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 have full confidence in the non-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support, the United Way of Greater Mercer County endorses, subscribes to, and will act at all times in concert with the following rights of donors and prospective donors:
1. The right 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.
2. The right 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.
3. The right to have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.
4. The right to be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
5. The right to receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition or to remain anonymous if desired.
6. The right to be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
7. The right to expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
8. The right to be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.
9. The right to have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
10. The right to feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.
