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BeneVets, Inc. - Donor Bill of Rights

Effective date: July 4, 2026 Last updated: July 4, 2026 Board ratification reference: Adopted by the Board of Directors as part of the governance package ratified on May 23, 2026. Document number: 10 of the BeneVets legal document set. Cross-references: Donor Privacy Policy (Doc 09), State Charitable Solicitation Disclosures (Doc 11).

§ 1. Plain-English Summary

In plain English: This is a promise to our donors. It is based on a standard set of donor rights that nonprofit fundraisers across the country agreed to back in 1993. We adopt that standard. Every BeneVets donor has the ten rights below. We tell you how we make each right real, not just on paper. If we ever fall short, you can tell us, and we will fix it.

§ 2. Industry Standard Adopted

In plain English: The "Donor Bill of Rights" is a list of ten rights for donors. It was written in 1993 by four big nonprofit organizations and is the standard most U.S. charities follow. BeneVets adopts it word-for-word in substance and restates each right in our voice below.

BeneVets, Inc. ("BeneVets") adopts the Donor Bill of Rights jointly developed in 1993 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals ("AFP," then the National Society of Fund Raising Executives), the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy ("AHP"), the Council for Advancement and Support of Education ("CASE"), and the Giving Institute (formerly the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel). BeneVets reproduces the ten enumerated rights below in BeneVets's own voice, preserving each substantive guarantee, and describes BeneVets's specific implementation of each right.

In the event of any ambiguity between the BeneVets restatement below and the original 1993 text, the original 1993 text controls.

§ 3. The Ten Rights and BeneVets's Implementation of Each

Right I - To know the mission

In plain English: You have a right to know what BeneVets is trying to do with your gift.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to be informed of BeneVets's mission, the way BeneVets intends to use donated resources, and BeneVets's capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • The BeneVets mission statement is published on the home page of benevets.org and on the donor email program signup surface.
  • The mission statement, as adopted by the Board on May 23, 2026, is also reproduced in BeneVets's bylaws and in every annual report.
  • Every donor acknowledgment letter restates the mission in plain language.

Right II - To know the identity of the Board

In plain English: You have a right to know who runs BeneVets.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to be informed of the identity of those serving on BeneVets's Board of Directors and to expect the Board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • The voting Board ratified on May 23, 2026 consists of Eric (Chair), Callie (Treasurer), Prana Y., PA-C, Ian, and Harish (Secretary). Walter serves as the nonvoting Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director.
  • The current Board roster is published on the BeneVets "About" page, with each director's role and term-of-service start date.
  • The Board adopted a Conflict of Interest Policy (Doc 17) on May 23, 2026 and reaffirms that policy annually.
  • Board meeting minutes are retained in accordance with the Document Retention and Destruction Policy (Doc 18, Part B); summaries of material Board actions are reflected in the annual report.

Right III - To access financial statements

In plain English: You have a right to see how BeneVets spends its money. We show you our most recent financial statements when you ask.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to have access to BeneVets's most recent financial statements.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • BeneVets's most recent IRS Form 990 is posted on the BeneVets website on the "Financials" page and is also available on the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search and on third-party aggregators such as Candid (GuideStar) and ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
  • BeneVets's annual financial statements are made available on request within ten (10) business days. When BeneVets crosses the audit threshold under Cal. Gov't Code § 12586(e)(1) (currently $2 million in gross annual revenues), audited financial statements will be posted in addition.
  • A donor may request these documents in writing to donor-privacy@benevets.org or by mail to the address in § 5.

Right IV - To assurance that gifts will be used as intended

In plain English: You have a right to expect that we will use your gift for the purpose you gave it for.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to be assured that their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • Donors may give an unrestricted gift (used at the Board's discretion in furtherance of BeneVets's mission) or a restricted gift (limited to a specific program or purpose described by the donor at the time of the gift and accepted by BeneVets).
  • BeneVets's gift-acceptance practices are reviewed by the Board annually. The Treasurer (Callie) is responsible, in coordination with the Executive Director (Walter), for ensuring that restricted gifts are accounted for separately and applied as restricted under the Financial Accounting Standards Board guidance at FASB ASC 958-205.
  • If BeneVets determines that a restricted purpose has become impractical or impossible, BeneVets will contact the donor (or, where the donor cannot be reached or is deceased, will apply to the California Attorney General under Cal. Prob. Code § 15409 for cy pres or equitable deviation, as applicable) before redirecting the gift.

Right V - To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition

In plain English: You have a right to a proper thank-you, including a tax receipt that meets IRS rules.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • Every donation is acknowledged in writing. For gifts of $250 or more, the acknowledgment letter satisfies IRC § 170(f)(8) by stating the gift amount, the gift date, a description (but not value) of any non-cash property, and a statement of whether BeneVets provided any goods or services in consideration. BeneVets provides the same form of letter for all gifts as a matter of policy, regardless of amount.
  • If BeneVets provides any goods or services in consideration (for example, an event ticket or a thank-you gift over the IRS de minimis threshold under Rev. Proc. 90-12), the letter discloses the description and good-faith fair market value.
  • Donor recognition tiers, if any, are described in the annual report. A donor may opt out of donor recognition at any tier and may give anonymously (see Right VI).

Right VI - To privacy and anonymous giving

In plain English: You have a right to keep your donation private if you want to. You can give anonymously. We do not sell or share donor lists with anyone.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • The BeneVets Donor Privacy Policy (Doc 09) explains in detail how BeneVets collects, uses, retains, and protects donor information.
  • A donor may give anonymously and may opt out of donor recognition tiers; that election is honored across all BeneVets publications.
  • BeneVets does not sell, rent, swap, or trade its donor list. See Doc 09, § 5 and § 6.
  • IRS Form 990 Schedule B (Schedule of Contributors) lists significant donors but is filed confidentially with the IRS and is not part of the public-inspection portion of the Form 990 for 501(c)(3) public charities (see Treas. Reg. § 1.6033-2(a)(2)(ii)(F) and IRC § 6104(d)(3)(A)).
  • Donors who wish to remain anonymous to BeneVets may give via a donor-advised fund and instruct the DAF sponsor not to disclose the donor's identity.

