Our General Policy

Goodwill Southern California (GSC) recognizes the importance of protecting information we may collect from visitors to our site. Our policy is to use the information we acquire from visitors to our sites for internal purposes only, and we maintain appropriate security measures to keep this information private. Your browser, however, does automatically tell us the type of computer and operating system you are using.

Users can visit the site without revealing any information about themselves. If one chooses to give us personal information via the Internet for the purposes of correspondence, then it is our intent to let you know how we will use such information.

If users tell us that they do not wish to have this information used as a basis for further contact, we will respect those wishes. We do keep track of the domains from which people visit us. We analyze this data for trends and statistics, and then we discard it. We do not share information web users provide with third parties for commercial purposes.

GSC takes precautions to keep the user information disclosed to us secure. To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and to ensure the appropriate use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect.

If users have questions about the types of information collected on this web site or would like to request a correction of any information collected, then please contact us at info@goodwillsocal.org.

Use of Cookies

Certain sections of the GSC web site use “cookies” to store user information. A cookie is a small string of text that a web site can send to your browser. A cookie cannot retrieve any other data from your hard drive, pass on computer viruses, or capture your e-mail address. Cookies help us understand which parts of our web sites are the most popular, where our visitors are going, and how long they spend there. We use cookies to analyze traffic patterns so we can improve the site.

Cookies were originally designed to help a web site distinguish a user’s browser as a previous visitor and thus save and remember any preferences that may have been set while the user was browsing the site. If you are just browsing www.goodwill.org, a cookie identifies only your browser but you do not have to accept the cookie to continue browsing the site. It is possible to set your browser to inform you when a cookie is being placed – then you have the opportunity to decide whether to accept the cookie.

 User Agreement

If you have any questions about this User Agreement, contact Goodwill Southern California (GSC). If you do not agree with these terms of this User Agreement, you may not use the site. GSC reserves the right to change this User Agreement at any time without notice.

Donor Promise Policy

Goodwill Southern California Donor Promise Policy

Goodwill Southern California (GSC) and the staff members of the Development and Community Relations departments subscribe and adhere to the Donor Bill of Rights, Association of Fundraising Professionals’ (AFP) Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice and disclosure about our Storage of Donor Information.

Any release of information about a GSC client, employee, or donor (corporate, private foundation or individual) must be approved by the Vice President of Development. The release of information may include but is not limited to electronic and printed form within or outside GSC.

Any contact with GSC donors is to be approved by the Vice President of Development prior to making the contact, be it for soliciting a financial contribution, event support or any other purpose. This includes requests of cash or in-kind donations of goods or services. All donations must be processed through the Development Department so that proper coordination of solicitations occurs and so that solicitation, tracking and follow-up procedures may be initiated.

Storage of Donor Information

Donor information is stored and managed in the GSC Development Department’s database. We permit only authorized employees, who are trained in the proper handling of donor information, to have access to this information. Employees who violate our Donor Promise will be subject to our normal disciplinary process.

This policy is being coordinated in compliance with GSC’s HIPAA policy that is enforced by GSC’s HIPAA Privacy Specialist/Environmental and Safety Manager.

The Donor Bill of Rights

The Donor Bill of Rights was created by the American Association of Fund Raising Counsel (AAFRC—now known as the Giving Institute), the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). It has been endorsed by numerous organizations.

Philanthropy is based on voluntary action for the common good. It is a tradition of giving and sharing that is primary to the quality of life. To ensure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and that donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the nonprofit organizations and causes they are asked to support, Goodwill Southern California declares that all donors have these rights:

I. To be informed of the organization’s mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes.

II. To be informed of the identity of those serving on the organization’s governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

III. To have access to the organization’s most recent financial statements.

IV. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

V. To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.

VI. To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

VII. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

VIII. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization or hired solicitors.

IX. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.

X. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers.

 CODE OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Adopted 1964; amended October 2004.

The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) exists to foster the development and growth of fundraising professionals and the profession, to promote high ethical standards in the fundraising profession and to preserve and enhance philanthropy and volunteerism.

Members of AFP are motivated by an inner drive to improve the quality of life through the causes they serve. They serve the ideal of philanthropy; are committed to the preservation and enhancement of volunteerism; and hold stewardship of these concepts as the overriding principle of their professional life. They recognize their responsibility to ensure that needed resources are vigorously and ethically sought and that the intent of the donor is honestly fulfilled. To these ends, AFP members embrace certain values that they strive to uphold in performing their responsibilities for generating philanthropic support.

