A donor to the Ohio University Foundation will now have a set of rights.
The “Donor Bill of Rights” has 10 clauses that protect donors by stating their rights to receive proper donor recognition and gift handling. The Ohio University Foundation Board of Trustees approved the bill at its meeting this weekend.
“This is just a document that we want to share with anyone and everyone who can donate,” said Bryan Benchoff, vice president for University Advancement and president and CEO of the foundation.
The bill promises to provide financial statements and ensures the gift will be “respectfully” used for its intended purpose. It also promises confidentiality and a removal from possible mailing lists to donors.
A donor has the right “to be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board and to expect the board to exercise precise judgment in its stewardship responsibilities,” the Donor Bill of Rights states.
The bill also defines a donor’s right to ask questions and receive “prompt, truthful and forthright answers.”
The idea for a Bill of Rights came from a July committee meeting, Benchoff said. Having a defined set of donor rights is common for a university foundation, he added.
The Arizona State University Foundation, University of Maine Foundation and Iowa State University Foundation all have the same rights for donors.
The Ohio University Foundation had not defined a set list of rights before, and Benchoff said the foundation's board decided it was a good idea to make donors aware of their rights.
“It’s absolutely fair for donors to have expectations in stewardship,” he said.
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