Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:07/29/2024

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  In the beginning of March 2024, I was introduced to **** Friedmann. The consultation was centered around a failing contractual agreement with another organization. **** spoke confidently about the resources available and his team's ability to help us to be more organized as a start-up and set us up with structural stability for years to come. We were to use the remaining weeks of March to learn about our business, Grand Rising Unlimited, a newly formed 501(c)3, on the other side of the country. Our first payment was on April 1, 2024. At first, we were both excited and optimistic as there was more experience in the conversation. What we soon realized, **** had overpromised and grossly underperformed. His lead campaign manager, ******, was unprofessional (slouching in meetings, negative in thoughts/speech, disorganized, lacked cultural awareness, lacked competence of industry, failed to follow up on multiple tasks IF she wasn't on vacation -3 times in 2 months). Our original requests for grants were bypassed or missed. Other grants were submitted without our approval or clarity of scope. Multiple times there were requests to move away from ****** to a more stable individual, but **** refused to hear or accept the concerns of the clients. On multiple occasions, GFA operated as if they were the proprietors of our organization, making contact with other organizations without our knowledge and or approval. On multiple occasions GFA submitted applications/contracts without our permission or a CC to communications. **** yelled at me in a meeting in front of our board members and played victim when asked to honor my voice and $15k contributions. **** even had the audacity to contact a family member of our board to discuss private matters! GFA failed to initiate a contract of services with deliverables, failed to send receipts of payments, and when asked to turn over all records it took 3 weeks into the unpaid month of July. We are deeply concerned with his ethical practices.

  Business Response

  Date: 08/01/2024

  It is disappointing to read ******************** inaccurate recollection of conversations, verbal and written agreements.
  
  Our contract, signed by ****************, spelled out 5 services: ***** ************* assistance in building a board, support for developing staff resources, communications, and other tasks as mutually agreed.  We delivered all of these and much more. **** Friedmann & Associate (GFA):
  
  Completed 4 ***** applications totaling $442,630 (Trillium, Pacific Source, OCF, and Spirit Mountain)
  Completed the *************************** (OCF) Organizational Profile
  Met with OCF to better understand their ***** process and what Grand Rising Unlimited (GRU) needs to address to meet their funding requirements
  Met with Lane County Health to clarify their giving and reporting processes for GRUs current *****. 
  Researched 45 potential funders
  Created an overview of potential board members based on weekly conversations and community partnerships. Attempted to work with ***** on asking these individuals to join the board.
  Created a board of directors job description, board member contract, and board responsibilities to be shared with potential board members.
  Met with Maceo and then met with SEI three times to support the relationship and the current Trillium ***** reporting process. 
  Created an organizational chart and job descriptions
  Created an extensive 5 year strategic plan to share with potential funders and guide ***** *************
  Researched all schools in the district, potential community partners, and potential staff members. 
  Supported program development for Spring and Summer programshelped strategize about certain activities, outreach opportunities, scheduling, reporting, etc. 
  Supported ***** in building back his relationships with previous community partners.
  Recommended ways to organize GRUs website and improve outreach materials and the program calendar
  
  Mr. ******* misrepresentation of ***************************, an experienced and competent professional, is distressing, to say the least.  His allegations about submitted *****s are groundless.  We were able to find a replacement for ****** in the last weeks of the contract, but it was necessary for ****** to maintain a transitional presence.  **************** knew about our communications with funders, and had the audacity criticize ****** for taking vacation time in a Zoom call with other GFA staff and one of his board members.  I could only get him to cease his inappropriate accusations by raising my voice to end his unprofessional rant.
  
  GFA is deeply concerned with Mr. ******* lack of professionalism and unbalanced demeanor.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 08/20/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any
  

  Greetings, after reading the inaccurate response (LIES) from the offender I believe it is essential for us to submit the supporting documents and timeline that establishes the ***** through rebuttal. Basic business practices of receipts, itemized deliverables, and timely/professional services were missing in an atrocious manner. Both current and potential clients need to move with extreme caution. He missed dates for grants, he submitted contracts WITHOUT permission (has to be illegal or at least frowned upon), he contacted potential partners without permission and violated our trust in multiple other ways. Everything that he is claiming to have done was accomplished in the month of July after we terminated our contract/business relationship. He did not apply for that many grants (he missed more, hence working/scrambling post contract) and he has been rejected for multiple LOI's... the experience has been extremely disappointing. The opportunity to supply supporting documents that establish irrefutable truths rather than hearsay is our hope