer that was killed in the line of duty...although we do not use his name."

In their defense, the Michigan F.O.P says they donated about $2,000 to the Kozminski fund shortly after Bob's death in July - and they will suspend the calling... but how could they be so stupid to not even use a suppression on the family before calling.