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 ensure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the nonprofit 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 donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law
To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations 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