Last updated 7/10/26
Purpose
To establish clear, transparent, and legally robust guidelines for how MountainTrue collects, uses, protects, and shares donor personal information, thereby safeguarding donor trust and ensuring compliance with ethical fundraising standards.
Scope & Responsibilities
This policy applies to all personal information received by MountainTrue from donors, both online (via the organization’s website, email, or social media channels) and offline (via postal mail, telephone, or in-person interactions).
- Development Team / Membership Staff: Responsible for managing donor data, processing opt-out requests, honoring anonymity preferences, and updating donor communication settings in the donor database.
- Communications Team: Responsible for ensuring that public donor rolls, annual reports, and digital newsletters respect requested anonymity preferences.
- Finance Team: Responsible for ensuring compliance with financial reporting and maintaining relationships with PCI-compliant payment gateways.
Information Collection
- The Development Team collects personal information voluntarily provided by donors.
This includes:
- Contact Information: Name, physical address, phone number, and email address.
- Financial Information: Payment card numbers, billing addresses, and bank details. All details must be securely processed through PCI-compliant systems.
- Donation & Engagement History: Records of contributions, event attendance, volunteer hours, advocacy actions, and program interests.
- Communication Preferences: Requests for anonymity, opt-out preferences, and specific subscription interests.
Information Usage
- MountainTrue personnel use donor information strictly to advance the conservation mission and manage relationships. Permitted actions include:
- Processing and acknowledging donations.
- Sending tax receipts, acknowledgments, and compliance documentation.
- Providing updates on programs, campaigns, and local environmental impact.
- Responding to donor questions, feedback, or inquiries.
- Tailoring communications, invitations, and fundraising appeals to donor interests.
- Complying with federal, state, and local legal and regulatory reporting requirements.
Data Sharing Restraints
- MountainTrue will not sell, rent, trade, or share donors’ personal information with any third party for their own marketing purposes.
- MountainTrue will not send donor mailings on behalf of other organizations.
- Donor data may only be shared confidentially with trusted, vetted third-party service providers (such as database administrators, email delivery services, and payment processors) assisting in operations.
These partners must:
- Process information strictly on MountainTrue’s behalf.
- Be contractually bound to maintain strict security standards.
- Be prohibited from using the data for any purpose other than providing services to MountainTrue.
- Personal information will only be disclosed to external parties if required by law, or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with legal processes.
Data Security & Retention Procedures
- Online donations must be processed using secure, industry-standard encryption (SSL/TLS) through PCI-compliant payment gateways.
- Access to personal data within the donor database must be strictly restricted to authorized personnel who require the information to perform their duties.
- Information must be retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with legal, tax, and accounting requirements.
Managing Donor Rights (Anonymity, Opt-Out, and Access)
- Anonymity: The Development Team must flag records appropriately in the donor database to honor all requests for anonymity. Flagged names must be omitted from public donor rolls, annual reports, and digital newsletters.
- Opt-Out of Communications: Membership Staff must process all opt-out requests promptly. Donors can opt out via “unsubscribe” links in automated emails or by contacting us at members@mountaintrue.org.
- Opt-Out of Research: When utilizing confidential research and screening services to understand the donor base, the Development Team must exclude any donors who have requested omission from screening.
- Access and Correction: Donors have the right to review their personal information. Staff must update or correct records upon receiving verified donor requests.
