“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 organisations and causes that they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:

I. To be informed of the organisation’s mission, of the way the organisation 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 organisation’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the organisation’s most recent financial statements.

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

V. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.

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

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

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

IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organisation may intend to share.
X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.”

This Bill of Rights for charitable givers was developed by the following four industry experts:

American Association of Fund Raising Counsel, Association for Healthcare Philanthropy, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, National Society of Fund Raising Executives. It is industryaccepted and all quality charities should subscribe to the beliefs espoused here.