Donation Poll

[derstuka]

Just curious, if a website (such as uutah.com) that is useful to you (informative, funny, etc..) would you consider offering a small donation in order to off-set the costs for the people running it? Cause lets face it, running a website is not free for the owners of it. It be a one dollar, or a ten dollar donation. Doesn't matter really.

Sure, this is not my website, nor do I do anything to maintain it, but I use it frequently, and it is very useful for information sharing and just to have fun. I mentioned to someone else that I was on a website that had a voluntary donation option to help off-set the costs. You would be surprised at how many people threw in a few bucks.

What are your opinions on this? Just to be clear, I am talking "voluntary" donations, not mandatory ones.

[Iceaxe]

[Reedus]

In fact I'll slap down cash right now if it would fix the problem we are having with this site. Freakin blows mid afternoon

[TreeHugger]

One of the sites I used to visit a lot is run by one guy who does all the work on it and administers it, etc (spokejunkies.com) and they would do things like sell t-shirts, bumper stickers, socks and stuff to raise money. The also have a big "openinig day" ride to start the season off every April - a good time for people to make donations.

No, it's not cheap to run a site like this and I think everyone who uses it regularly should donate money, particularly since it is just a hand ful of guys who put it up for all of us. The problem is how to get the $$. People are leary about sending money and stuff... maybe a PO box or something to mail a check or a five dollar bill to, or plan our own "opening day ride" get people to bring stuff to eat and collect there... I dont know.

I'd donate and I think it's a good idea.

(wow, that was long and wordy, wasnt it?) :-)

[derstuka]

The problem is how to get the $$. People are leary about sending money and stuff... maybe a PO box or something to mail a check or a five dollar bill to, or plan our own "opening day ride" get people to bring stuff to eat and collect there... I dont know.

One of the guys that ran the website that I used to belong to (a sportbike one) set up a paypal account so you could use a credit/debit card. Was pretty convenient. Just an idea.

Uutah could have a fund-raising day just like PBS at the end of every quarter!

[Sombeech]

derstuka, you da man.

[live2ride]

I think that Paypal is the way to go, that is the only way that I can honestly say I would get my ass to do it, I would love to donate and make sure that I don't keep on getting those error messages, and hey if there were enough donations maybe we could get some shirts made up for the regulars or for those that get together and ride. Even if there are no donations that ever take place I would definitely be in for getting a uutah.com jersey made up or something like that. Count me in!!!

[savanna3313]

How about putting a calendar together for sale featuring hot, sexy canyoneers??

That *full moon* photo posted a couple of weeks back could start it off.....oh, wait - I said hot, sexy canyoneers.....

All kidding aside - how about a raffle of sorts? Everyone puts in (dollar amount here) and draw one name for a prize. Doesn't have to be anything pricey - like a year's subscription to Circle of Friends or something along those lines. The money raised goes into the website kitty.

Savanna

[greyhair biker]

I'm open to donations all the way - you guys do a great job & I will help out any way I can

[icthys]

I would donate. This site has become my favorite forum and I've used much of the info here. I like the idea of hats or shirts.

[derstuka]

I think that t-shirts and hats are a great idea, but unfortunately, the cost of making them (unless someone has a GREAT connection) can be quite high. I was trying to design some t-shirts for a club out here and it was cost-prohibitive to me pretty much. Unless I made a motherlode (then I run the risk of not selling them all), they were gonna be like 35-40 bucks a t-shirt to break even (I was only making like 10-12 shirts though), once you add up the cost of the shirt & the printing/designing services. Nobody wanted to pay that much for a t-shirt.. I am sure there is some way to make them cheaper, but I didn't spend anymore time on it. If someone does know a way, more power to them, and then it is feasible. I guess until then, paypal or some other method of transferring funds, looks more attractive.

[icthys]

There's got to be a way. Another forum I'm a memeber of puts out hats and they are only $12-13. I'm sure they aren't making anything and I'm certain they aren't pulling out of their pockets for them.

I bet I could get the design guy I work with to come up with the graphics for us and then we'd just have to find a place to print shirts and embroider hats.

[marc olivares]

make it easy and people will donate.

Paypal works the best, simple and clean

t-shirts and stickers are a great way for making money too but stay away from cafepress.com, their shit sucks (poor quality)

add a donation tab, i'll frequent it!


another 4x4 site i surf offers $20 a year memberships. the membership allows the users to post photos and lets them into backroom areas (like Shane's member canyon spot) and makes them eligible for raffles and fun give away shit. they get a red star by their user name to designate that they are a supporting member if the site.

just a thought

[icthys]

I went to "create your own lids" website. For a flex fit hat and text on the front it was $14 per hat. A graphic on the front would be more.

[derstuka]

I agree with Marc. Donating should be as simple as possible, but if the admin choose to also offer hats and shirts that could be a double bonus for them.

Or some of these inventions might make uutah some money!

[rock_ski_cowboy]

I don't know how much it costs to host a high volume site, but it seems that you might get a bunch of donations initially, but they'd taper off drastically over time unless people were reminded from time to time. I could see my self donating 20 bucks once a year or something if it continues to be useful and entertaining.

[James_B_Wads2000]

I'll reserve my opinions until I hear what accadacca has to say about it. From what I understand he is the one running this site.


James

[TreeHugger]

What about getting sponsors? For a price you could put a logo in the top right hand corner of each forum (across from the Climb-Utah.com logo). Maybe a bike shop in the cycling place, a ski company in the skiing forum, a jeep dealership in the 4x4 forum, etc.

[tatwood]

I think that Paypal is the way to go, that is the only way that I can honestly say I would get my ass to do it, I would love to donate and make sure that I don't keep on getting those error messages, and hey if there were enough donations maybe we could get some shirts made up for the regulars or for those that get together and ride. Even if there are no donations that ever take place I would definitely be in for getting a uutah.com jersey made up or something like that. Count me in!!!

Love the jersey idea. It's a good one. I think paypal is the best donation route. I wouldn't hesitate as much with that as I would with some of the other options. What about a bake sale?

[live2ride]

What about a bake sale? [/quote]

or a drug sale? j/k that wasn't funny