Right VII - To expect a professional relationship

In plain English: You have a right to be treated professionally by everyone at BeneVets and by every fundraiser working for BeneVets.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to expect that all relationships with individuals representing BeneVets - whether volunteers, employees, board members, or hired solicitors - will be professional in nature.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • BeneVets staff and volunteers acknowledge in writing the Conflict of Interest Policy (Doc 17), the Whistleblower Policy (Doc 18, Part A), and BeneVets's code of conduct annually.
  • BeneVets does not currently use commercial fundraisers. If BeneVets engages a commercial fundraiser for charitable purposes within the meaning of Cal. Gov't Code § 12599, BeneVets will register the contract with the California Attorney General as required by Cal. Gov't Code § 12599.1 and will require the fundraiser to comply with this Donor Bill of Rights.
  • AFP member fundraisers working with BeneVets are bound by the AFP Code of Ethical Standards.

Right VIII - To know whether the solicitor is a volunteer, employee, or hired fundraiser

In plain English: You have a right to know who is asking you for money - whether they work for BeneVets, volunteer for BeneVets, or are a paid outside fundraiser.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of BeneVets, or hired solicitors.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • Every solicitation by email, mail, or in person identifies the solicitor's relationship to BeneVets: "from BeneVets staff," "from a BeneVets volunteer," "from a BeneVets board member," or "from [name], a commercial fundraiser retained by BeneVets" as the case may be.
  • At v1, only BeneVets's Board, the Executive Director, and volunteers solicit donations. Commercial fundraisers are not used at v1.
  • If BeneVets engages a commercial fundraiser in the future, that fundraiser's name and registration number with the California Attorney General will be disclosed on every solicitation as required by Cal. Gov't Code § 12599.6.

Right IX - To have donor information removed from solicitation lists

In plain English: You have a right to tell us to stop sending you donor mail or donor email. We will honor that within ten business days. There is no penalty.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to have their names deleted from mailing lists that BeneVets may intend to share with other parties (BeneVets does not share donor lists; see Doc 09 § 5) and to have their name removed from BeneVets's solicitation lists on request.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • Every donor email includes a one-click unsubscribe link compliant with 15 U.S.C. § 7704(a)(4) and RFC 8058.
  • A donor may also opt out by writing to donor-privacy@benevets.org or by mail to the address in § 5.
  • Opt-outs are honored within ten (10) business days, and in any event within the thirty-five (35) day window contemplated for analogous CCPA requests at Cal. Code Regs. tit. 11, § 7026(f).
  • BeneVets does not condition any benefit on a donor's communications preferences. A donor who opts out continues to receive transactional communications required by law (acknowledgment letters under IRC § 170(f)(8), CCPA/CPRA notices, etc.) and remains eligible for any donor benefit accrued at the time of the opt-out.
  • BeneVets does not share its donor list with any third party (Doc 09, § 5 and § 6), so the "deletion from shared lists" prong of Right IX is satisfied by structural posture rather than by an after-the-fact removal.

Right X - To ask questions and receive prompt, truthful answers

In plain English: You have a right to ask us anything about BeneVets and to expect a prompt, honest answer.

Every BeneVets donor has the right to feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

How BeneVets makes this real:

  • Donor questions sent to donor-privacy@benevets.org, to the principal office address, or to any Board member's BeneVets email address are routed to the Executive Director (Walter) and the Treasurer (Callie) for response within ten (10) business days.
  • BeneVets's answer practice is "if we don't know, we will tell you we don't know, and we will find out." BeneVets does not give "no comment" responses to donor inquiries about how donations are used.
  • A donor who is not satisfied with BeneVets's response may escalate to the Board Chair (Eric) directly at chair@benevets.org and may also file a complaint with the California Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts at oag.ca.gov/charities.

§ 4. Right to Anonymous Giving (Cross-Reference)

In plain English: You can give anonymously. This is also covered under Right VI above, but we call it out separately because it matters.

A donor may give anonymously, decline donor recognition at any tier, or use a designated alias for recognition purposes. Anonymous giving may be elected at the time of the gift, or at any later time. BeneVets honors anonymity elections across all donor recognition surfaces, the annual report, and any public donor list. See Donor Privacy Policy (Doc 09), § 8.

§ 5. Effective Date and Contact for Donor-Rights Questions

In plain English: Here is how to reach us about donor rights.

This Donor Bill of Rights is effective as of July 4, 2026, as adopted by the Board.

For questions, complaints, or concerns under any of the ten rights above:

BeneVets, Inc. Attn: Donor Rights 1441 Pomona Road, Suite 20 Riverside County, California [ZIP] Email: donor-privacy@benevets.org Escalation: chair@benevets.org (Eric, Board Chair)

A donor may also file a complaint with the California Attorney General's Registry of Charitable Trusts at oag.ca.gov/charities or with the charitable-solicitation regulator in the donor's state of residence.

§ 6. Changes to This Document

In plain English: If we update this document, we will say so. The ten core rights from the 1993 industry standard will not be diluted.

BeneVets may update the "How BeneVets makes this real" portions of this document from time to time to reflect operational changes, new contact methods, or updates to applicable law. The ten enumerated rights themselves, drawn from the 1993 AFP-AHP-CASE-Giving Institute Donor Bill of Rights, will not be diluted by any update.

End of Document 10.