Discount for religious orgs and non-profits?

For those of you who give discounts to certain clients (e.g. churches and non-profits), how far do you discount your rates? There are a few non-profits that I'd actually be willing to donate my time to (domestic violence shelters are one of them), but I can't do that for everything, so I'm trying to find a good compromise.

I ask because that first hit I got from google local businesses is a church looking for a painter for a 6 or 7 hour festival. Right now I'm thinking about offering a 40% discount on my rates - does that sound fair? Too much? Too little?

tia for your suggestions.

I normally offer 50% off my rates for churches, schools and non-profits, but I am now adding that there is a 4 hour minimum requirement. This allows me to get more normal 2-hour fee and isn't too much more work since I am already set up.

I will probably reduce my discount next year, but will stick with this till the end of this year.

Metina

I have always had a "non-profit discount" that was 45-50% off my normal hourly rate. But it was at my discretion, not across the board - if I felt like supporting that group I would offer it, if not I quoted my normal rate.

This year I am offering groups my "Half-Day Rate" which is 4 hours for the price of 3.25 hours... most are happy with it (unless they wanted it for free in which case I'm happy to pass.)

Metina... you and I appear to have been on the same wavelength on this one!!

I usually offer 50% off for causes that I want to support. Like Shannon, I only offer this if I feel led to. (I will do events for free if I feel moved to, as well.) Otherwise I quote standard rates.

I've done some freebies for select events, as well as given discounts (about 30%, depending) - I'm planning on taking a good long look at things soon, and figuring out a 1/2 day rate etc, a la Shannon and Metina.

I'm going to throw a question out there, too...

So I verbally agreed to paint at a hospital for their 1st Anuual Fundraiser (anyone else find the phrase "1st annual" funny?!) for free. I ask about self-promo (yes) and about parking; she tells me it's not great, there's some street parking but also pay parking at the hospital across the street. I ask about whether I can have a spot reserved because I've got mass amounts of stuff, and say that I have a liability disclaimer that needs to be signed.

She says she can't sign the form, as that would make her, and in turn, her employer, liable, but the parents can sign. I'm not a fan of this, as if I'm busy painting, I will do my best but may not always get every single signature, and I don't need any liability. Also, she says that she can't reserve me a parking spot.

I feel that (and this may be pretentious of me) she is not being accomodating enough, when I was ready to volunteer at a 4 hour event. I am not willing to either have to park blocks away and lug everything over, or to pay for parking and still have to walk a ways to the site. That paired with the disclaimer thing has me close to writing back and telling her that if I can't get a reserved parking spot and a volunteer to make sure all parents are signing the waiver, that I'll be declining.

Thoughts? Am I overreacting?

Sounds like she wants her cake and to eat it too. This is why I have decided that unless the sun, moon and stars perfectly align and it is a cause really close to my heart, I am not working for free. There is just a mentality about it that adds up to trouble.

I assume you are having them sign a waiver because you don't have insurance? Is that right? If so, you can have them sign waivers all day long, but I don't think this will protect as much as insurance. Plus, you having each person sign, really adds a negative to each painting experience at least for the parent. I don't think think you would get any business from them because of the "feeling" this might leave with them.

I would say pass, but if I am correct, and you don't have insurance, please look into this for your own protection.

Metina

Heather-
If your heart is with certain non-profit orgs like womens abuse selters, then consider charging for paint and gas. Then come up with a rate that you feel comfortable with for the rest of the selected ones you decide to do.

I donate alot of my time. But can't afford to replace my paints and put gas in my car for these events. At first my attitude was that I could hand out business cards and get some more business and it would pay off, but after doing three large volunteer events with no calls from cards, I quickly learned my lesson.

You can also see if the org has something to offer you. Like I worked some hours at my local Ymca for a years pass.


Kristal- I think it is perfectly acceptable if you are donating your time, gas and paint, to ask for those things. In retrospect you aren't really asking that much from them. I would explain that you marked your calendar off for this event, thus possible turning down paying business, and you don't mind donating your time, but the least they could do is get you a parking spot. I agree with Metina on the insurance.

I would tell them that no disclaimer, no parking, no free painting. Honestly, they could be a little accommodating about that considering you are donating your services!

I really feel that by "donating" services without any type of compensation (and it doesn't have to be money) is just not right!

And c'mon... holding a parking stall for you should be EASY! They just have to give you a parking pass to stick in your window to allow you to park in the "doctor's lot" or whereever!

I'd just skip the disclaimer part... it likely wouldn't hold up in court if there was an issue anyway, and like Metina said, it puts a bad "feeling" in the air. The parking space though, I would think they could handle. I mean all they have to do is put a cone out with your name on it or something.

Insurance is very high on my To-Do list - I'm still at the getting quotes/researching companies stage. I do plan on getting insurance relatively soon, but in the meantime I've been getting that disclaimer signed. I totally agree about the feeling that would hover if I had to get every parent to sign, though one insurance company I've asked mentioned that some companies would still be pro-disclaimer even with insurance - added protection?

The date wasn't a huge deal - a Wednesday - although they did mention that if this was good, then next year they'd have it on a weekend - and I think they'll lose all of the entertainers that are on board this year.

And I'm glad we're on the same page re: parking. I was taken aback when I got that email! I'm going to decline. I know that if I go through with this event, I'll just be grumpy the entire time, and that's no good, either! Thanks, ladies.

Kristal,
I love the eye design you did on yourself. What purple paint did you use?