To ensure 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:
- 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
- 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
- To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements
- To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given
- To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition
- To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by the law
- To expect that all relationships with individuals representing the organization of interest to the donor will be professional in nature
- To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors
- To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share
- To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers
Developed by Association for Healthcare Philanthropy.
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.