Privacy Policy
In order to be proper stewards and accountable to the people who support the agency’s mission, Safehome has put guidelines into practice to ensure and respect the rights and privacy of our donors in regard to information shared with us both online and offline.
Donor Privacy: Safehome will not sell, share or trade donors’ names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations. Safehome will not share donor information with any third party outside of our agency, other than as necessary to fulfill a donor’s request, e.g. registration for an event. Safehome maintains best practice data safeguards to protect donor identity, charitable giving information, and transaction information (see “Data Security” below). Safehome’s operates in accordance with the Donor Bill of Rights and Code of Ethics adopted by the Association for Fundraising Professionals. These two documents serve to protect a donor’s right to privacy and confidentiality and provide the guidance for Safehome’s policies regarding donor privacy.
Information Collection and Storage: When donors, volunteers, and others choose to share information with us, Safehome stores that information in the agency’s donor database for the purpose of keeping donors informed of the agency’s activities, including programs, special events and funding needs. Unless otherwise directed, Safehome collects the following donor information and maintains it in the agency’s secure web-based donor database system: 1. Donor name and contact information, including physical address, email and phone numbers 2. Record of donor’s individual financial and inkind donations 3. Record of contacts with the donor 4. Credit card information (if donor has requested automatic monthly giving) 5. Donor directives, including requests for donor anonymity; removal from mailing lists, phone lists, or electronic communications; and requests for no phone contact.
Donor Rights: Donors can opt out of any future contacts from Safehome at any time. Donors can do the following at any time by contacting Safehome via the email, address, or phone number provided on the agency’s website: – Request to see the data we have on you, if any – Request that your data be changed, corrected, or deleted – Express concerns or request further information about the use of your data
Data Security: Safehome takes precautions to protect donor’s information. When donors submit sensitive information via the website or other collection activities, that information is protected both online and offline. Wherever we collect sensitive information, such as credit card data, that information is encrypted and transmitted in a secure way. Donors can verify this security by looking for a closed lock icon either at the top left or bottom left of their web browser, or by looking for “https” at the beginning of the address of the web page. While we use encryption to protect sensitive
information transmitted online, we also protect donor’s information offline. The computers/servers in which we store personally identifiable information are kept in a secure environment. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, sending an invoice or preparing mailings) are granted access to personally identifiable donor information. In addition, donor information is only shared with staff, board members, volunteers and consultants on a strict “need to know” basis.
Statement of Ethics: Safehome further safeguards donor information by ensuring compliance with the following Statement of Ethics: Non-public donor information is the property of Safehome and shall not be given to persons other than those who are involved with cultivation or solicitation efforts or those who need that information in the performance of their duties on behalf of the agency. Confidential information pertaining to donors or prospective donors shall be scrupulously protected so that the relationship of the trust between Safehome and our donors is upheld.
Attached Donor Bill of Rights Code of Ethics DONOR BILL OF RIGHTS
@1964, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
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 ensure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the nonprofit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:
I. 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. II. 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. III. To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements. IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given. V. To receive appropriate acknowledgement 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 organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature. VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors. IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.
ETHICAL STANDARDS
@2016, Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), all rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Adopted 1964; amended Oct. 2014
The Association of Fundraising Professionals believes that ethical behavior fosters the development and growth of fundraising professionals and the fundraising profession and enhances philanthropy and volunteerism. AFP Members recognize their responsibility to ethically generate or support ethical generation of philanthropic support. Violation of the standards may subject the member to disciplinary sanctions as provided in the AFP Ethics Enforcement Procedures. AFP members, both individual and business, agree to abide (and ensure, to the best oftheir ability, that all members of their staff abide) by the AFP standards.
PUBLIC TRUST, TRANSPARENCY & CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
Members shall: 1. not engage in activities that harm the members organizations, clients or profession or knowingly bring the profession into disrepute. 2. not engage in activities that conflict with their fiduciary, ethical and legal obligations to their organizations, clients or profession. 3. effectively disclose all potential and actual conflicts of interest; such disclosure does not preclude or imply ethical impropriety. 4. not exploit any relationship with a donor, prospect, volunteer, client or employee for the benefit of the members or the members’ organizations. 5. comply with all applicable local, state, provincial and federal civil and criminal laws. 6. recognize their individual boundaries of professional competence. 7. present and supply products and/or services honestly and without misrepresentation. 8. establish the nature and purpose of any contractual relationship at the outset and be responsive and available to parties before, during and after any sale of materials and/or services. 9. never knowingly infringe the intellectual property rights of other parties. 10. protect the confidentiality of all privileged information relating to the provider/client relationships. 11. never disparage competitors untruthfully.
SOLICITATION & STEWARDSHIP OF PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS
Members shall: 12. ensure that all solicitation and communication materials are accurate and correctly reflect their organization’s mission and use of solicited funds.
13. ensure that donors receive informed, accurate and ethical advice about the value and tax implications of contributions.
14. ensure that contributions are used in accordance with donors’ intentions.
15. ensure proper stewardship of all revenue sources, including timely reports on the use and management of such funds.
16. obtain explicit consent by donors before altering the conditions of financial transactions.
TREATMENT OF CONFIDENTIAL & PROPRIETARY INFORMATION
Members shall:
17. not disclose privileged or confidential information to unauthorized parties.
18. adhere to the principle that all donor and prospect information created by, or on behalf of, an organization or a client is the property of that organization or client.
19. give donors and clients the opportunity to have their names removed from lists that are sold to, rented to or exchanged with other organizations.
20. when stating fundraising results, use accurate and consistent accounting methods that conform to the relevant guidelines adopted by the appropriate authority.
COMPENSATION, BONUSES & FINDER’S FEES
Members shall:
21. not accept compensation or enter into a contract that is based on a percentage of contributions; nor shall members accept finder’s fees or contingent fees.
22. be permitted to accept performance-based compensation, such as bonuses, only if such bonuses are in accord with prevailing practices within the members’ own organizations and are not based on a percentage of contributions.
23. neither offer nor accept payments or special considerations for the purpose of influencing the selection of products or services.
24. not pay finder’s fees, commissions or percentage compensation based on contributions.
25. meet the legal requirements for the disbursement of funds if they receive funds on behalf of a donor or client.