RE: go fund me

go fund me is for deserving people and charities, I doubt most people would donate to an HOA which is neither.

I am truly curious why anyone would donate their hard earned money to an HOA?

What most others said. If you want to go this route and wind up with assorted tax issues should you succeed (and you probably won't), do you.

This is a HOA and you and your neighbors need to be willing to cough up the money for services the association is responsible for. If the community doesn't have the money in the operating budget or reserves (which is supposed to pay for major repairs and replacements - it's not a slush fund), you'll have to consider a special assessment or loan - maybe both. So it's not as simple as "money is money" - if it was that easy, everyone would do it.

All of that said, there was a time when my community had a vending machine outside the clubhouse - we used the money to pay for community extras, such as flowers for planting at the entrance. It worked for several years until someone broke in the machine and took the money - and then someone else made off with the replacement machine. We contacted a few vending machine companies to see if they'd be interested in providing a machine in exchange for renting the space, but the terms they suggested weren't financially viable, so we said "nah" and haven't had one since. Maybe that's an option you could consider - if you can anticipate and address possible theft, trash from whatever pop cans and candy wrappers would litter the neighborhood after people bought whatever they wanted, etc.

The answer is "no," no HOA is referenced in this forum as having tried a Go Fund Me fundraiser.

Generally, an HOA "GoFundMe" is a called "Special Assessment" - jokes aside. Go for an assessment because paying for HOA operations should not be optional among property owners who benefit from HOA services and protection.

Yup, another rando thinking that he can insult a bunch of strangers into giving him free, useful information. FAFO.

Godess like now worship me.

The subject of donating to a HOA comes up here often. A HOA is doing nothing wrong per se when it accepts donations. As MichaelT21 pointed out, the tax on this income (from donations) will be higher than the tax on income from assessments. Also the usual caveats apply, like not playing favorites because someone made a donation.

The search I did produces no examples of gofundme efforts for a HOA specifically. But so far, I see nothing in the gofundme rules that says a HOA cannot use gofundme to raise money. Some HOAs today denote folks of humble means. If this HOA's boards over the years got behind payments, and a HOA playground needs serious refurbishment, why not use gofundme?

For honks and giggles, I Googled "HOA and GoFundMe".

Mostly what I found were people trying to raise funds for themselves because, from what I could tell, their associations were taking action against them for non-payment of assessments. Nobody 'fessed up to being a deadbeat, although one enterprising individual encouraged givers to "Help Me Stick It To The Man!" Oh sweetums, you and your neighbors ARE The Man. One other person griped about HOA rules, although I'm not clear how donating money was supposed to change this. All I learned from my research is how many people don't understand how HOAs work (not that this has ever been in doubt) and that the grifting class is alive and well and doing business on the internet.

Gofundme takes 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction. I think this is not bad.

I worry about what HOA representative would administer this. Preferably at least two reps would administer the gofundme donations.

People need to know such donations are not tax-deductible on their personal income taxes.

For HOAs with lower income residents, with the HOAs run in the past by inept boards, I cannot rule out using gofundme.

My board and HOA were not inept. We managed our bills and collections just fine. Plus increased our home values along the way Had a waiting list to get in. So I would not encompass ALL HOA's are inept or non-functional. It is just yours and in your universe.

Melissa, I had in mind a blurb like the following:

"Dear neighbors,

The Sunny Hills HOA has a small park that once served the children well, especially afterschool. (Note that the elementary school is only three blocks away.) Now the playground has fallen into disrepair, and the owners here will not have the money to pay for repairs for many years. The current board admits planning should have been better. But the situation is what it is. Won't you please consider donating to help replace the slide, swingset and turf for this humble subdivision's children?

This gofundme site is administered by Wanda Chang and Chuck Ziegler (also directors). If you want more information about the playground situation, please contact either of them at ____.

Sincerely,

Sunny Hills HOA Board"

CathyA3, these hypothetical HOA owners sound like the usual CCOs. My next move would be to vote for the board to ignore the CCOs and/or inform those CCOs threatening lawsuits to, "Get a number and stand in line." (Tact should not be required for volunteers? )

I am not saying that a gofundme effort is the best choice. I might not support it. It would depend on my sense of the neighborhood. I have driven around neighborhoods in, say, Colorado that were clearly HOAs and were incredibly run-down. Blight spreads. Sometimes extreme efforts might be appropriate.

I am a first-time contributor, so please go easy on me. In addition, I am not an active HOA board or committee member. For years, I have volunteered to run quarterly golf practice events for the HOA community. The golf practice area, open to all of our HOA residents, is mowed weekly and given general maintenance. As are all HOAs, our board is struggling to fix and replace 45-year-old facilities.
I have tried, to no avail, to improve the "gamesmanship" of our mundane golf practice area. We rank at the bottom of the totem pole. None of the board or facilities committee members play golf. So, I am beginning to study the option of using GoFundMe to raise $50,000 to build a golf target hole that has country club quality and is adapted to serve ADA standards. No, it's never been done, so let me be the first to try. I want residents to be able to ride their electric scooters to and through the golf area with smooth access for golf practice. This requires pathways and creative design to give former golfers the opportunity to return to the game.
Having read your pro and con elements in this forum, regarding GoFundMe and HOAs, I submit my belief that there is a segment of the general public who look for GoFundMe projects that will benefit others and they give from their hearts in support. I am the first to help when my friends post a request to help a needy family or school. Taxes and fees aside, I see this method as the best I can find, except maybe Facebook, which I haven't tried.
So, I am not looking for an impossible assessment to 1900 homeowners, most of whom do not golf. That won't happen. Also, it is not poor HOA planning that is in question. My board keeps the place immaculate and as up-to-date as possible. I wish to rely 3ntirely on steady GoFundMe contributors to help "pave the way" for senior seniors who can no longer transgress a regular golf course. Let them regain the fun of swinging a golf club in a place that has been prepared for them. Thank you for being this forum for my initial investigation into fundraising. I welcome pro and con replies, as well as suggestions for other outside resources.