Hopeful Interest, just do everybody a favor and quit posting. You ask for advice on all sorts of different topics, get some solid suggestions, and then throw the advice back in the face of those who have given it. If you don't know how to dress yourself or what the difference is between fundraising and scamming folks, then you have more problems than greekchat can help you with. And the fact that you have to partake of this "fundraising" as a membership requirement for your sorority makes the org look hella shady.

I've gotten maybe a handful of suggestions on this thread. Most people were asking how I would do what I asked about doing, and I've answered.

I know how to dress myself, I was just asking for ideas. And on that thread, I took everyone's suggestions.

And once again, read the definition of fundraising. Got it? Okay, good. According to the definition, my idea (yes, idea not what I'm necessarily going to do is fundraising. No it is not going to a charity or anything like that, but it is raising funds for a purpose.

The org is perfectly legit (it's part of the NMGC), and the fundraising, as I've said, goes towards the orientation fee.

Please, don't be rude for no reason. I've done absolutely nothing to deserve to be treated like that.

Well, my dictionary says fund-raising is "the act or process of raising funds, as for nonprofit organizations or for a political cause." Regardless of what your dictionary says, I suspect others are correct that the vast majority of people would not think of making money to pay for your orientation fee as "fund-raising"; they'd just think of it as you earning money.

You say that you're required to do this by the sorority. If that's the case, then that's the case. Just know that the responses you've gotten are based on the complete foreignness of that idea to others here. Given that the idea is so foreign to just about everyone here, your best bet is to go with ideas the recruitment chair or others in the sorority might have.

^^makes me think the point of these activities is not to raise any sort of impressive amount of money, but to demonstrate organization/planning skills. It very well be that her group is fine with her keeping the money instead of donating it to charity, that's their prerogative. Can any NMGC GCers weigh in? I think us NPC ladies are a bit confused by this, it's kind of a foreign concept.

ETA: Ah, MC beat me to it (and put what I was thinking a bit more succinctly)

If your organization-to-be is honestly telling you to hold an event that is open to the public and call it a fundraiser and keep all the money for yourself to subsequently give to THEM, you are pledging one shady ass organization.

I gave not one, but two definitions. Neither says it has to be for nonprofit organizations or a political cause. While that may be the traditional meaning of the word, I personally believe that any activity that is done to raise money for anything is fundraising. You guys have never heard of holding a fundraiser so a Girl Scout troop can do X, Y or Z? (As in, you've never heard of selling Girl Scout cookies)?? Or what about cheerleaders who hold a car wash to support getting new uniforms? That's not a fundraiser?? I guess I live in a different world than you do.

Exactly. The point is to demonstrate organizational/planning skills and to be able to execute something you plan. There is no amount of money I need to raise (so if I only got $1 from collecting cans, that would be okay).

It's not shady. It's a NMGC org. Perfectly legit.

And they aren't telling me to hold an event that's open to the public, it's just an idea.

I'd really let this go. You're in college, so I assume you understand that words have denotations -- dictionary meanings -- and connotations -- what people associate with them. What you personally believe about what constitutes fund-raising is irrelevant to what the vast majority of people consider fund-raising.

Girl Scouts and cheerleaders are not apt comparisons; they are raising money for the group, not for themselves individually. People who support them are supporting the group as a whole. They don't think they're giving money to the individual members. You on the other hand and based on what you have said, are raising money to pay for your own personal obligations, not support the sorority or any other group. It's reasonable to expect that to raise some eyebrows.

Again, if it's what the practice in the sorority is, then that's what it is.

Just because you have a council over you doesn't mean that this activity is legit. The fact that you feel you have to justify this activity with so many definitions makes it look desperate. And there are many ways to prove your organizational/planning skills. This could be accomplished by planning a day of service to a local charity, partnering with a service org on your campus, or hosting a fundraiser and donating the profits to your sorority's philanthropy.

Probably because they assumed you would be bright enough not to do something so foolish as hold a public fundraiser with all of the money going into your wallet and then into their coffers. Just out of curiousity, say you raise more than you need. What are you going to do with it?

Anytime I go to a - to use one of your examples - car wash that the cheerleaders are holding to raise money for new uniforms, they are holding big honking signs that say "Benefits Peyton Place High School Cheerleaders." Are you going to have a big sign that says "Benefits HopefulInterest"?

Yes they are. The only reason the money is just for me is because I'm currently the chapter's only official interest. If there were more, it would be for us as a group with the money being split evenly among us.

I have to do community service as well. Fundraising is a completely different requirement.

enough not to do something so foolish as hold a public fundraiser with all of the money going into your wallet and then into their coffers. Just out of curiousity, say you raise more than you need. What are you going to do with it?

Anytime I go to a - to use one of your examples - car wash that the cheerleaders are holding to raise money for new uniforms, they are holding big honking signs that say "Benefits Peyton Place High School Cheerleaders." Are you going to have a big sign that says "Benefits HopefulInterest"?[/QUOTE]

I would say what I could, but I can't flat out say that it's for the sorority.

No, it's not the same. You say you cook for friends "all the time", but THIS time, you're asking them to pony up bucks so you can join a sorority.

Do you not see this as a form of begging??? If not, take another look at what you're doing. If so, are you okay with asking your FRIENDS to pay you to eat dinner at your house (that has otherwise been cost-free to attend, and a token of friendship), and NOT tell them where the dough is going?

Where can I find friends like this to exploit and pay for me to take a trip to Italy?

Dude, this is shady. I realize that the org is an MCGC org, but I would put money on it that the national organization does not condone the local chapter forcing you to do this. Heck, maybe you could find someone to take the other side of the bet, and use it as your fundraiser!

This is a good point. I can't imagine any national organization, Greek or not, making this requirement and bypassing all the normal channels of fundraising, like having letters on letterhead to show organizations or individual contributors, documentation of 501(c)(3) status, tax forms, etc. Sure, one could say, hey, chill out. It's just a little bit of money. But these national orgs pay a lot for insurance policies and don't want to risk the loss of their nonprofit statuses, either. I would agree that this requirement is likely outside the auspices of nationals. It is a great idea to require fundraising, but it should be for something to benefit the sorority philanthropy, not as a way to pay for dues or chapter operations.

What!? That is all kinds of shady!

LOL. I think she means empty cans for recycling. At least, that's what I hope she means. Also, there are some grocery stores where people can turn in cans with the labels on for that labels for schools program or whatever it's called.