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.
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
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 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.
ADOPTED IN 1993 • COPYRIGHT AFP, AHP, CASE, GIVING INSTITUTE 2015 • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED