The Hidden Side of Generosity

Donating online has become second nature. Whether it's supporting disaster relief, funding a local school project, or backing a friend's charity run, most people reach for the donation button without hesitation. What often follows, though, is less heartwarming: a flood of emails.

Charities and nonprofits depend on donations to survive, but their fundraising teams also rely heavily on marketing. That means the email you give for one-time support can quickly end up on recurring mailing lists, shared with partner organizations, or used to send repeated donation appeals.

Why Charities Rely on Email So Much

• Low cost: Compared to phone calls or direct mail, email campaigns are nearly free.
• Scalable: One campaign can reach thousands of previous donors instantly.
• Emotional momentum: Once you've donated once, you're more likely to donate again — especially when reminded regularly.

From the organization's perspective, this makes sense. From the donor's perspective, it can feel like guilt-tripping in your inbox.

The Problem With Using Your Main Email

Donors who give through their personal account often face:

• Frequent appeals: Weekly or even daily requests for more contributions.
• Cross-promotion: Partner charities using your details to send their own appeals.
• Clutter: Personal correspondence buried under endless "urgent" subject lines.
• Security risks: Nonprofits, especially smaller ones, are not immune to data breaches.

A Real Story: San Diego and the Animal Shelter

Last summer, Elena, a nurse in San Diego, donated $25 to a local animal rescue after seeing a Facebook campaign. Within weeks, she was getting emails not only from the shelter but also from two national pet advocacy groups. Some were heartfelt, others pushy, but all of them crowded her inbox. By Christmas, she was receiving donation appeals daily.

When she made another donation in January — this time to a wildfire relief fund — she used a temporary email instead. She received her receipt, saw a thank-you message, and then retired the address. No extra appeals reached her personal account.

The Simple Trick: Use a Disposable Email

By creating a disposable email for donations, you:

• Contain appeals: All follow-up requests stay in one box you can ignore.
• Protect your identity: If a nonprofit's database leaks, your real email isn't at risk.
• Choose when to engage: You decide which campaigns deserve space in your permanent inbox.

This doesn't mean you care less about causes. It means you set boundaries on how organizations communicate with you.

Current Trends in Online Giving

• Micro-donations: Services like GoFundMe or Patreon encourage small, frequent giving, which multiplies email traffic.
• Cross-sharing: Donors who support one campaign often see their email shared across affiliated groups.
• Aggressive year-end pushes: December has become email overload season for many donors.

All of this points to one thing: email fatigue is real. Many people stop opening appeals altogether, which hurts charities as much as it annoys donors.

Another Real Example: London Marathon Donations

Tom, a 31-year-old software engineer in London, sponsored a colleague running the London Marathon. He gave £50 through a well-known platform using his primary address. For the next six months, he received emails not just from the platform but from unrelated charities — everything from children's literacy campaigns to medical research appeals.

The next time he donated, Tom created a disposable address. He still received receipts and thank-you notes, but once the campaign ended, he shut it down. His personal Gmail stayed for family, friends, and work — not guilt-heavy subject lines.

How to Apply This Trick Without Losing What Matters

• Create a fresh burner for each donation: Keep receipts and thank-you notes organized by cause.
• Forward receipts if needed: For tax purposes, forward the donation confirmation to your permanent inbox.
• Retire the burner once the campaign ends: Prevents endless follow-up messages.
• Use your main email for recurring support: If you genuinely want to be part of a charity long term, commit with your real address.

When You Shouldn't Use a Disposable Email

• For tax-deductible recurring donations: You'll need permanent access to annual summaries.
• For volunteer coordination: If you're actively part of an organization, you'll want ongoing communication.
• For high-trust relationships: Charities you deeply support deserve to connect with you through a stable channel.

Burners are best for one-time gifts, spontaneous donations, or supporting friends' campaigns without opening yourself to years of follow-up appeals.

The Bigger Picture

Donations should feel good, not burdensome. But the way digital fundraising works today often leaves people frustrated or resentful. By creating boundaries through disposable emails, you protect your goodwill. You give freely, without fearing your inbox will become collateral damage.

In the long run, this may actually benefit nonprofits too. A donor who feels respected — and not bombarded — is more likely to give again when it really matters.

The Takeaway

Generosity should not come with digital clutter. Using a temporary email when donating online allows you to support causes without drowning in follow-up appeals. It's a small adjustment that protects your peace of mind while keeping your focus on the act of giving itself.

The next time you feel the pull to donate — whether it's for a neighbor's fundraiser or a global campaign — consider where you want the follow-up to go. If the answer isn't your personal inbox, a burner email is your simplest, most effective defense.