Help Support HawkeyeNation

[JonDMiller]

Since October 19th of 2009, HawkeyeNation.com has been a free website for all users. My plan is to keep it free and I have employed a variety of advertising strategies during the course of the past three-plus years to cover the costs of the site as well as pay some personal bills since so much of my time is devoted to HawkeyeNation.com

For the most part, it has worked well. As of late, given the changes in the economy as well as the rapidly changing consumption habits of users (migration to mobile devices), the challenges have been greater.

Over the past three years, several site users have approached me asking if I would consider having a 'Donate to HawkeyeNation.com' type of option as they enjoy the site and wanted to 'help out'. While I thanked them for the thought, I wanted to give it a go on my own as long as I could. Several large websites (mgoblog, ndnation & other large communities) have had donation campaigns and they've suggested I allow users the chance to support something they enjoy.

While I have resisted this route for the past three years, I am now at the point where offering the donation option makes sense as I try to defray the monthly and annual operating costs in a challenging economy while also trying to make additions to the site on a regular basis.

Over the past three years I have spent over $40,000 from personal funds operating the website. The monthly costs of operating this site exceed $1,000. That doesn't include software upgrades (like the one we had this summer), design changes, additions like the Media Center and tools like the soon to be released Recruiting Database (yes, soon to be released While the advertising revenues have exceeded the costs, the profit margin is certainly growing more narrow and never was large to begin with.

In the coming weeks, we'll also be working to reduce the number of third party ads and begin marketing affinity based opportunities that will help us generate revenues.

My goal is to raise enough funds to offset operating costs for 2013. If everyone who visited this site donated just $10, we'd be able to cover operating costs for several years. If you want to donate $50 or $100, you could do that too. If you want to donate $500, shoot me your phone number and we'll do lunch

If you feel so inclined, click on the DONATE to HawkeyeNation.com button below. Any amount is certainly appreciated and the process takes less than 60 seconds and is secure.

I thank you for making HawkeyeNation.com a part of your daily online experience and I look forward to many more years of writing, commenting and interacting for and with the great Hawkeye fans.

[Scorpio79]

Jon, any chance you'll accept PayPal? I'm not keen on setting up a new account with "WePay".

[damnfinn]

I donate all my Viesels to you Jon. No thanks necessary, just keep up the good work

[damnfinn]

I would have to agree with Scorpio79, paypal would sure work nice for me too.

[rschneider]

If everyone here gave me a dollar I could take more time off of work and post, I also have a PAYPAL account set up.

In all seriousness I want a gold star or ribbon next to my avatar after my donation, and the power to ban.

[superfan12]

I'd seriously consider donating if you brought back an app. Paypal also.

[HawkU]

Jon,

If you consider connecting with PayPal just a couple of caveats.

1] If you register with them as a non-profit be ready to prove your 501(c) status
if they come knocking.

2] If you register as a business I would avoid using the word "donate" as they
liken that to be mis-leading since they consider most people think that "non-profit "
and "donate" go hand in hand. Your pay button could say something like
Support HawkeyeNation.com or something similar.

3] I would not listen to me but call them directly if I were you. If PayPal ever gets
a bug-up-their-bum about your account activity it can be a miserable experience.

[ssckelley]

Done, and thanks for giving us this option.

[kmajhawk]

Jon,

If you consider connecting with PayPal just a couple of caveats.

1] If you register with them as a non-profit be ready to prove your 501(c) status
if they come knocking.

2] If you register as a business I would avoid using the word "donate" as they
liken that to be mis-leading since they consider most people think that "non-profit "
and "donate" go hand in hand. Your pay button could say something like
Support HawkeyeNation.com or something similar.

3] I would not listen to me but call them directly if I were you. If PayPal ever gets
a bug-up-their-bum about your account activity it can be a miserable experience.

Jon, I'm going to support you in some way but HawkU raises some good points. I used to work in the non-profit/charity world and know a little about this. I was a bit troubled by the use of the word "Donate." Donate usually suggests a charity, and if you set up as a charity you have to register as one and there are specific things you can and cannot do. In the regulatory world -- and PayPal is keenly aware of this -- this is no insignificant matter.

My thought is you might change "Donate" to "Support" or "Give."

[Chickenlounge]

Just change your Donate button to this:

[WayzataHawkeye]

A very reasonable ask and I am happy to contribute. I look forward to a recruiting database if you are able to make that work. I would agree with the comments above about 'donations'. I personally don't see this as a not-for-profit endeavor(as defined by the Internal Revenue Code) and I would be surprised if the IRS would view these payments as tax deductible.

Keep up the good work.

[JonDMiller]

I can change the word. Using PayPal had its problems. Also there is no need to sign up for an account with this vendor. As I said I went through the process in 60 seconds and did not sign up for an account

[DuffMan]

Sounds like someone didn't win the powerball jackpot.

[IncredibleHawk]

[QUOTE=JonDMiller;991843]Since October 19th of 2009, HawkeyeNation.com has been a free website for all users. My plan is to keep it free and I have employed a variety of advertising strategies during the course of the past three-plus years to cover the costs of the site as well as pay some personal bills since so much of my time is devoted to HawkeyeNation.com

For the most part, it has worked well. As of late, given the changes in the economy as well as the rapidly changing consumption habits of users (migration to mobile devices), the challenges have been greater.

Over the past three years, several site users have approached me asking if I would consider having a 'Donate to HawkeyeNation.com' type of option as they enjoy the site and wanted to 'help out'. While I thanked them for the thought, I wanted to give it a go on my own as long as I could. Several large websites (mgoblog, ndnation & other large communities) have had donation campaigns and they've suggested I allow users the chance to support something they enjoy.

While I have resisted this route for the past three years, I am now at the point where offering the donation option makes sense as I try to defray the monthly and annual operating costs in a challenging economy while also trying to make additions to the site on a regular basis.

Over the past three years I have spent over $40,000 from personal funds operating the website. The monthly costs of operating this site exceed $1,000. That doesn't include software upgrades (like the one we had this summer), design changes, additions like the Media Center and tools like the soon to be released Recruiting Database (yes, soon to be released While the advertising revenues have exceeded the costs, the profit margin is certainly growing more narrow and never was large to begin with.

In the coming weeks, we'll also be working to reduce the number of third party ads and begin marketing affinity based opportunities that will help us generate revenues.

My goal is to raise enough funds to offset operating costs for 2013. If everyone who visited this site donated just $10, we'd be able to cover operating costs for several years. If you want to donate $50 or $100, you could do that too. If you want to donate $500, shoot me your phone number and we'll do lunch

If you feel so inclined, click on the DONATE to HawkeyeNation.com button below. Any amount is certainly appreciated and the process takes less than 60 seconds and is secure.

I thank you for making HawkeyeNation.com a part of your daily online experience and I look forward to many more years of writing, commenting and interacting for and with the

Sure thing Jon. Consider the $25 refund you promised and never paid me at the old Hawkeye Nation forgiven.

[BSpringsteen]

stop complaining and support.