AFP members aspire to:

  • practice their profession with integrity, honesty, truthfulness and adherence to the absolute obligation to safeguard the public trust;
  • act according to the highest standards and visions of their organization, profession and conscience;
  • put philanthropic mission above personal gain;
  • inspire others through their own sense of dedication and high purpose;
  • improve their professional knowledge and skills, so that their performance will better serve others;
  • demonstrate concern for the interests and well being of individuals affected by their actions;
  • value the privacy, freedom of choice and interests of all those affected by their actions;
  • foster cultural diversity and pluralistic values, and treat all people with dignity and respect;
  • affirm, through personal giving, a commitment to philanthropy and its role in society;
  • adhere to the spirit as well as the letter of all applicable laws and regulations;
  • advocate within their organizations, adherence to all applicable laws and regulations;
  • avoid even the appearance of any criminal offense or professional misconduct;
  • bring credit to the fundraising profession by their public demeanor;
  • encourage colleagues to embrace and practice these ethical principles and standards of professional practice; and
  • be aware of the codes of ethics promulgated by other professional
    organizations that serve philanthropy.

Standards of Professional Practice

Furthermore, while striving to act according to the above values, AFP members agree to abide by the AFP Standards of Professional Practice, which are adopted and incorporated into the AFP Code of Ethical Principles. Violation of the Standard may subject the member to disciplinary sanctions, including expulsion, as provided in the AFP Ethics Enforcement Procedures.

Professional obligations

1. Members shall not engage in activities that harm the member’s organization, clients, or profession.

2. Members shall not engage in activities that conflict with their fiduciary, ethical and legal obligations to their organizations and their clients.

3. Members shall effectively disclose all potential and actual conflicts of interest; such disclosure does not preclude or imply ethical impropriety.

4. Members shall not exploit any relationship with a donor, prospect, volunteer or employee for the benefit of the member or the member’s organization.

5. Members shall comply with all applicable local, state, provincial, federal, civil and criminal laws.

6. Members recognize their individual boundaries of competence and are forthcoming and truthful about their professional experience and qualifications.

Solicitation and Use of Philanthropic Funds

7. Members shall take care to ensure that all solicitation materials are accurate and correctly reflect the organization’s mission and use of solicited funds.

8. Members shall take care to ensure that donors receive informed, accurate and ethical advice about the value and tax implications of contributions.

9. Members shall take care to ensure that contributions are used in accordance with donors’ intentions.

10. Members shall take care to ensure proper stewardship of philanthropic contributions, including timely reports on the use and management of such funds.

11. Members shall obtain explicit consent by the donor before altering the conditions of contributions.

Presentation of information

12. Members shall not disclose privileged or confidential information to unauthorized parties.

13. Members shall adhere to the principle that all donor and prospect information created by, or on behalf of, an organization is the property of that organization and shall not be transferred or utilized except on behalf of that organization.

14. Members shall give donors the opportunity to have their names removed from lists that are sold to, rented to, or exchanged with other organizations.

15. Members shall, when stating fundraising results, use accurate and consistent accounting methods that conform to the appropriate guidelines adopted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)* for the type of organization involved. (* In countries outside of the United States, comparable authority should be utilized.)

Compensation

16. Members shall not accept compensation that is based on a percentage of contributions; nor shall they accept finder’s fees.

17. Members may accept performance-based compensation, such as bonuses, provided such bonuses are in accord with prevailing practices within the members’ own organizations, and are not based on a percentage of contributions.

18. Members shall not pay finder’s fees, or commissions or percentage compensation based on contributions, and shall take care to discourage their organizations from making such payments.

Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to all information received by Goodwill Southern California, both online and offline, on any Platform, (“Platform”, includes the Goodwill Southern California website, mobile applications, social media, and Goodwill Southern California-associated linked sites), as well as any electronic, written, or verbal communications.

Our Commitment to Our Donors (“Donor Privacy Policy”)

We will not sell, share or trade our donors’ names or Personal Information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations. This Donor Privacy Policy applies to all information received by Goodwill Southern California, both online and offline, on any Platform, as well as any electronic, written, or verbal communications.