About the Foundation

Missouri Southern Foundation subscribes to the Donor Bill of Rights.

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 assure that philanthropy merits the respect and trust of the general public, and the donors and prospective donors can have full confidence in the non-for-profit organizations and causes they are asked to support, we declare that all donors have these rights:

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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.
   
   
3. To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.
   
   
4. To be assured their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
   
   
5. To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
   
   
6. To be assured that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to extent provided by law.
   
   
7. To expect that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.
   
   
8. To be informed whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization, or hired solicitors.
   
   
9. To have the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.
   
   
10. To feel free to ask questions when making a donation and to receive prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

The text of this statement in its entirety was developed by the American Association of Fund-Raising Counsel (AAFRC), Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and adopted in November 1993.

The Missouri Southern Foundation accepts contributions through its website in support of Missouri Southern State University's educational mission and programs.

If you believe an error has been made in connection with an online donation, contact Liz Ebert, Development Business Manager, at 417-625-9396. If we determine that an error has been made, we will work with you to correct the error, and if necessary, provide the appropriate correction or refund.

If you change your mind about donating online to the Missouri Southern Foundation for any reason, we will honor your decision for a return of your donation as long as the request for return is made within fourteen (14) calendar days of the original contribution.

Refunds will only be credited to the credit card used for the original donation. To request a refund, please send an email to giving@mssu.edu or via mail to Missouri Southern Foundation, 3950 E. Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801.

Your privacy is important to us.

Use of Donor Information: Donor information is used to complete the transaction, record the donation, generate the appropriate tax receipt, and to appropriately acknowledge each gift donation. Donor records are also used for general record keeping and internal analysis. Credit card information is used to process the gift, but is not retained.

The Missouri Southern Foundation may use donor contact information to send promotional materials about Missouri Southern and for other fundraising campaigns, as appropriate.

The Missouri Southern Foundation does not rent, market, or otherwise disclose donor information to any outside party or vendor for non-University purposes, unless required under law. Within the University, access to donor information is limited to Development/Foundation staff members with a need to know. Staff members accessing donor information are bound by a professional code of ethics and a "donor bill of rights."

Donor Recognition: The Missouri Southern Foundation enjoys providing donors with recognition for their gifts through print, spoken, and/or web-based media. However, if you wish to waive this recognition and remain anonymous, we will honor that request to the extent allowed by law. Please contact the Development Office if you would like your gift to be anonymous. We will always respect your decision to keep a gift confidential.

Contacting Missouri Southern Foundation: If individuals have comments or questions regarding the Missouri Southern Foundation's Donor Privacy Statement, they may contact the Foundation Office at 417-625-9396 or email giving@mssu.edu.