DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS

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Several organizations developed and endorsed "A Donor Bill of Rights." Every non-for-profit organization should have its Board adopt this document and reinforce its principles through daily use. We declare that all donors have these rights:

I. 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.

II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization's governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgement in its stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.

IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

V. To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.

VI. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extend provided by law.

VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.

IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.

X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

Diversity of Revenue Sources Important

In the city in which I live, the United Way has just notified their agencies that, due to the decline in campaign results, all agency support will be cut by 50 percent. Suddenly the phone is ringing off the "wall." I have talked in seminars for months how important it is to diversify revenue sources...don't depend on one grant, one government agency, or just the United Way. Now some are understanding this logic in an up-close and personal way. The best fundraising prospects are still individuals. Of course, you can still diversify with federal and state grants, foundation support, merchandise sales, special events, and other activities, but the best bet over time is still individual support. Love your donors!