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
- 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
- To have access to the organization’s most recent financial
- To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were
- To receive appropriate acknowledgement and
- To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by
- To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in
- To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired
- To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to
- To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright
(Donor Bill of Rights developed by Association of Fundraising Professionals, Association of Healthcare Philanthropy, Council for Advancement and Support of Education and Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-Profits and endorsed by United Way Canada)