Rights of Charitable Givers

Philanthropy or Charitable Giving is the voluntary action of giving your time or resources to help others.

It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life and the common good of our world. To assure that charitable organizations merit the respect and trust of the public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the not-for-profit organizations and causes that they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:

• To be assured that donated funds will be effectively used for their intended purposes.
• To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board.
• To expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
• To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.
• To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
• To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality.
• To expect that all relationships and interactions will be professional in nature.
• To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees, or hired solicitors.
• To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists.
• To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt honest answers.