Introduction
The Arts Council of Princeton (hereafter referred to as The Arts Council) is a non-profit, 501 (c)(3) organization that provides top quality arts exhibitions, public arts events, comprehensive arts education programs, and outreach programs for underserved populations, all enriching the quality of life for residents of the Princeton region.
The Arts Council’s mission is: Building Community through the Arts.
The Arts Council is grateful to be the beneficiary of financial support resulting from the generous gifts made by individuals, corporations, foundations, organizations, events, and government sources. All donations solicited on behalf of The Arts Council shall be used to further this mission and follow the policies and procedures outlined below.
Fundraising Policy
The Arts Council adheres to the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Code of Ethics and the AFP Donor Bill of Rights (Appendix A) in addition to the guidelines below. The Arts Council abides by the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) when accounting for all funds including those obtained through philanthropic means.
Any gift received by The Arts Council will be counted toward the Annual Fund unless otherwise stated by the donor in writing. In the case that a donor chooses to place restrictions on their contribution or give to a specific fund or program, those designations will be honored and the finance department will be notified. If The Arts Council is unable to accommodate the donor’s request a representative will contact the donor to discuss alternative designations for the contribution. Any individual interested in creating an endowment fund must gain approval from the Executive Director in order to first, determine that the fund and its purpose are in line with the mission of The Arts Council; and second, ensure that The Arts Council has the capacity to manage that fund.
As a result of the complex nature of a “planned gift” or bequest any individual choosing to leave part of their estate to The Arts Council will be encouraged to seek his or her own outside legal and tax advice before its execution.
The Arts Council will make every effort to maintain the wishes of any donor indicating that they chose to give their gift anonymously. In such an instance the donor’s listing will be adjusted in the database to indicate such and the individual will be listed in any printed materials made available to the public as ‘Anonymous’.
As a 501 (c)(3) all donations to The Arts Council are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. If the donor receives anything in exchange for their contribution, such as a dinner or tickets to a performance, the tax receipt shall clearly state what portion of the donation is tax deductible. Written tax receipts shall be issued for all donations from the development department in a timely fashion. However, donors are encouraged to review their donations and deductions with a tax consultant or financial advisor.
Pledges
When a donor makes a pledge it will be recorded in the database noting the pledge amount, date, payment schedule, and purpose. If the pledge is not fulfilled after 6 months a reminder notice will be mailed to the donor. Three months later, if the pledge is still outstanding, another reminder will be sent to the donor. After 12 months, if the pledge is still not fulfilled, a call will be made to the donor. If payment still does not occur, the pledge will be written off.
If the donor indicates that they will make payments on a set schedule and later misses payments for two months in a row a notice will be mailed to the donor. If payment still fails to come through after three more months another letter will be sent and then followed up with a phone call. The balance will be written off if there is still no response from the donor.
Fundraising Event Policy
The Arts Council regularly plans events to raise funds and to broaden our base of donors, partners, and contacts; in addition to bringing greater awareness to the organization’s mission. These events will only go forward if it is clear that they will not result in a financial loss for The Arts Council. Items donated for events will be considered in-kind gifts unless a cash donation is made. Events benefitting The Arts Council may take place off The Arts Council property in collaboration with the host and an Arts Council representative, with approval from the Executive Director.
Donor Confidentiality Policy
In recognition of its obligation to respect and protect the privacy of its donors, The Arts Council pledges to handle information about donations with respect and confidentiality. Donors will be informed of The Arts Council’s mission and the way we intend to use contributed resources. Contributions to The Arts Council will be used for the purposes for which they are given.
Your Personal Information
The Arts Council may collect personal information such as names, company names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers, fax numbers, e-mail addresses, and payment information from donors. By submitting personal information to The Arts Council, the donor acknowledges that he or she has read this privacy policy, understands it, agrees to its terms and authorizes The Arts Council to collect, use and disclose personal information pursuant to the terms of this policy. The Arts Council does not maintain any credit card information on our servers.
How We Use It
The Arts Council uses personal information collected from donors to respond to donor inquiries, to issue donation receipts, to help in deciding who receives future fundraising appeals, to help organize fundraising events, and to inform donors of new programs and services. Donor information is also used to determine the appropriate level of recognition for each donor listed in catalogs and other print material as well as invitations to events.
Who We Share It With
The Arts Council will never sell donor information to third parties. The Arts Council does, from time to time, share the names and mailing addresses of its donors for one time use with other worthwhile organizations, as determined by the Executive Director. The Arts Council will never share telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, or any financial information collected from donors. Any donor that wishes for The Arts Council not to share their name and mailing address may call the Development Office at 609-924-8777. They may also write to the Development Office at The Arts Council, 102 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ 08542.
Your Right to Limit Contact By The Arts Council
You may request not to be contacted by the Arts Council in connection with any of its programs, updates, or fundraising appeals. Requests not to be contacted by The Arts Council can be sent in writing to Development Office, The Arts Council, 102 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ 08542, or by calling 609-924-8777. To unsubscribe from email communications you may click the link at the bottom of any email sent or use the contact information above.
Donor Listing
The Arts Council will make every effort to list your name in donor listings in the format you prefer. If you would like you change your current listing or make your donation anonymously, please inform us by writing to Development Office, The Arts Council, 102 Witherspoon St., Princeton, NJ 08542, or by calling 609-924-8777.
Disclaimer
Notwithstanding other provisions of this privacy policy, The Arts Council may disclose personal information in special cases when we find it necessary to identify, contact, or bring legal action against someone who may be violating this agreement or may be causing injury to or interference with The Arts Council, its constituents, or anyone else that could be harmed by such activities. The Arts Council reserves the right to disclose any information to law enforcement or other parties that The Arts Council, in its sole discretion, believes is required or appropriate in order to comply with the law.
Contact Us
The Arts Council’s Donor Privacy Policy may be changed or updated from time to time. If you have any questions about our Donor Privacy Policy, you can contact us by calling 609-924-8777 or by mailing us at:
Development Office
The Arts Council
102 Witherspoon St.
Princeton, NJ 08542
Acknowledging Donations
We strive to acknowledge every contribution with a letter signed by the Executive Director or designee identified by the Executive Director within one week of receipt. Paper copies of the acknowledgment letters for gifts over $250 will be stored in development files for up to seven (7) years and an electronic version of all other gifts will be kept on network storage for up to seven years as well.