I have a friend who found an artist’s page who was raising money. He wanted to do a 3 month sabbatical somewhere to study something and you could help fund his trip. There were gifts given for certain donations, say, one of his sketches on a cocktail napkin if you donated $50 or whatever.
The phrasing was such that people would feel not like they were just throwing money away for another’s person’s life experience, but “choosing to fund” at a certain level “while the option is still available”.
Unbelievably, my friend was disappointed because the funding levels she wanted to donate to were all full! I think all his levels filled!
It’s important to step back and remember the words of P.T. Barnum at times like this. There is nothing wrong with giving money but there is something wrong with being suckered out of money.