If a donor requests "not to be added to a database," should we process this request as asking not to receive mail/email? While I think a donor has a right to modify their communication preferences, I don’t think they have a right to ask a charity not to keep accurate records. I think we do need to enter their contribution in our database. If a donor has made this request but has made a contribution of $250 or more, are we still obligated to send them formal acknowledgement? Lastly, may this donor make a "no mail" request for a group of other donors in their informal giving circle?
As a person who works with words every day and tries to be sure they say what I mean and mean what I say, I appreciate your attempt to figure out what this donor wants. But I think you should ask the donor what they mean. They can’t really mean that you shouldn’t keep a record of their donation. Your auditors would be quite upset at not being able to account for an unallocated gift.
You also can’t delete this donor entirely from your donor database or mailing list. They are, after all, a donor to the organization. Even under the Donor Bill of Rights developed by the major fundraising organizations (which is not legally binding on anyone), they are entitled only to have their name deleted from lists you share with others.
There is no such thing as a national Do Not Mail list, and the national Do Not Call list exempts charities from the requirements (although not their professional solicitors).
Is this donor asking you to keep their gift confidential and not give them recognition in your public reporting?
If you ask them if you should put them on a no mail/email list, you should be aware that you are not legally required to provide a contemporaneous written acknowledgement of a gift, even for gifts of $250 or more unless it is a quid pro quo gift for which you give goods or services in return. It is the donor’s obligation to get a receipt to justify their claim for deduction, not your obligation to give it. (See Ready Reference Page: “IRS Requires Substantiation of Contributions”) Depending on how snotty you want to be in your inquiry, you could tell them you assume that the do-not-mail directive would not cover the acknowledgement that they must have to claim a charitable contribution deduction, or you could ask them whether they want to eliminate the acknowledgment that they are required to have to claim the deduction.
I would not accept the request from this donor as a request from the others in the giving circle, even if you can get them to tell you what they mean. You can tell this donor that most donors appreciate receiving your newsletter to see how their contributions are making a difference and appreciate receiving invitations for special events to keep them more connected with the organization. The other donors are able to speak for themselves and may have no desire to be as isolated and uninformed as this one.
As a fundraiser, you will undoubtedly phrase your inquiry more felicitously than I would. But I have no idea what this donor is actually requesting and wouldn’t recommend you do anything until you understand what they mean.
Comments
I appreciate your concern about multiple mailed solicitations from the same charity and I infer that the questioner is aware of such concerns as well or wouldn't have suggested a Do-Not-Mail list. But the donor asked to be removed from the "database." You obviously know how to express yourself forcefully but didn't use the word "database" once in your comment. I suspect that charities will have to keep your information in a database even to send an email acknowledgment for your gifts. That's why I suggested that the questioner ask the donor what was meant by the request. The answer could convert a frustrated donor into a more satisfied one. —Don Kramer
Personally I think you are both fruit loops.
I have on numerous occasions usually always [asked charities] not to send me a thank you thru USPS. Have done for quite a few charitable organizations organized mail responses. I have undertaken cost analysis of response letters. Cost to the organization vary from $2-5 for each response. $s being pissed away.
I ask that my name NOT be included when you share mailing addresses with other organizations. Period!
Mostly the thank you includes a request for more $s. That on the face of it pisses me off. More purely WASTED. $$$$$$$s.
All I request is a simple 1-2 sentence paragraph best by email acknowledging my gift. Simple and to the point. Cost under a penny.
Apparently majority of NGOs measure fund raising effectness by weight of sent responses. Or postage costs. Or both.
I really should weigh on a monthly basis all the junk mail I receive from my charities that go in the recycling bin. When I see all the quality paper stamps printing and think of the paid unpaid labor I am tempted often to cancel ALL my contributions....
You are both sad dudes. —A.M.