I loved going collecting in Minneapolis when I was in Ner Yisrael, one year I went with one other person and we collected 5,000 dollars, and had a lot of good memories.
by one place, a business, we walked in and asked to speak to the owner, he asked us “how much do want” to which we answered, startled “well you gave 250 last year” to which he said “how about 500” we took it.
another place said they only give to zionistic causes and only if Ner Israel said the prayer for the medina would we get anything (even though we were collecting for a city in Eretz Yistrael