In a recent letter to the ePhilanthropy Foundation, William C. McGinly, Ph.D., CAE, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) said, "I am pleased to be able to formally notify the ePhilanthropy Foundation, that the AHP Board of Directors took action at its meeting in Chicago to endorse the ePhilanthropyFoundation.org Code of Ethics."
 
"I am pleased that our Board saw fit to take this action, as our support will assist the entire sector with the broader understanding about sound practices for ePhilanthropy. Your work is an important element in this emerging arena and we are pleased to join with you in the education about and professional practice of ePhilanthropy.”
 
Copies of the ePhilanthropy Code of Ethics are available at: http://ephilanthropyfoundation.org
 
More information is available about AHP at: http://www.ahp.org
 
Those interested in adding their endorsement to the Code of Ethics are encouraged to email endorsements@ephilanthropyfoundation.org
 
 
 
 

ePhilanthropy Code of Ethical

Online Philanthropic Practices
The ePhilanthropy Foundation exists to foster the effective and safe use of the internet for philanthropic purposes.  In its effort to promote high ethical standards in online fundraising and to build trust among contributors in making online transactions and contributions with the charity of their choice, this code is being offered as a guide to all who share this goal. Contributors are encouraged to be aware of non-internet related fundraising practices that fall outside the scope of this Code.
Ethical Online Practices and Practitioners will:
Section A: Philanthropic Experience

1. Clearly and specifically display and describe the organization’s identity on the organization’s Web site;
2. Employ practices on the Web site that exhibit integrity, honesty, truthfulness and seeks to safeguard the public trust; 

Section B: Privacy and Security

1. Seek to inspire trust in every online transaction;
2. Prominently display the opportunity to have their names removed from lists that are sold to, rented to, or exchanged with other organizations;

 

3. Conduct online transactions through a system that employs high-level, security technology, to protect the donor’s personal information;
4. Provide either an 'opt in' or 'opt out' mechanism to prevent unsolicited communications or solicitations by organizations that obtain email addresses directly from the donor, and require the "opt in" mechanism before the donor's email address may be sold, transferred or otherwise distributed to a third party for communication, advertising or promotion purposes;
5. Protect the interests and privacy of individuals interacting with their website.

 
 
 
 
 
 
Section C: Disclosures

1. Disclose the identity of the organization or provider processing an online transaction;
2. Guarantee that the name, logo and likeness of all parties to an online transaction belong to the party and will not be used without express permission;
3. Maintain all appropriate governmental and regulatory designations or certifications.

Section D: Complaints

1. Provide protection to hold the donor harmless of any problem arising from a transaction conducted through the organization’s website;
2. Promptly respond to all customer complaints and to employ best efforts to fairly resolve all legitimate complaints in a timely fashion.

Section E: Transactions

1. Insure contributions are used to support the activities of the organization to which it was donated.
2. Insure that legal control of contributions or proceeds from online transactions are transferred directly to the charity or expedited in the fastest possible way.
3. Companies providing online services with charities will provide clear and full communication with the charity on all aspects of donor transactions including the accurate and timely transmission of data related to online transactions.
4. Stay informed regarding the best methods to insure the ethical, secure and private nature of online ephilanthropy transactions;
5. Adhere to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to charity solicitation and tax laws;
6. Insure that all services, recognition and other transactions promised on a Web site, in consideration of gift or transaction, will be fulfilled in a timely basis.
7. Disclose to the donor the nature of the relationship between the organization processing the gift or transaction and the charity intended to benefit from the gift.

 
 

www.ePhilanthropyFoundation.org

Approved:  November 12, 2000

Revised: January 25, 2001

 

1101 15th Street, NW

Suite 200

Washington, DC 20005

ePhilanthropyFoundation.Org ã2002