Questions and Answers Post

[cee_m]

Here's where we're going to put ALL the Q&A for this community. Feel free to ask questions about anything and we'll try to help you out.

1. Where can I find more information on the current charity?

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/

2. Where can I donate for the charity?

Here.

3. Can I donate without being a part of the auction?

ABSOLUTELY! Please. Help in any way you can! I'm sure that the charity would love your help no matter when it comes to them.

4. What are the dates of this auction?

Posting of Offers Ends: 11:59pm EST February 13
Bidding Begins: 12:01am EST February 14
Bidding Ends: 11:30pm EST February 21

5. How can I link to you?

Use this link http://fandom-helps.dreamwidth.org/

Use any of these images or help us out and create your own! :)










(created by i_speak_tongue)
You can use this handy form to post to your LJ!

<center><a href="http://fandom-helps.dreamwidth.org/"><img src="http://www.marymo.net/lj/fandomhelpsbandom.jpg"></a></center> We are desperately in need of people willing to offer up their seriously amazing skills for charity!! More information at the comm here! <span style="white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://fandom-helps.dreamwidth.org/profile"><img src="http://s.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png" alt="[community profile] " width="16" height="16" style="vertical-align: text-bottom; border: 0; padding-right: 1px;" /></a><a href="http://fandom-helps.dreamwidth.org/"><b>fandom_helps</b></a></span> We could use really use your help. This round of the charity is to benefit Planned Parenthood so come lend a hand! :)

6. Can I post even though I don't have a Dreamwidth account?

Absolutely. Use open id to post - More Information Here! My tutorial here. FYI - Links and images will display as text only as DW has a policy preventing them being displayed as clickable links to prevent spam. Sorry :-/

7. When should items be delivered by?

No more than six months. Some things require a large amount of time to complete so if you think it will take longer than six months, put your time information in your notes to the bidder.

8. How does donation/confirmation work for this auction?

The bidder is responsible for going to the site and donating whatever your winning auction price is. Then you would email your confirmation email/screen (whichever is easiest for you) to the author/vidder/etc and they would post on your auction thread that you'd completed the donation.

9. Can I donate to a Planned Parenthood type organization in my own country instead?

Absolutely! If you don't live in the United States and want to support your country's family planning organization, that would be great.

Please see new post on this. Sorry for the confusion

Any further questions, comment below and we'll answer ASAP!

Comments

[vae]

When should items be delivered by, please? (I want to be sure I can actually deliver something if I offer it!)

[cee_m]

No more than six months. I know that some things require a large amount of time to complete though so just put it in your notes to the bidder if you think it will take longer than that. That way, when a bidder puts their money down they know exactly what they're in for.

[vae]

Thank you! Some of my fannish knitting takes rather a while.

[cee_m]

Absolutely. I would much rather have people ask than have people be disappointed.

[libitina]

Food offers - do they go under crafting or actions? (or are they not allowed?)

[cee_m]

Absolutely! If you want to do something for this auction, baring anything illegal, I'm not going to stop you. I would put that under MISC HERE. Thanks for asking!

[maichan]

Does fanart (not graphics) go under Misc?

[cee_m]

I'm going to update the page to say fanart/graphics so that it's inclusive. I didn't think about the distinction. Thanks.

[silverr]

So ... I've not done one of these before, and as I was reading the other fanfic offers I wondering if there's a place to read about how the bidding works? ~ It seems some are offering multiple fics, or length based on winning bid, or a "variety of sizes" .. and I have no idea what to offer.

[cee_m]

It looks like you figured it out. Let me know if you still have questions.

[silverr]

er ... yeah, I got the fandom thing, and the length thing. What I didn't (still don't) get (grins) is the Minimum Bid thing. Can I say, "200 word drabbles to anyone who donates $5"? Or am I supposed to offer something geared toward a single donor?

[cee_m]

You can do either! Or do two posts. One for highest bidder with a larger word count and the other for drabbles. Whatever you're comfortable with. I'm just glad you're helping! Thanks so much for asking! :)

[hardluckwoman]

Do you only help out organizations or individuals as well?
If yes to individuals, is there any way to apply?
Thank you so much.

[cee_m]

This is only for organizations. Good luck to you, though.

[i-speak-tongue.livejournal.com]

Hey! I just wanted to offer up this banner I made. Do what you will with it!

[cee_m]

That is so stinking CUTE! Thank you so much!!

[i-speak-tongue.livejournal.com]

My pleasure!

Multiples of the same item

[ladyjanelly]

My husband has a card game company, and would like to offer 3 copies of his card game. Just making sure it's okay to put three of the same item up (I'll clearly mark them). I was thinking if he only did one, then when it got close to retail price then people would just buy from Amazon instead of more people donating. If three are even interested.

Re: Multiples of the same item

[cee_m]

Awesome! You can say in your notes to the bidder that you're offering three copies of the game to the three highest bidders. Would that work for you?

[pirateveronica]

Ive never done an auction before (but I've always wanted to; never had the time or the money but now I do). I was wondering how the payment thing works. Does the person offering up the auction items handle the payment or is it up to the 'buyer' to donate to PP

[cee_m]

You would be responsible for going to the site and donating whatever your winning auction price is. Then you would email your confirmation email/screen (whichever is easiest for you) to the author/vidder/etc and they would post on your auction thread that you'd completed the donation.

Clear?

[pirateveronica]

oh okay! yup thats clear. Thanks so much. I'm definitely going to offer up some stuff

[cee_m]

AWESOME! Thanks so much.

[pirateveronica]

I love that its for Planned Parenthood. Really makes me want to help out because I love that organization.

