Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Save the whales... or at least the people from the waves.

Yakk · 01-07-2005, 12:00 PM

Just so you know:
The Canadian Government 'matching funds' comes out of already-allocated funds for disaster relief. While it is possible that the Government would increase their allocation if there was alot of giving, as it is worded all the 'matching funds' does is redirect aid from the general pool.

Now, at first glance it looks sort of underhanded -- not 'really' matching funds. But, this is actually really useful. It allows the government to use the people to determine what charities deserve funding, and how much. Otherwise, such a decision would be politically loaded, slow and corruptable. When you give money to a charity, you also give a vote that this charity should be recieving government support.

Private institutions who are matching funds seem to work slightly differently in theory -- althought, I doubt they do in practice. The two or three retail joins I've seen that have been matching donations have guaranteed a minimium 50,000$ donation of 'matching funds', and been willing to give up to a maximium of 100,000$ if they recieve that many donations. Which means theoretically your donation could actually have matching funds that would otherwise not have been used for disaster relief.

At this point, the total amount of money pledged for this disaster comes to 4 billion dollars. I personally intend to direct my charity money elsewhere at this point -- 4 billion dollars might actually be 'enough' for this disaster, and almost certainly 'enough' in the short term (actually transporting resources/aid there is the short-term problem, funds doesn't seem to be yet). The other disasters in the world (droubt, overpopulation, AIDs, war, etc) might give a better marginal suffering and death reduction. Sad that such calculus has to be done. =/

I'm trying to decide, right now, between a planned-parenthood type organization or an oxfam type organization.

01-07-2005, 12:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
Yakk Wehret Den Anfängen! Location: Ontario, Canada	Just so you know: The Canadian Government 'matching funds' comes out of already-allocated funds for disaster relief. While it is possible that the Government would increase their allocation if there was alot of giving, as it is worded all the 'matching funds' does is redirect aid from the general pool. Now, at first glance it looks sort of underhanded -- not 'really' matching funds. But, this is actually really useful. It allows the government to use the people to determine what charities deserve funding, and how much. Otherwise, such a decision would be politically loaded, slow and corruptable. When you give money to a charity, you also give a vote that this charity should be recieving government support. Private institutions who are matching funds seem to work slightly differently in theory -- althought, I doubt they do in practice. The two or three retail joins I've seen that have been matching donations have guaranteed a minimium 50,000$ donation of 'matching funds', and been willing to give up to a maximium of 100,000$ if they recieve that many donations. Which means theoretically your donation could actually have matching funds that would otherwise not have been used for disaster relief. At this point, the total amount of money pledged for this disaster comes to 4 billion dollars. I personally intend to direct my charity money elsewhere at this point -- 4 billion dollars might actually be 'enough' for this disaster, and almost certainly 'enough' in the short term (actually transporting resources/aid there is the short-term problem, funds doesn't seem to be yet). The other disasters in the world (droubt, overpopulation, AIDs, war, etc) might give a better marginal suffering and death reduction. Sad that such calculus has to be done. =/ I'm trying to decide, right now, between a planned-parenthood type organization or an oxfam type organization. __________________ Last edited by JHVH : 10-29-4004 BC at 09:00 PM. Reason: Time for a rest.