A Donor Bill of Rights
Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a
tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life.
To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general
public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence
in the not-for-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support,
we declare that all donors have these rights:
I.
To be informed of the organizations mission, of the way the organization
intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations
effectively for their intended purposes.
II.
To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s
governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment
in its stewardship responsibilities.
III.
To have access to the organizations most recent financial statements.
IV.
To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they
were given.
V.
To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
VI.
To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect
and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
VII.
To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organization
of interest to the door will be professional in nature.
VIII.
To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees
of the organization or hired solicitors.
IX.
To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists
that an organization may intend to share.
X.
To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt,
truthful and forthright answers.