Approved: 2/10/2022

The purpose of RAN’s gift/grant acceptance policy is to create a set of uniform guidelines for RAN. Such a policy will serve as a guide for RAN Board and staff members to evaluate viability of support and RAN’s receipt of contribution. The goal is to ensure the organization does not accept any gift that may create real or perceived risks or conflicts to the organization. This policy will help to:

  • Improve our internal decision making process and standardize communication around gift/grant acceptance.
  • Ensure RAN accepts only donations and grants that are mission and values aligned and that provide a net benefit to the organization.
  • Create clarity and opportunity around possible new values-aligned sources of unrestricted funding for RAN.

Accepted Giving Sources

Cash, Check, Credit Card, Direct ACH Debit, Gifts of Stock, Cryptocurrency, Bequests, Estate Gifts, Annuities, Donor Advised Funds, Matching and In-kind donations. Note: Gifts of Stock and Cryptocurrency are converted to cash within 5-7 business days.

Refunds

Donations to RAN are refundable within 3 months from the date of request and must be requested by the donor in writing. Read our full Refund Policy.

Individual Giving

RAN accepts donations from all individual donors but recognizes individuals can represent corporate interests and will evaluate gifts from any individual perceived as trying to influence RAN’s values, approach and/or campaigns. RAN accepts individual pooled donations through crowdfunding platforms (e.g. GoFundMe). RAN accepts donations from individuals’ securities that can be sold upon receipt.

Donor Advised Funds

RAN accepts donations from donors via Donor Advised Funds (DAFs). The DAF is recognized as the official donor, rather than the original supporter, though RAN’s relationship is with the individual, not with the financial entity/DAF sending the funds.

If a donor has certain intentions for their contributions, RAN wants to ensure those intentions are followed.  Therefore, the Board can elect to place restrictions on the funds to ensure the donor’s intentions are met, rather than keeping the funds unrestricted because they came from a DAF.

All donations over $10,000 received through DAFs will be presented to the Board for review at their next possible meeting, providing documentation from the supporter in addition to payment support from the DAF.  If the Board provides a restriction to a donation, it will follow the same procedures as income with donor restrictions.

Workplace Giving

RAN accepts workplace donations in the form of matching gifts across the board, even from RAN’s corporate targets, because they represent an individual’s contribution, regardless of their origin. These donations are always treated as individual contributions.

Real Estate

No gift of real estate will be accepted without prior approval of the Board of Directors based on advice from RAN’s legal counsel and a qualified independent appraisal.

Criteria for acceptance of the property shall include:

  • The property is expected to be marketable within six months.
  • Any restrictions, reservations, easements, or other limitations associated with the property are known and minimal.
  • Any carrying costs, which may include insurance, property taxes, mortgages, or notes, associated with the property are known and deemed manageable.
  • The appraisal/survey reflects that that property is sound and in acceptable condition for resale.
  • The cost of obtaining necessary documents and fees associated with risk assessment and remediation studies; property taxes; maintenance, management and insurance appraisals; title reports and legal fees will be borne by the donor.
  • Tangible Personal Property

Jewelry, artwork, collections, and other personal property shall not be accepted unless there is reason to believe the property can be quickly sold. No personal property shall be accepted that obligates RAN to ownership of it in perpetuity. No perishable property or property which will require special facilities or security to properly safeguard it will be accepted without prior written approval of the Board of Directors. If there is reason to believe particular personal property has a value of $1,000.00 or more, it may be accepted only after receipt and review of an appraisal qualified under the terms of the IRS code governing gifts of this type property. Only the Board of Directors or the person(s) authorized by them may represent to a donor that property will or will not be held by RAN for a specific period of time, or for purposes related to a specific period of time, or for purposes related to its 501(c)(3) purposes.

Serious valuation problems exist with respect to a number of categories of personal property, especially art and other “collectibles.” If a gift of personal property is to be considered based on the aforementioned criteria, the donor will be asked to obtain a bona fide appraisal or documentation of fair market value and ease of sale.

