# Donating $0.01 to a charity, hpw much in administrative costs for the charity to process it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 2, 2012, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488 "2012-02-02T02:20:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488/21 "2014-08-20T20:26:02Z")
I also like how he tacks on an “IMO” to it, as if simple addition was a matter of opinion. “This 990 shows that the CEO’s salary is only .5% of the organization’s yearly budget.” “Not by my opinion.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488/22 "2014-08-20T22:50:43Z")
It’s interesting what **Duke** says about penny-givers ending up being big lifetime givers. I’ve seen some charities who appear to be attempting to cash in on this: The initial beg-letter comes with a penny (or sometimes a nickel) taped to the letter, with a request that you send it back. Presumably, they hope that someone who sends back the penny will be a return donor just like the people who decide to do so on their own. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488/23 "2014-08-21T07:11:15Z")
The Humble Bundle people indicate that it takes at least a $1 per person to handle their charity stuff, although they’ll let you contribute less than that. Granted, they are paying multiple charities and probably aggregate the money. They do take out fees, but that’s up to you on how much you give them. Giving people the choice to stiff them apparently works out. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488/24 "2014-08-21T13:25:04Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > Quite right. > Our State Attorney General’s Charities Unit starts an investigation on any charity where overhead exceeds 30%. Actually, anything 25% or above they start watching that ‘charity’. [Charitywatch](http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html) rates charities on the ratio of Money Received to Money Spent on the Cause. There are quit a few A+ & B+ grades… ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488/25 "2014-08-21T14:01:41Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > I think most charities have minimum amounts for donation. I just donated to Planned Parenthood and their web site clearly said “$5 minimum”. > > . But I have Planned Parenthood listed as my charity recipient at AmazonSmile, which means Amazon will donate literally pennies (or mills) to the charity when I make my typically paltry eligible purchase. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488/26 "2014-08-21T14:12:29Z")
Presumably Amazon waits until month-end, or quarter-end and then sends Planned Parenthood the combined contributions of all of its customers who designated Planned Parenthood for their charity. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488/27 "2014-08-21T17:08:53Z")
> [@thermos](#): > > We think alike. > > I just donated $0.01 to these clowns by paypal. I know that at the very least the net will be $0.00. Will it cost them anything? Maybe nothing more than time but that’s ok. It sends a message to them that some of us have no use for their cause. You just made them some nice change. Now they can sell your name & email, etc. :mad::rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donating-0-01-to-a-charity-hpw-much-in-administrative-costs-for-the-charity-to-process-it/611488.md?page=1)