Gift Acceptance Policy
Hiraeth Hope & Healing, Inc.®
Hiraeth Hope & Healing, Inc.® is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to accepting charitable contributions responsibly, ethically, and in a manner consistent with our mission.
This Gift Acceptance Policy establishes guidelines for the acceptance of charitable gifts and is intended to protect the interests of Hiraeth Hope & Healing, our community, and those who choose to support our work.
General Policy
Hiraeth Hope & Healing welcomes charitable contributions that support our mission, programs, gatherings, educational resources, scholarships, community initiatives, and organizational sustainability.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing reserves the right to accept or decline any contribution.
A gift may be declined when accepting it would:
Conflict with the mission, values, or charitable purposes of Hiraeth Hope & Healing
Create an unreasonable financial, administrative, legal, or other obligation
Place inappropriate restrictions on the organization or its work
Compromise the independence or integrity of the organization
Create unacceptable risk or liability
Require expenditures or resources disproportionate to the value or benefit of the gift
Violate applicable law or jeopardize the organization's tax-exempt status
Acceptance of a contribution does not provide a donor with authority over Hiraeth Hope & Healing's governance, operations, programs, participants, volunteers, or organizational decisions.
Gifts Generally Accepted
Hiraeth Hope & Healing may routinely accept:
Cash and checks
Credit and debit card contributions
Electronic contributions
Recurring contributions
Contributions through approved fundraising platforms
Publicly traded securities
Tangible personal property and in-kind contributions consistent with organizational needs
Unrestricted bequests of cash or readily marketable assets
Other forms of charitable support that do not require additional review under this policy
Some gifts may require additional review before acceptance.
Restricted Gifts
Donors may request that a contribution support a particular Hiraeth Hope & Healing program, campaign, or charitable purpose.
Gifts designated for an established Hiraeth Hope & Healing program or fundraising initiative may generally be accepted when the organization can reasonably administer and honor the designation.
Gifts containing substantial, unusual, long-term, or otherwise burdensome restrictions are subject to Board review.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing reserves the right to decline a proposed restriction.
If circumstances make an accepted restriction impossible, impractical, unlawful, or inconsistent with the organization's charitable purposes, Hiraeth Hope & Healing will address the gift in accordance with applicable law and any governing gift agreement.
Publicly Traded Securities
Hiraeth Hope & Healing may accept gifts of publicly traded stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares, and other readily marketable securities, subject to the organization's ability to receive and administer the gift.
Unless otherwise determined by Hiraeth Hope & Healing, donated securities may be sold as soon as reasonably practical following receipt. Hiraeth Hope & Healing does not guarantee the value of securities at the time of sale.
Donors are responsible for obtaining their own legal, financial, and tax advice regarding gifts of securities. Hiraeth Hope & Healing does not provide investment or tax advice or determine the value of a donor's charitable deduction.
Closely held securities, privately held business interests, and other non-publicly traded financial interests are subject to Board review before acceptance.
Tangible Personal Property and In-Kind Contributions
Hiraeth Hope & Healing may accept gifts of tangible personal property and other in-kind contributions when the gift supports the organization's mission, programs, gatherings, or operational needs.
Examples may include DNA testing kits donated to the DNA Kit Support Program, retreat or gathering supplies, educational materials, raffle or fundraising items, equipment, and other goods that Hiraeth Hope & Healing determines can be appropriately used.
Before accepting tangible personal property, Hiraeth Hope & Healing may consider:
Whether the gift is consistent with the organization's mission and current needs
Whether the organization can reasonably use, distribute, store, transport, maintain, or dispose of the property
Costs associated with accepting or maintaining the property
The condition, usefulness, and anticipated life of the property
Restrictions placed on its use
Potential legal, financial, safety, or administrative concerns
Hiraeth Hope & Healing reserves the right to decline unsolicited goods or property that the organization cannot reasonably use or that would create an undue burden.
Donors are responsible for determining the value of donated property for tax purposes and obtaining any appraisal or documentation required to support a charitable deduction. Hiraeth Hope & Healing may acknowledge receipt and describe donated property but does not assign or certify its value for tax purposes.
DNA Testing Kit Contributions, Recipient Privacy, and Anonymity
Hiraeth Hope & Healing may accept donated DNA testing kits or funds designated for the DNA Kit Support Program.
The identity of a DNA Kit Support Program recipient is confidential. Donors are not provided with a recipient's name, contact information, identifying information, circumstances, testing status, or other information that could reasonably identify the recipient. Hiraeth Hope & Healing will not facilitate contact between a donor and recipient based solely on the donor's contribution.
Donors do not receive access to a recipient's DNA results, genetic information, family information, search information, biological relationships, discoveries, communications, or other personal information obtained or developed through DNA testing or related support.
A donor may not condition a contribution on an individual completing DNA testing, disclosing results, identifying biological relatives, making contact with relatives, participating in a search or reunion, sharing their story, communicating with the donor, or taking any other action related to a DNA discovery.
Receipt of a donated DNA testing kit does not require the recipient to use the kit. Decisions regarding whether and when to test, access or share results, pursue additional research, contact relatives, participate in reunion, or disclose information remain with the recipient.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing limits the collection, use, and disclosure of recipient information to what is reasonably necessary to administer the DNA Kit Support Program and provide related support. Recipient information will not be sold, rented, traded, or provided to donors for marketing, solicitation, research, or other unrelated purposes.
