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 organization's 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 organization's 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 acknowledgement and recognition.
VI. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and
with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of
interest to the donor 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.

Note: Permission has been received from Sam Edwards, the Director of Governance &
Volunteer Leadership, Association of Fundraising Professionals to reprint or reproduce
the Donor Bill of Rights.