Should I be charging a nonprofit organization?

tecboy · Dec 12, 2014

I have volunteered the little nonprofit art school for a while. They said they like my photos, and they are going use these photos for marketing material. That sounds like they are trying to make money out of my photos. I don't think they are going pay me. I feel like I'm going to have to leave and pursue somewhere else.

bratkinson · Dec 12, 2014

What does your 'gut' say about charging them?

Of note is that you volunteered to take photos for them. The word 'volunteer' connotes 'freely given/provided/performed' (except in the military). Although the employees of the art school receive a paycheck, volunteers don't. I regularly volunteer my services at several charitable organizations in the area and never charged them (or anyone else, for that matter), a penny.

That isn't to say I'd never charge a non-profit. There are some non-profits that have exceedingly large cash flows, such as political candidate organizations. Yes, many who support that candidate are happy to provide their time, services and skills for free. Some even stand on street corners holding placards for that candidate starting several weeks before the elections. But the suppliers of the office space, furniture, utilities, computers, food, TV time, etc, all expect to get paid.

So, was your volunteering intended for financial gain? How about settling for photo credit? One never knows when a potential buyer might see your work and hire you.

Tinderbox (UK) · Dec 12, 2014

Consider it as an advertisement for your work, and something to add to your portfolio.

John.

Braineack · Dec 12, 2014

did you volunteer to take photos for them, or did you take photos while volunteering?

either way, you still own the rights to the photos and they can't use them without express permission from you.

Stradawhovious · Dec 12, 2014

A. They can't just "use" your photos without permission. Well, they can, but it could end poorly for them. This is assuming you didn't sign something without reading the fine print when you agreed to volunteer for them.

B. Non-Profit doesn't necessarily mean No Money. The employees of rht non-profit will draw a paycheck, they pay for advertising, to keep the lights on, rent, etc. If they want to use your photos for advertising, they can probably dig into the advertising budget and kick you a check.

C. If you truly believe in the orginization, and want to help out, you could always just give them the rights to use the photos in their advertising.

D. I like bacon.

KmH · Dec 12, 2014

As mentioned, for the legal protection of the art school you provide a 'use license', whether you charge them or not.
A use license would define how the art school can use your copyrighted photographs. If you want to, you can say in a use kicense how they can use your photos, up to giving them permission to use your photos any way they want to.

Is the art school a legally registered non-profit?

I always charged non-profits my going commercial rates.

If I wanted to make a contribution to the non-profit I did so as an individual, not as a business, and then added the amount to my income tax charitable contributions deduction total.

In addition to paying employees (and some get paid well) a non-profit is indeed allowed to 'make a profit'.
But they don't call it 'a profit', they call it a 'surplus', and there are laws that say how that surplus money can be used.

FWIW - You seem to be doing a good job of building a reputation as a photographer that shoots for free.
If your goal is to eventually start charging for your photography services, you will have to start all over again developing a new base of clients willing to pay for your services.
Actually, when you shoot for free you are indirectly paying the client to shoot.

astroNikon · Dec 12, 2014

Read your volunteer's employee manual.
yeah, you probably don't have one ...

if they have been using your photos in the past without your complaining then you may have a problem. Other then you tell them to stop using them.

Short of suing them, in which case you probably won't be a volunteer there anymore, I would simply straight up and ask them if they could provide a "photographers fee" and tell them how much. Then let them haggle the price.

Every company (non-profit or not) has a budget. It's based on revenues and expenditures. See if they will give you some money for your work.

Some large non-profits have so much money that in order to be "non-profit" they are forced to give their executives large bonuses at the end of the year to make sure that there were no profits left.

tecboy · Dec 12, 2014

I do receive credit, but the problem is, it is not very accurate. They alter the images, and these look horrible in the school newsletter. They should leave the images alone. They credit my photos but not specific. There are several photos credit with my name and someone else name. No one knows which photos are mine.

Gary A. · Dec 12, 2014

I think it is more of a matter of standing up for what you want, i.e. no editing, proper credit line information, last review with editorial control of your images (the power to pull your photos if they are not utilized to your satisfaction), et al ... than a need to pursue photography somewhere else. Schedule a meeting with the executive director of the non-profit to discuss the matter. Write down what you desire in your relationship to the organization and enter the meeting prepared. The executive director probably won't want to step on the toes of the newsletter editor ... so you probably won't get what you want. But at the end of the meeting you'll know where you stand and if you should continue there or move on.

If the organization is not willing to respect and grant you your demands/desires ... Do Not threaten them that you are prepared to move on because: 1). they really don't care what you think; and 2) you'll look silly in their eyes with your threat. Just pack up your things and move on. Period. End of story. Don't worry about the images you "gave" them, that's all behind you. Find an organization that will work with you and respect you. Don't lose that list, use it for the next place you volunteer. Now you know going in how you expect your images to be handled.

PS- I've been paid by non-profits to cover events. But these were large, national non-profits.

Overread · Dec 12, 2014

Others have made very solid and good points already.

Remember it doesn't matter who the person is or organisation is. You have a skill and you have finite time - that time is of value to yourself and your skill is also of value. How much depends on yourself and the relative quality of others who share the same skill and also lots of other little bits (like are you working in a dangerous place etc...).

End result is there IS A value to your product - in this case photos. If you choose to donate your time and efforts then that is perfectly fair; its your time and your skill and your choice. However when working with organisations don't feel that you "must" donate. Charities need not be poor entities and if they want pro work most will pay for it if it is within their budgets.

I would say though that if you are giving away your work be strict with it to a point - make sure that its presented well and that its credited properly. To do otherwise is sloppy and disrespectful to you after you've already given them a donation.
Note if you like the charity and their newsletter is a bit of a mess might be a chance that you could offer (donation or paid) to perform the correct editing for it (if you've the proper experience of course). Even if its just to prep pictures for print and display.

Sometimes you have to work with a company or group because whilst they might have the best intentions they don't have the skill set within their work-group.

imagemaker46 · Dec 12, 2014

Yes, everyone gets paid even non-profit groups. Most of the amateur sports organizations I work for are classified as non-profit. I have donated pictures in the past for auctions, but if anything is being used for advertising/marketing or for sale, they pay.