If you donate 10 BTC (which pays for about a month of hosting), you get donator status:
I'd love to be able to donate 10 BTC, but if that's what hosting costs each month, I could probably do more good by helping you find better hosting? Lol.
Looking at BTC value back on 8/19/2011... has the site considered a membership plan of some sort? Monthly or annual, with some type of benefits? Maybe even multiple levels? Something that would remain fair to those that donated long ago and even any that are able to donate those amounts now/in the future.
I am positive the community would support this site through donations. I certainly will, without any "donator status" or benefits. But it's doubtful I could swing 10 or 50 BTC anytime soon.
Bitcointalk doesn't rely on donations anymore, the ads revenue are sufficient tho but any donations will be welcome.
The donator/vip status have some privilege which is mainly changing the name and accessing a hidden subforum.
For the price of these status, nowadays they are overestimated but for people who believe that 1 BTC in 2011 = 1 BTC in 2017 it is the same. Well mathematically indeed but a land or a house built in 1900 will not have the same price as in 2000.