Each year, millions of Americans donate to and volunteer with the charitable nonprofits making a difference in their communities. Many turn to online fundraising platforms to give—but many of these platforms operate without nonprofit consent and in other ways counter to the needs of nonprofit organizations.

To guide this work moving forward, the National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) network urges that the following principles serve as the foundation for any relationship between online fundraising platforms, donors, and nonprofits:

Nonprofit Consent: Nonprofits must have the power and agency to decide for themselves how and when to engage with online fundraising platforms before they solicit or collect donations.

Transparency: Donors must have the power and information they need to decide whether to make a donation through an online fundraising platform.

Partnership: Online fundraising platforms must recognize nonprofits as valued, equal partners.

Accountability: Online fundraising platforms must be accountable to nonprofits, donors, the public, and the appropriate regulators.

NCN invites nonprofits nationwide to urge online fundraising platforms to operate with nonprofit consent, transparency, partnership, and accountability. Make your voices heard!

You can take action today by:

• Endorsing the principles for ethical online fundraising platforms.
• Sharing the principles with other nonprofits in your community and on social media.
• Urging online fundraising platforms to operate ethically.

Get Involved

Read the Principles