Donor Service Policy ~

Overview and Purpose

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to quality of life. To assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the public and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in charitable organizations and causes they are asked to support, the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation believes all donors have the following rights.

The following rights are pivotal commitments we make to maintaining the trust and confidence in our donors and the community:

To be informed of the Foundation's mission, of the way the Foundation 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 Foundation’s governing Board and to expect the Board to exercise prudent judgement in its stewardship responsibilities.
To have access to the Foundation’s most recent financial statements and annual report.
To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
To be assured that information about their donations and contact with them is handled with respect in accordance with the Privacy Policy of the Foundation and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law. Furthermore, to have the right to see their donor record and to challenge its accuracy.
To receive appropriate acknowledgement, recognition, and, if requested by the donor, to remain publicly anonymous.
To expect that all relationships with individuals representing the Foundation will be professional in nature.
To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the Foundation, or hired solicitors. Any person seeking or receiving funds on behalf of the Foundation must:

Act with fairness, integrity, and in accordance with all applicable laws;
Cease contacting a prospective donor who states that they do not wish to be contacted;
Disclose immediately to the Foundation any actual or apparent conflict of interest or loyalty;
Not accept donations for purposes that do not comply with Foundation bylaws and policies;
Identify their affiliation to the Foundation (e.g. staff, volunteer, contracted third party); and
Secure and safeguard any confidential information, including credit card information, provided to them by donors.

To be assured that any fundraising materials distributed by or on behalf of the Foundation include its address or other contact information.
To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.
To expect the Foundation honours the donor’s request to:

To receive an official receipt for income tax purposes following completion and acceptance of a gift for the eligible amount of the donation in accordance with the relevant Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) guidelines no later than the last day of February in the year following the donation date. This includes tax receipts for reoccurring/monthly donations. That said, the Foundation will endeavor to issue tax receipts in a timely manner.
To receive, upon request, the Foundation’s registration number as assigned by the CRA, any information contained in the public portion of the Foundation’s most recent T3010 as submitted to CRA, and a copy of the Donor Service Policy.
To be encouraged to seek independent advice if the Foundation has any reason to believe that a proposed gift might significantly affect the donor’s financial position, taxable income, and/or relationship with other family members.
To receive a timely response from the Foundation’s designate to a complaint by a donor or prospective donor about any matter that is addressed in this Donor Service Policy. A complainant who remains dissatisfied will be informed that he/she may appeal in writing to the Foundation’s Board of Directors or its designate and will be advising in writing of the disposition of the appeal.
To be assured that the amount of their donation is not publicly disclosed without their consent.
To be assured that recognition mechanisms (e.g. donor wall plaque) created due to a gift shall not be arbitrarily changed or withdrawn unless otherwise negotiated at the time of the gift or changed through a joint agreement between the Foundation and the donor or the donor’s family or legal representative. The original form of the recognition mechanism will be maintained. If the mechanism cannot be physically retained, it will be changed to another consistent with the original agreement. If continuation of the recognition creates a reputational risk for the organization, it may be terminated or altered. The Foundation bears no responsibility for recognition mechanisms maintained by outside organizations including when recognition is offered to an individual donor, family or corporation in response to a grant disbursement received from the Foundation.
To be assured that the Foundation does not:

Make claims that cannot be upheld or are misleading;
Exploit its beneficiaries. The Foundation is sensitive in describing those it serves and fairly represents their needs and how these needs will be addressed; and
Directly or indirectly, pay finder’s fees, commissions or percentage compensation based on contributions.