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