$1 Million is a lot of money for pretty much any nonprofit. It's even "life changing" for the majority.
So, how far should a nonprofit go to get it?
I honestly don't know the answer to this question but I do know that these "American Idol" type awards bug me and, to get one, a nonprofit has to do some pretty heavy lifting.
Case in point: I just received a poster, yes, a poster, from CRF. CRF is the Community Reinvestment Fund. CRF is, from my experience, a great organization that, according to the poster, "puts Americans back to work by financing small business growth". CRF does good and important work.
So what's my problem? Back to the poster. CRF designed, printed and postal-mailed a poster to ask its constituents, I presume, to "vote (on-line) for CRF USA every day, now through May 2nd." You see, CRF is a finalist competing to receive a $1 million operating grant from the Sam's Club Giving Made Simple campaign. One winner will be selected, not because they do particularly great work or are really efficient or effective, but because they receive the most on-line votes from Sam's Club Members.
And therein lies my problem with "American Idol Philanthropy". A bunch of nonprofits are knocking themselves out, taking time away from mission, to get "hits".
So, is there anything a nonprofit should not be willing to do to get one million dollars?