Friends of the Hennepin County Library (FHCL) values each of our donors and takes their privacy very seriously. To that end, we maintain the highest level of confidentiality concerning our donors' contact and financial information.
Donor information collected and recorded:
FHCL collects the following information from our donors: donor name, acknowledgement name, amount donated, giving history, address, telephone number(s), email address, and in some cases, other non-financial information such as the donor’s preferred library location or the donor’s employer. Donor information may be collected via phone, email, postal mail, website, or in person. No donor checks, credit card numbers, or other financial information are retained in the organization’s electronic or hard files after a donation has been processed.
How we use donor information:
Donor information is used for internal purposes only. Only authorized FHCL staff have ongoing access to donor information and records. On occasion, FHCL Board members or volunteers may have limited access to donor records, for instance during short fundraising campaigns. Individuals having access to donor records are required to abide by this policy.
All FHCL online donor transactions are covered by this policy and conducted over secure portals. Every reasonable effort is made to secure the privacy of donor information online. Access to online data is password protected and limited to authorized FHCL employees.
FHCL does not sell donor information for monetary compensation. To build the membership base, FHCL occasionally participates in a cooperative database and conducts list exchanges with other local nonprofits with similar missions. In these instances, we may exchange or share personal information, such as your name and contact information, with cooperatives and other charities. This practice of sharing supporter personal information with and through a data cooperative is a longstanding nonprofit practice that enables charities to maintain a strong base of support—while lowering costs—by targeting communications to individuals who have the highest likelihood of being interested in hearing from them. These sharing activities may be considered a “sale” or processing of personal data for targeted advertising under US state privacy laws. All donors have the right to opt out by contacting FHCL.
Donor information is used by the FHCL’s staff to:
- Process gifts
- Thank donors for their contribution
- Inform donors about current and upcoming activities of FHCL, including additional opportunities to support FHCL
- Engage donors in shaping the organization’s activities
- Improve communications
- Track and analyze donor data
- Comply with current rules and regulations governing 501(c)(3) financial reporting
- Comply with any reporting requirements related to specific grants or contributions
- Publicly recognize donor gifts at the $1,000 and higher in FHCL’s annual report and other relevant print material (donor name only), unless donor requests anonymity
The Donor Bill of Rights:
- To be informed of FHCL's mission, of the way FHCL 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 FHCL's Board of Directors and to expect the Board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.
- To have access to FHCL's most recent financial statements.
- To be assured their gifts will be used by FHCL for the purpose(s) for which they were given.
- To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition of all contributions to FHCL.
- To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.
- To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization, or hired solicitors.
- To feel free to ask questions when donating and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.
Adapted from "The Donor Bill of Rights" created by the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Contact us:
If you want to exercise your privacy rights or have additional questions about Friends of the Hennepin County Library Donor Privacy Policy, please send an email to friends@hclib.org.