Based on the standards and ethics
of fundraisers and philanthropy professionals, this statement
guides our work at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute
Advancement Office.
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:
•
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 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.
The
text of this statement in its entirety was developed and
adopted in 1993 by the American Association of Fund-Raising
Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy
(AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE),
and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP).
