Manorville nonprofit says it’s owed thousands after fundraising platform files for bankruptcy
A California-based company disclosed it owes approximately $29 million to more than 3,000 nonprofits nationwide.
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A Manorville nonprofit says it is out thousands of dollars in donations after hiring a fundraising company that has since filed for bankruptcy — and it’s not alone.
Daniel Dolomite founded the Strong and Brave Foundation from his home in Manorville to honor the memory of his daughter, Briana. Briana died shortly after her ninth birthday from diffuse midline glioma, a rare and aggressive cancerous brain tumor. Dolomite’s goal has been to raise money to build “Briana’s House,” an East End respite for families affected by childhood cancer.
To help manage its website and donations, the foundation hired a company called Flipcause, which advertises itself as an “all-in-one fundraising and community engagement platform built specifically for small nonprofits.”
Donations began coming in this past June. But Dolomite says the foundation never received any of the money.
“Donors gave us $3,850 in that timeframe, and we have not received a dollar,” Dolomite said. “It’s kind of depressing to be honest that somebody could actually do this. It’s evil.”
Instead of receiving the funds, Dolomite says he was met with repeated excuses.
“It’s disgusting that they could actually do this,” he added.
An investigation by News 12 found that the Strong and Brave Foundation is far from the only nonprofit impacted. Records show Flipcause filed for bankruptcy last month. In its filing, the California-based company disclosed it owes approximately $29 million to more than 3,000 nonprofits nationwide.
Among those listed is the Long Beach–based Michelle O’Neill Foundation, which is reportedly owed more than $100,000. That foundation says it is actively engaged in the creditor process and that its mission to support children with cancer remains uninterrupted.
The Better Business Bureau issued an alert in October warning nonprofits about Flipcause.
Meanwhile, the loss of funds has had a direct impact on Dolomite’s organization. He says the foundation has been forced to cover costs out of pocket for an upcoming fundraiser at an Islanders game.
Despite the setback, Dolomite says he is determined to move forward.
“Having that taken away from us really hurts,” he said. “But it’s not going to stop us.”
In its bankruptcy filing, Flipcause placed some of the blame on a third-party payment processor. News 12 reached out to Flipcause for comment, but the company has not yet responded.
