How to Set Up a Fund

You can set up specific funds, like a fund for writers, business people, teachers, musicians, actors, etc.

If you just want to set up a fund in general, a fund for private, discretionary resources to help people, including people in the community, and others, who might need financial assistance, it's easy to set up such funds using online fundraising resources.

Sometimes people need extra funds just for friends who approach them needing money, maybe unemployed people in the community, or scholarships, or whatever. Online is a good place to raise such money. Maybe you want to start a theatre group. Maybe you want to start your own publishing company.

Maybe you like to go on dates and don't like "discount dating." Maybe you're trying to set up a company and you want to raise funds. Maybe you want to invest in someone's else business.

If you have people approaching you about money all the time, then you should consider setting up some type of discretionary fund, where a percentage of your income goes into the fund. In addition, those receiving from this fund should be required to contribute to the fundraising effort. Especially if you have unemployed people that you know, these people can receive from you, but they should be allowed to simply take advantage of you. Therefore, you can introduce them to this fund idea.

Remember the old TV show called The Millionaire, where this man gave people money anonymously. Maybe you just like being a philanthropist, not just having money for unemployed "friends." The internet is a good place to raise money.

First, the donation model is not the model. Fundraising need not depend on donations. We suggest that you have a product that people want to buy as the source of funds. Or you have store, either online or offline. You can let the people know that if they buy the product and/or shop at the store it goes into the fund.

For example, your fundraising effort could be selling used books to online and offline used books stores. Those receiving money can contribute used books and/or help to sell them. If they don't understand this idea, but think only about "donations" or "freebies," then you can show them this article. Of course, people want to help people in need, friends and others, but again, people need to learn not to just take advantage of others, and many people have bankrupted themselves helping needy others. Any complaints about your non-donation model, show them this article.

For example, during Katrina efforts, some people connected to Cafepress.com decided that whenever people purchased their products money went to Katrina. This is an excellent model. Of course, there are times when people need donations, and so this is acceptable, but the donation model need not be the only model, and it should be combined with the selling real products model.

Musicians that give concerts to raise money is acceptable, since these musicians are the "product." Their music is the "product." Certainly they are artists but they are nevertheless creating a product. When they create an album that if you buy it helps the farmers, or helps Africans in need, then this is acceptable. However, if you're helping Africans in need, it would be even better if you purchase African products. African imports, for example. Of course, people will say that many of these African business people--and you've probably received emails like our company has from some of these (corrupt?) Nigerians and others, nevertheless, helping Africans to develop legitimate companies and businesses is better than just the donations. It is also good that the Chinese in their investments in Africa are connecting these investments to business and economic development and real African companies--a non-donation model. Also, when these musicians have concerts for Africans, they can also employ African musicians, singers and dancers, because there are many talented Africans also. Not just African Americans.

Africa has been exploited for centuries by everybody including Africans themselves. When we talk about African exploitation, we can't just talk Europeans, although Europeans have always been, along with their great achievement, a truly rowdy and corrupt bunch. But everybody knows almost everybody's history now, and if you don't, just do the research. This is not a political essay, so we're not going to say much more about this subject. This is just an example of a type of fund. We mention Africa, because African needs are currently in the news, and continue to return to the news. Let's say, for our sample fund, it's an Africa Fund, since these musicians have placed the Africa problem to the forefront again, the Chinese investors have placed Africa to the forefront. And so have Angelina Jolie and her "hubby" Brad Pitt, and their adoption of the wonderful African child. So has Madonna adoption of her wonderful African child placed African needs to the forefront. Transafrica and African peoples can discuss the Africa problem for generations, for centuries, and it always takes Europeans (and now the Chinese) to get the Africa problem to the forefront of any discussion. We won't discuss for the moment the motives of these different peoples, whether their motives are honorable or motives of corrupt self-interest.