> I never give to any group that asks me for money.
I get how this would keep you personally from being annoyed, but it seems to incentivize in worse outcomes. "Let's collect all the money we can, we never know if we'll get more. Let's grow that reserve" vs. "In a bad month we can get our usual donors/JohnFen to give us his annual donation a little early".
Perhaps, although I haven't seen that. But I also have to deal with the limits of what I can tolerate. That rule make it possible for me to give money. Without it, I wouldn't. I experienced what it was like without that protection, and it's beyond what I could put up with.
It's both possible that the rule both is required for you to give and forces charities into suboptimal strategies. It makes sense to protect your sanity, but not if your intent was to filter charities by need/administration.
I get how this would keep you personally from being annoyed, but it seems to incentivize in worse outcomes. "Let's collect all the money we can, we never know if we'll get more. Let's grow that reserve" vs. "In a bad month we can get our usual donors/JohnFen to give us his annual donation a little early".