Protect your donors’ privacy

When I sat down to have dinner at the bar of a local Sonoma restaurant last month, I noticed a sheet of paper laying directly in front of me on the bar. It didn’t appear to be the menu, so I assume it had been left by the patron who had been occupying the bar stool right before I sat down. Being the curious type, I glanced at what was on the paper, only to be both shocked and disappointed at what I found. It was a spreadsheet created by someone from a local nonprofit (the name of the nonprofit was printed clearly at the top) containing the names of about 50 vintners they were targeting for prospective financial support. The spreadsheet included the contact name of each vintner, whether or not the vintner had donated in the past, which nonprofit staff member was assigned to approach each vintner, and the specific approach the staff member would take to woo that vintner to donate. I was glad I found the paper instead of someone on the list and it made me realize that a column reminding nonprofits about the importance of donor privacy would be timely.

Although most nonprofits treat donor information with the utmost confidentiality, it is important for all nonprofits to establish a donor privacy policy and ensure that all staff members and volunteers adhere to it. An organization’s donor privacy policy should explain how donor information can be shared and how a donor’s name and private information can be removed from the organization’s mailing list and database. A good place to put a donor privacy policy is on the organization’s website to assure donors and prospects that confidentiality is of paramount importance.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals recommends that in developing a policy for protecting donor privacy, nonprofit leaders should be mindful that the donor information kept by the nonprofit should only be what is required for fundraising purposes, what is appropriate for the donor or prospect to see if the donor requests to see the record, and made available to staff, board, and other volunteers on a need-to- know basis.

Staff, board, and volunteers involved in fundraising frequently have access to deeply personal information regarding a donor’s giving history, family, wealth, and assets. As a result, they must realize it is critical to keep this sensitive information confidential. A way to underscore the importance of treating donor and prospect information with great confidentiality is to have all staff, board members and volunteers with access to donor information read and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Cary Dacy, the new Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley Director of Development & Marketing, said, ”We understand the importance of protecting the privacy and personal information of our donors.   We are continually updating our policies and procedures and implementing best practices due to the increase of today’s electronic environment.  Producing privacy statements for third party contractors, regulating who has access to our donor data base, and staying informed of current trends regarding donor confidentially are just a few ways we ensure the privacy of our supporters.”

Having a donor privacy policy shows the community that a nonprofit is both trustworthy and transparent, two important characteristics in earning the public’s confidence. When developing a donor privacy policy, be sure it’s written in a straightforward, simple manner. Having it translated into Spanish would be especially beneficial for Sonoma Valley nonprofits. Make sure it’s honest, complete, and updated as needed. Identify the specific information that is collected about each donor and how it is used and shared.

Regarding that paper containing donor information I found at the bar, the Sonoma Valley nonprofit staff member who left it there can be safely assured that it went straight into my office shredder, an important tool to have in ensuring donor privacy.