Soapbox Engage Blog

Nonprofit consent. Transparency. Partnership. Accountability.

These may sound like simple ideas, but they are foundational to the relationship between nonprofits, their donors, and the technology companies that help make fundraising possible.

That's why Soapbox Engage is proud to endorse the National Council of Nonprofits' Principles for Ethical Online Fundraising Platforms.

The principles were developed in response to growing concerns about online fundraising practices that can undermine nonprofit organizations and donor trust. The National Council of Nonprofits notes that some platforms solicit or collect donations on behalf of nonprofits without their knowledge or consent, use inaccurate information about organizations, or introduce fees and other costs that donors may not fully understand.

For an industry built around generosity and public trust, that deserves a serious conversation.

Who should fundraising technology serve?

Soapbox Engage has been building technology for nonprofits since 2001. Over those 25 years, we've watched fundraising technology evolve from relatively simple online donation forms into sophisticated platforms that can manage everything from donations and events to auctions, advocacy, ecommerce, and more.

The technology has changed dramatically. One thing shouldn't.

The nonprofit and its mission should come first.

That means nonprofits should have a say in how technology is used to raise money in their name. Donors should understand where their money is going and what they are being asked to pay. And technology companies should view nonprofits as partners, not simply as a source of transactions, data, or revenue.

These aren't radical ideas. They should be the baseline.

Four principles for a healthier fundraising ecosystem

The National Council of Nonprofits' principles focus on four areas that we believe should guide every online fundraising platform:

1. Nonprofit Consent

Nonprofits should have the power to decide whether, when, and how an online fundraising platform engages with them before donations are solicited or collected in their name.

A nonprofit's brand, mission, donor relationships, and fundraising efforts belong to the organization. Technology should support that agency, not circumvent it.

2. Transparency

Donors deserve the information they need to make informed decisions about giving through an online fundraising platform.

That includes clarity around the donation process, fees, and other costs. Donors should never have to guess where their money is going or why they are being asked to pay more.

Transparency is also at the heart of broader ethical fundraising practices. The National Council of Nonprofits emphasizes that fundraising communications should be accurate and honest, and that nonprofits should be transparent about their fundraising practices and costs.

3. Partnership

Online fundraising platforms should recognize nonprofits as valued, equal partners.

That means understanding that a nonprofit is more than a customer or an account. It is an organization working toward a mission, building relationships with supporters, and earning trust in its community.

Technology companies have a responsibility to respect those relationships and help nonprofits strengthen them.

4. Accountability

Fundraising platforms should be accountable to nonprofits, donors, the public, and appropriate regulators.

Trust requires accountability. When technology sits between a nonprofit and its supporters, the platform has a responsibility to operate in a way that protects both sides of that relationship.

Ethical fundraising technology should be the standard, not the differentiator

We believe these principles are important precisely because they shouldn't be controversial.

Consent, transparency, partnership, and accountability shouldn't be competitive differentiators that nonprofits have to hunt for when evaluating technology. They should be expectations.

The National Council of Nonprofits and its network of state and regional associations are helping establish a framework for that conversation. The principles have already been endorsed by 52 state and regional associations representing nearly 40,000 nonprofit organizations, alongside a growing number of fundraising platforms.

We're proud to be among them. But an endorsement is only a starting point. We hope:

• Nonprofit leaders will ask fundraising technology providers how they approach these principles
• Boards and fundraising teams will consider them when evaluating technology and writing RFPs
• Donors will continue to expect transparency and accountability from the companies that facilitate their generosity

Most importantly, we hope more technology companies will recognize that ethical practices aren't an obstacle to innovation or growth.

They are part of the responsibility that comes with serving the nonprofit sector.

After 25 years, we've seen plenty of technologies, platforms, payment models, and fundraising trends come and go.

Our commitment hasn't changed: build technology that helps nonprofits advance their missions while respecting the people and relationships that make those missions possible.

We're proud to endorse the National Council of Nonprofits' Principles for Ethical Online Fundraising Platforms, and we hope this is the beginning of a broader conversation about what nonprofits and donors should expect from the technology they trust.

Learn more about the Principles for Ethical Online Fundraising Platforms from the National Council of Nonprofits, or read the full principles document.