What are the best ways to donate funds to the camp?

Donating funds to the camp in Red Dead Redemption 2 is a crucial gameplay mechanic that improves camp morale, unlocks upgrades, and progresses the story. The camp serves as a central hub for Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang, and contributing money or resources ensures its survival and development. To donate funds, you must interact with the camp ledger, which is located near Dutch''s tent in the main camp area. The ledger allows you to contribute money directly or donate items like food, ammunition, and valuables.\n\nTo start donating, approach the ledger and press the interact button. You can choose to donate money or items. Money is the most straightforward way to contribute, as it directly funds camp upgrades and supplies. Items, on the other hand, can be donated by hunting animals, looting enemies, or finding valuables during exploration. For example, donating perfect pelts from deer or elk improves the camp''s food supply, while gold bars or jewelry can be sold or donated for significant funds.\n\nOne of the best ways to gather funds for donations is by completing missions, robbing trains, or looting enemies. Missions often reward you with cash, while train robberies and stagecoach heists can yield large sums of money. Additionally, exploring the open world for treasure maps and hidden loot is a reliable way to accumulate wealth. For instance, the Limpany gold bar glitch (if not patched) allows you to collect a gold bar worth $500 repeatedly, which can be donated to the camp.\n\nAnother effective method is hunting and selling pelts or meat. Perfect pelts from legendary animals or high-quality game like cougars and bears fetch high prices at butchers or trappers. You can also donate these pelts directly to Pearson, the camp cook, to improve provisions. This dual approach of selling and donating ensures you maximize your contributions while also earning personal funds.\n\nFor new players, it''s important to prioritize essential camp upgrades like the Leather Working Tools, which unlock satchel upgrades, and the Lodging upgrade, which fast-travel functionality. These upgrades require significant funds, so focus on high-value activities like treasure hunting or completing bounties. Experienced players can optimize donations by focusing on high-yield activities like clearing gang hideouts or completing challenges for gold bars.\n\nA common challenge is balancing personal funds with camp donations. To address this, allocate a percentage of your earnings to the camp while keeping enough for personal expenses like weapons and ammunition. For example, if you earn $100 from a mission, consider donating $50 to the camp and keeping $50 for yourself. This ensures steady progress without leaving you financially strained.\n\nFinally, remember that camp morale is tied to donations and upgrades. Regularly contributing funds and resources keeps the gang happy and unlocks unique interactions and dialogue. By following these strategies, you can efficiently support the camp while enjoying the benefits of a thriving and well-equipped base.\n\nPractical tips: Always check the ledger for specific upgrade requirements, prioritize high-value activities like treasure hunting, and balance personal funds with camp donations. Regularly hunt and donate pelts to Pearson to improve provisions, and focus on unlocking essential upgrades early in the game.