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Donor Expectations

Non-Profit Disclosure and Compliance

Non-profit organizations want to be accountable to those who support them. Such accountability should build trust and confidence in the hearts and minds of potential donors. This includes:

  • A clear and meaningful mission statement.
  • Strict confidentiality of all donor information.
  • Process to ensure timely acknowledgement for each charitable donation.
  • A consistent program to solicit and respond to donor feedback.
  • A clear list of board and committee members, with affiliations, either upon request or (preferably) through the non-profit’s website
  • Easy access to summary financial statements, including IRS Form 990, either upon request or (preferably) through the non-profit’s website.
  • Maintenance of an adequate financial accounting and reporting system.
  • Adherence to all local, state and national regulations.
  • An easily understood and accurate presentation regarding all aspects of a non-profit’s operations. This communication should be an ongoing.

Donors should feel encouraged to ask questions. Questions are always appropriate.

Gift Planning Process

If a donor chooses to work directly with a non-profit to establish a planned gift, the donor should expect the following:

  • A fundraising process that serves the best and balanced interests of the donor/non-profit partnership, with the legal, accounting and financial services community working in support of this objective.
  • A balanced presentation of planned gift options that utilizes the charitable bequest and beneficiary designations as a baseline for comparison. These represent the most common (and typically most appropriate) ways to make an estate gift.
  • Avoidance of the suggestion that a charitable gift will enhance a donor’s net financial position, either through tax deductions and/or increased income. While this can occur in very specific high-wealth situations, it does not apply for the vast majority of people.
  • A clear understanding of how each person in the conversation will be paid (e.g. by salary, commission or hourly rate).
  • Awareness of the ethical restrictions upon fundraisers being paid any commission for gifts they help secure. See Model Standards of Practice for more information.
  • Any presentation of a financial product should result from a comprehensive and objective analysis that specifically demonstrates how the donor’s and non-profit’s interests will be served. Any such presentation should also include a full disclosure of advantages, disadvantages, and alternatives, stated with equal emphasis.

Click here to view our Partnership Agreement (74k PDF file).