Oak Valley’s Commitment to Donors

Oak Valley College believes in safeguarding personal information and ensuring that privacy is respected and protected for donors, all youth, volunteers, vendors, and members of affinity groups associated with OVC. We will use personal information to keep donors, friends, vendors, volunteers and alumni informed of our activities including programs, special events, and funding needs. We respect all requests to remain anonymous. We will always provide an “opt-out” procedure for donors and others who receive such materials to request that their names be deleted from similar mailings, phone calls, faxes or electronic communications in the future. Donors, friends, volunteers and alumni may contact OVC at any time, and we will gladly accommodate your preferences. Individuals may choose to opt out of electronic communication. Individuals may also request that their record be flagged as “Do Not Call”. OVC will honor all or a combination of these “opt out” preferences.

DONOR INFORMATION

Sharing Information

Oak Valley respects your choices and control over your information.  As a practice, your information will not be shared with other organizations.

Collecting Data

Oak Valley collects personal data through event registration, email subscription, online donation services, postal mail, wire transfer, phone and other electronic means. We only collect this information when users submit it voluntarily or through the public domain. If a user prefers not to submit such information online, they may contact OVC to determine an appropriate channel to transmit this information.

From these services, we may collect a person's first name, last name, email address, company, position, secondary email address, address, city, state, zip code, and phone numbers (home, work, or mobile). We may collect event-specific information pertaining to a person's attendance, meal preferences and guests. We may collect the provided name and email of a spouse, contributor or foundation to facilitate the recognition for a gift. This confidential information is kept on file for IRS purposes.

Storage Data

Donor information is maintained in a password-protected, secured database. Only authorized personnel have access to this information and only for appropriate business purposes. This information is shared with board members and authorized staff, only on a confidential and need-to-know basis.
On-line Security and Enforcement

Oak Valley maintains a Privacy Policy to protect your personal information and records.

Donor Bill of Rights

This was created by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and the Giving Institute: Leading Consultants to Non-Profits.

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, we declare that all donors have these rights:

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • To have access to the organization's most recent financial statements.

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

  • To receive appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.

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

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

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

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

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

Cash Recognition Donation Policy

It is the donor’s responsibility to deduct charitable contributions. They must itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040) or Schedule A (Form 1040NR). OVC provides thank you notes with the appropriate information included that maintain the organization’s records.

In-Kind Donation Policy

Oak Valley will adhere to all IRS regulations pertain to the recognition, valuation, and reporting of in-kind donations.

"In-kind giving" refers to contributions of goods and services that are of value to a nonprofit organization.  

“Fair market value (FMV) is the price that property would sell for on the open market. It is the price that would be agreed on between a willing buyer and a willing seller, with neither being required to act, and both having knowledge of the relevant facts.”[1] IRS Publication 561 (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p561.pdf) explains how to determine the fair market value of your donation. 

Appraisals are not necessary for items of property for which you claim a deduction of $5,000 or less. (There is one exception, described in IRS Publication 561 on page 9.) However, you generally will need an appraisal for donated property for which you claim a deduction of more than $5,000. There are exceptions described in IRS Publication 561 on page 9-11.  (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p561.pdf.)

As the IRS states, not every in-kind donation is tax-deductible. Donated services, although often welcomed by donors, generally cannot be written off. IRS Publication 526 (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf) outlines what types of donations can be deducted and how to claim a deduction.

It is the donors responsibility to deduct charitable contributions and list them on their tax return at their FMV. They must itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040) or Schedule A (Form 1040NR). It is the responsibility of the donor when donating goods worth over $5,000 to obtain an appraisal. If the claimed deduction for an item donated property is more than $5,000, you must attach Form 8283 to your tax return and complete Section B.[2]
  
The information above is not legal or tax advice to donors, rather Grandma’s Gifts acknowledging that the organization will follow all IRS guidelines pertaining to in-kind charitable contributions.

[1] IRS Publication 561, Page 2.

[2] IRS Publication 561, Page 11