# Why not a Community Chest-style feature?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-a-community-chest-style-feature/235236>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [March 19, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-a-community-chest-style-feature/235236 "2004-03-19T17:16:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\
**Post date:** [March 19, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-a-community-chest-style-feature/235236/1 "2004-03-19T17:16:40Z")

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Would it be possible to instate a system similar to that used in some other board systems, i.e., a link through which people could make voluntary donations on a regular basis in order to finance the board?

From what I’ve read in the various threads, a number of members (including myself) are willing to pay money to keep membership available to others who can’t afford it. The disadvantage of this subscription system is that it may discourage new people from lurking, and eventually joining the board. A voluntary donation system (with goals to be reached posted annually and a fundraising campaign) would keep the boards free for **all** those who wish to post.

Perhaps this possibility was already discussed and rejected, and I missed the thread. In that case, feel free to erase this.

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**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-a-community-chest-style-feature/235236/2 "2004-03-20T00:33:22Z")

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It’s actually been brought up every time options are discussed. Along with various other responses, at least once, it was said (I don’t remember if it was by the admins or by a member) that, as a for-profit corporate entity, there’d be enough tax/legal hoops to jump through to accept donations to make it a huge headache to the Reader.

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**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-a-community-chest-style-feature/235236/3 "2004-03-20T01:59:42Z")

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Thanks, Kat.

I don’t have a problem with paying for a subscription personally, but I was just wondering if that was a way to solve some of the problems that have been expressed in different forums.

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**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2004, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-not-a-community-chest-style-feature/235236/4 "2004-03-20T04:09:48Z")

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> [@Kat](#):
>
> It’s actually been brought up every time options are discussed. Along with various other responses, at least once, it was said (I don’t remember if it was by the admins or by a member) that, as a for-profit corporate entity, there’d be enough tax/legal hoops to jump through to accept donations to make it a huge headache to the Reader.

It’s been said by admins AND by members, some of whom are tax lawyers, that it’s damn near impossible for the Reader to accept donations. And it’s been said innumerable times.