Donor Bill of Rights

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. The tradition of giving and sharing is essential 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:

1. To be informed of the organization's mission, how it intends to use donated resources, and its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.
2. 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.
3. To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.
4. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
5. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
6. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
7. To expect all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional.
8. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization, or hired solicitors.
9. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
10. To feel free to ask questions when donating and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

The Donor Bill of Rights was created by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).  It has been endorsed by numerous organizations.