DNA testing is performed by independent third-party testing companies. The collection, processing, storage, use, and disclosure of genetic information by those companies are governed by their own terms, consent procedures, and privacy policies. Hiraeth Hope & Healing does not control the privacy or data practices of third-party DNA testing providers.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing reserves the right to decline DNA testing kits or related contributions containing conditions inconsistent with recipient anonymity, privacy, autonomy, program guidelines, or the organization's mission.
Planned Gifts
Hiraeth Hope & Healing welcomes bequests and other appropriate forms of planned giving.
Because planned gifts may involve individual legal, financial, estate, insurance, and tax considerations, donors are encouraged to consult their own qualified professional advisors.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing does not provide personal legal, tax, estate-planning, investment, or financial advice.
Planned gifts that create continuing obligations, contain significant restrictions, involve property or assets requiring additional review, or otherwise present unusual circumstances are subject to Board review before acceptance when acceptance is required during the donor's lifetime or before administration of the gift.
Gifts Subject to Board Review
Certain gifts require review and approval by the Hiraeth Hope & Healing Board of Directors before acceptance because they may involve restrictions, continuing obligations, potential liabilities, administrative requirements, or other considerations beyond routine charitable contributions.
Gifts subject to Board review include:
Real estate, including residential, commercial, agricultural, undeveloped property, and other interests in real property
Restricted gifts containing substantial, unusual, long-term, or burdensome conditions
Closely held securities, privately held securities, and privately held business interests
Bequests involving property, significant restrictions or conditions, potential liabilities, or other unusual circumstances
Life insurance policies, including gifts involving ownership of an existing policy or arrangements that may create premium payments or other continuing obligations
Tangible personal property of significant value when acceptance may create substantial storage, maintenance, insurance, transportation, disposition, or administrative obligations
Cryptocurrency and other digital assets when acceptance requires arrangements outside the organization's established giving procedures
Gifts involving trusts, annuities, contracts, or other continuing financial or legal obligations
Gifts that may create significant legal, financial, environmental, reputational, safety, or administrative risk
Any other unusual or complex gift that organizational leadership determines warrants Board consideration
The Board may seek advice from legal, tax, financial, insurance, environmental, or other qualified professionals when evaluating a proposed gift.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing reserves the right to decline any gift that the Board determines is inconsistent with the organization's mission, charitable purposes, legal obligations, financial interests, or ability to administer the gift responsibly.
Valuation of Noncash Gifts
The donor is responsible for determining the fair market value of donated property and obtaining any independent appraisal required for tax purposes.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing may provide an acknowledgment describing property received but does not assign, certify, or provide an appraisal of donated property for purposes of a donor's charitable deduction.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing may provide information or signatures reasonably required of the receiving charitable organization on applicable tax documentation but does not certify the donor's claimed valuation by doing so.
Gift Acknowledgment
Hiraeth Hope & Healing will provide written acknowledgment of charitable contributions when required by applicable law and may provide acknowledgment for other contributions as appropriate.
For contributions of $250 or more, acknowledgments will include the information required under applicable federal tax rules, including the amount of a monetary contribution or a description, but not the value, of noncash property received and the required statement concerning whether goods or services were provided in exchange for the contribution.
When a donor makes a payment of more than $75 that is partly a charitable contribution and partly payment for goods or services provided by Hiraeth Hope & Healing, the organization will provide the written disclosure required by applicable federal tax law, including a good-faith estimate of the value of the goods or services provided.
Donors are responsible for determining the deductibility of their contributions and maintaining documentation necessary to support any charitable deduction.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing does not provide tax, legal, or financial advice.
Donor Privacy
Hiraeth Hope & Healing respects the privacy of our donors and handles donor information responsibly.
We do not sell, rent, or trade donor personal information.
Donor information may be used to process and acknowledge contributions, maintain required financial and administrative records, communicate regarding contributions and giving opportunities, and fulfill applicable legal and reporting requirements.
Access to donor information is limited to those who require it for legitimate organizational purposes and to service providers assisting Hiraeth Hope & Healing with functions such as payment processing, donation management, communications, and recordkeeping.
Requests for anonymity will be honored when reasonably possible and consistent with applicable legal, financial, and reporting requirements.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing will not publicly identify an anonymous donor without permission unless disclosure is required by law.
Use of Contributions
Unrestricted contributions may be used where Hiraeth Hope & Healing determines they can best support the organization's charitable mission, programs, and operations.
Contributions designated for an accepted restricted purpose will be administered in accordance with that restriction.
A donor's contribution does not create ownership, governance, decision-making, or other control over Hiraeth Hope & Healing or the programs, services, or activities supported by the contribution.
Authority to Accept or Decline Gifts
Routine contributions that meet the requirements of this policy may be accepted through Hiraeth Hope & Healing's established giving channels without individual Board approval.
Gifts identified in this policy as requiring Board review must be approved by the Board of Directors before acceptance.
Hiraeth Hope & Healing may request additional information reasonably necessary to evaluate a proposed gift.
The Board of Directors retains final authority regarding the acceptance or refusal of gifts requiring additional review.
Policy Review
The Board of Directors will periodically review this Gift Acceptance Policy and may revise it as necessary to reflect organizational needs, legal requirements, and accepted nonprofit practices.
Questions regarding a proposed contribution may be directed to:
Hiraeth Hope & Healing, Inc.®
info@hiraethhopeandhealing.com
Board Approved: September 2026
Last Updated: September 2026