[cee_m]

It's absolutely what got me off of my butt to organize this thing. It's so exciting to see all of the offers come in. Every time someone posts something I get excited all over again. It's crazy but insanely exciting.

[caseybensullivan]

In addition to offering my own fanfiction, a co-writer and I would like to offer a fic written by both of us. Possibly several. Would that be okay? Thanks :)

[cee_m]

That's perfectly fine. Basically you would do one entry for your solo fiction and then one entry for the fic that you plan on writing together. If you're planning to write several fics I would put it in your notes to the bidder that the top 2 or 3 or however many bidders will win a fic.

Sound good?

[caseybensullivan]

That sounds pretty good. I think I might want to do more than one post for myself, if that's okay? There's a particular series or two I'd like to offer sequels to, but they would take more work, so I'd want a bigger bid. And one for specific pairings like Mikey/Ray or Gerard/Mikey or Mikey/Pete etc. I don't know if that's getting to be too much? I'm not sure if I'd be more like to get a lot of little bids for several offers, or a few medium bids for fewer offers (I'm not that well known so I don't expect to get very big bids at all, I guess it's a confidence thing).

Sorry for rambling on. I just want to do it the best way to help the charity.

[cee_m]

Just make sure you don't sign up for more than you can get written in six months. That's what has been set as a delivery date. If you think it is going to take longer than that, please note it in your auction post so that bidders know.

If it were me I would say in my bidders notes that you are willing to continue these specific series. That way people can choose to ask for those fics or get something different.

[redsnake05]

I was wondering if people not in the US can donate to the local equivalent of this organisation. For example, in NZ the equivalent would be the Family Planning Association (link to their donation page), and they are a member of Family Planning International.

I know I'd be more willing to offer and to bid on this and future auctions if I knew my money could go either into my community or into an international organisation. If that's not the intent of this auction or comm, that's fine and I totally respect your choice as a moderator.

[cee_m]

Absolutely! If this is something that's going to help in your area then please do that! I started this auction partially as a response to an organization pulling funding from Planned Parenthood but helping similar causes all over seems like a great way to spread the love around, so to speak. Thanks so much for asking about this. I'd hate for people to feel like they couldn't participate or donate because this is a US organization. I'm adding this to the FAQ but if you win an auction and they have questions about this, direct them here. Again. Thank you.

[cee_m]

I'm so sorry but I've made a decision about this. We're going to keep this just for planned parenthood this round. Next round I promise to work toward supporting an organization that has international bases.

More Info Here

I'm truly sorry for the confusion and for the back step...

[redsnake05]

No worries, that's fine and I totally understand your decision and the circumstances that informed it. I won't participate this time, but I will keep an eye on the comm and definitely participate another time.

[echo-fangirl.livejournal.com]

Two questions:
- If I bid on and win multiple lots (here's hoping!), can I pay for them in one donation and show the combined receipt as proof for all the lots, or do I need to make each donation separately? Combining donations will mean that more money makes it to the actual charity and less to credit card companies, but it could make it harder to show that the donation was for the particular lot you've bid on.

- You've mentioned that it's okay to donate to equivalent organizations in other countries. Could you perhaps have an "approved" international equivalent charaties thread/list? I fully endorse the currently selected charity, and I approve of the idea of being able to donate locally (again, it reduces exchange-rate fees and ensures that money goes to charities rather than credit companies). However, I do have some quite firm ethical/political beliefs, and I would like to be confident that if someone bids on a lot I put up that the donation goes to an organization I wholly support (and not one which nominally supports the issue but also uses donations in ways which I personnaly do not support).

[cee_m]

This is one of the things I am going to have to just trust people on for this round. This is the first charity auction I have ever run and I'm doing it alone. Next time when a charity is chosen I will have to work out international options for people who are not in the U.S. if the charity itself is not an international one. If you're worried about your bidders donating to a charity you don't support I would suggest putting in your bidders notes that you would appreciate people donating to whichever charities you like.

I'm about to make a post on this so...

[cee_m]

More on this here

[echo-fangirl.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the clarification. I'm sorry if I sounded like I was being mean or trying to pressure you, I assure you that wasn't the intention! :)

[cee_m]

Oh you absolutely weren't. I was trying to include EVERYONE ever and should have taken some time to think about it before I answered. No worries. Truly. Thanks so much for being so understanding.

[cee_m]

Oh and as to your first question. Yes. Do the math for all your successful bids and make one large donation.

[gingersnap1224]

I tried to place a bid, but it went to the end of the fanfics being auctioned nstead of the one I wanted to bid on. Now I can't delete it and put it in the right spot. Help!

[cee_m]

Send me a link to your woops and I will delete it.

EDIT - I found it. You're all set! :)

[amichevole]

Have you had any reports of international bidders being unable to donate? The PP website keeps rejecting my payment, and the card has sufficient funds.

[cee_m]

I'm not finding that thus far. I will contact them and see if their server is rejecting payments for any reason and get back to you within the next 24 hrs.

[cee_m]

Looked into this and it looks like some people's credit card companies are rejecting the donation if it's a small amount. You may have to contact your credit card company to see if that's true for you.

[tattooeddevil.livejournal.com]

Just a quick question on how to deliver fic: Do we post the fic here with a link to wherever it is posted online? Or do we email them to our winning bidders? Thank you!!

PS: You're doing an amazing job!! <3

[cee_m]

You can post it wherever you'd like and just inform your bidder that you've posted. We're not posting anything on this comm just to keep people's f-lists from being filled with fandoms they don't follow.

And thank you! :)