Gifts In-Kind

RAN accepts in-kind donations made by individuals if they provide added benefit to the organization’s work and mission. RAN will provide an official acknowledgement to donors for their accepted gifts, but in accordance with IRS regulations, the organization cannot provide gift valuation and the donor is responsible for determining the value of the gift. If an in-kind donation does not further the organization’s goals, RAN reserves the right to decline the gift and/or send the donation and donor contact information to another charitable organization.

RAN will accept in-kind corporate donations that align with the above criteria if the donation is directed through a foundation that is a separate legal entity from the associated corporation (see private foundations guidelines below).

Private Foundations

RAN accepts gifts/grants from most private foundations. This includes foundations whose investment portfolios are from historically corporate earnings, provided the foundation is a separate legal entity from the associated corporation (e.g. Ford Foundation vs. Ford Motor

Company). When considering accepting support from a foundation, RAN’s Development and Executive leadership will examine the following criteria to determine alignment:

  • The foundation has a board that makes grantmaking decisions, separate from corporate-affiliated board.
  • The foundation has its own leadership and staff.
  • The foundation does not require the use of RAN’s logo, work, or other marketing benefits for the affiliated corporation.
  • RAN’s association with the foundation’s brand will not have a negative impact on our reputation.
  • The foundation is registered as a 990-PF if US-based, or country equivalent.
  • Government Agencies

RAN does not accept funding from US local, state or federal government agencies. Funding from other government agencies or networks whose policies and objectives do not present a real or perceived conflict of interest with RAN campaigns will be considered on a case by case basis.

Companies (including single legal entity shareholder-held; limited liability entity; sole proprietorship, general partnership, or LLC) and Businesses (owner liability entity) As a general rule, RAN does not engage in corporate fundraising and does not solicit or accept funding from major corporations. For-profit companies, including B-Corps, family businesses or local businesses wishing to donate $5,000 or more to RAN annually must pass an initial screening on their business practices prior to RAN accepting a donation. Most unsolicited, one-time donations under $5,000 will not be subject to screening, unless Development and Executive staff perceive that such a donation would be in violation of the screening criteria below. Nonprofit donor organizations, including schools and religious institutions, are exempt from this process.

RAN will not accept donations of $5,000 or above from any for-profit company that does not pass the initial screening. The screening has been developed with RAN staff and board input with the goal of leaving room for only aligned for-profit companies to support RAN. Screening criteria include the following:

  • Business/Company is not a multinational corporation, international financial institution, or subsidiary of such.
  • Business/Company is not a focus of RAN campaigning or profiting a business or company that is a focus of a RAN campaign.
  • Business/Company does not support anti-environmental or human-rights violating business models and practices.
  • Business/Company does not engage in unethical or illegal labor practices.
  • Business/Company is not under protest from any aligned group or community.
  • Business/Company purchasing/vendor policies has alignment with the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) principles included in the RAN purchasing policy.

As of September 2019, RAN accepts funding from CREDO, Patagonia, Worldcentric, and Rick Steve’s Climate Smart Commitment. All of these companies have been thoroughly screened using the criteria above. In addition to meeting these criteria, the following information was used to make a determination: CREDO donates from revenues, but donations and grant amounts are directed by the public; Patagonia funding decisions (through their 1% for the planet giving vehicle) are employee-directed by city/regional stores; Rick Steve’s Climate Smart Commitment is an alternative to market-based carbon off-set programs, and Worldcentric funding is restricted to our small grants program: Community Action Grants.

Acknowledgement of Support Guidelines

The RAN brand and logo are not for sale and we strive to ensure that no individual, foundation, company or business makes a donation to RAN in order to gain organizational endorsement or a marketing tool. If an individual, foundation, company or business chooses to publicly acknowledge their support of RAN, it must be approved by RAN Development and Executive leadership based on the screening criteria listed above and they must use logo and language provided by RAN on the work of the organization. Any business seeking to list RAN publicly must pass the initial screening process for gift/grant acceptance, regardless of the donation amount.

RAN only publicly acknowledges donors in its annual report and with relevant event sponsorship benefits. Supporters of RAN never receive any sort of endorsement.