INFORMATION ON PHILANTHROPY
A
donor bill of rights
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
that 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 the 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.
Statement
of confidentiality
The University of Minnesota Foundation (the `Foundation') was established
in 1962 as a private, non-profit corporation by a group of concerned
private citizens to increase the private support of the University
of Minnesota (the `University'). The Foundation recognizes that
public disclosure of non?confidential information is important to
the Foundation's accountability and credibility. At the same time,
the Foundation has a duty to protect the confidentiality of private,
non public donor information. Respect for a donor's right to privacy
without special favor to the donor or compromise to the Foundation
or the University is a basic standard of integrity for all Foundation
activities.
To protect donor privacy, the Foundation, its personnel, and agents
shall treat the following information as confidential and shall
take all appropriate measures to ensure that the information is
not released to the public:
- Research information about prospects and donors gathered
to aid in determining appropriateness of solicitation and level
of gift request;
- Specific data in prospect lists that would identify prospects
to be solicited, dollar amounts to be requested and name of
solicitor;
- Portions of solicitation letters and proposals that identify
the prospect being solicited and the dollar amount being requested;
- Letters, pledge cards and other responses received from prospective
or current donors in response to solicitations;
- Portions of thank you letters and other gift acknowledgement
communications that would identify the name of the donor and
the specific amount of the gift, pledge or pledge payment;
- Donor financial or estate planning information, or portions
of memoranda, letters or other documents commenting on any donor's
financial circumstances; and
- Data detailing: dates of gifts (including the payment schedule
of the gift), form of the gift and specific amounts made by
donors.
To ensure the protection of confidential information filed on donors
or potential donors should be made accessible only to authorized
personnel and appropriate discretion should be used when discussing
"giving information" or donors.
Names of donors my be published, unless the donor has expressly
requested anonymity, in roster form for the purpose of compiling
periodic donor lists, or for the purposes of the "Hall of Honor"
and major gift club recognition. Additionally, a donor may authorize
public announcement of any features of an agreement. Any media coverage
developed by the Communications Department of the Foundation concerning
a donor or donor's gift will not be done without appropriate consultation
with the individual(s) involved.
In cases where outside requests for donor giving histories are
made to the Foundation, the Foundation will honor the requests only
after donor approval.
Statement
of ethics
The University of Minnesota Foundation (the `Foundation') was established
in 1962 as a private, non-profit corporation by a group of concerned
private citizens to increase the private support of the University
of Minnesota (the `University'). The Foundation's purposes are to
raise funds, receive, hold, invest, and administer assets and to
make expenditures to or for the benefit of the University. In carrying
out these objectives, the Foundation is committed to innovation,
outstanding service, and national leadership in educational philanthropy
in accordance with the highest ethical standards.
The Foundation's programs and operations shall be conducted in
a manner which merit continued public trust and confidence. To that
end, the statement of ethics shall apply to all trustees, officers,
employees and agents of the Foundation, and to all collegiate/coordinate
campus development officers and their staffs (collectively referred
to as `Foundation representatives'). Statement of Ethics is as follows:
- All activities of Foundation representatives should be undertaken
honestly, fairly and in a manner that raises no questions of
impropriety.
- Ethically questionable situations should be avoided. If such
a situation arises, Foundation representatives should seek appropriate
guidance from others within the Foundation as to the course
of action to take.
- Respect for all individuals without regard to race, color,
sex, creed, ethnic or national identity, handicap, or age is
required of all Foundation representatives.
- When working with donors, or prospective donors, the Foundation
representatives' purpose will be to inform, serve, guide or
otherwise assist that donor or prospective donor in fulfilling
his/her philanthropic wishes, but never to pressure or unduly
persuade.
- Privacy rights and confidential information regarding prospects
and donors will be safeguarded by the Foundation representatives
in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the Foundation's
Statement of Confidentiality.
- Foundation representatives will not grant or accept favors
for personal gain. Nor will a Foundation representative solicit
or accept favors for their institutions where a higher public
interest would be violated.
- Foundation representatives will avoid actual or apparent
conflicts of interest in accordance with the guidelines set
forth in the Foundation's Statement of Conflict of Interest.
- Foundation representatives shall comply with all state and
federal laws, regulations and guidelines regarding acceptable
fundraising standards and practices.
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