Foundations do a very good job of marketing and promoting type 1 diabetes fundraisers and often play on the emotional side of people – they talk about how we need a cure now, how it will help parent’s children and loved ones and get a lot of people on board to donate money.
The only problem with that, however, is that donors are happy to give money thinking that it will be going into type 1 cure research, but unfortunately, that is not enough. Because foundations feel a lack of responsibility towards these donors, they invest that very same money into various non-cure related purpose and do not really make that information widely known. When it does get out, other potential donors are discouraged from giving and people start believing there is no hope for a cure.
We need to change all of this, and one way we can start is by encouraging donors to adopt a business mindset by viewing their donation as they would an investment or business transaction. They need to start doing their research and understanding the company’s background, mission and operations, besides simply what the fundraisers promote. A donation should be made with the same forethought in mind as a business deal so that contributions makes a difference and go towards their intended purpose.
The only way we will convince foundations to invest more of the money towards a diabetes cure is if we let them know that these donations are only being given for that specific purpose – not for other functions of the organizations. This is a crucial point that we need to stand united on if we really want to see significant progress occur.
– Stoyan
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