Donations for Massachusetts Baptist Charitable Society

Donations

MBCS welcomes your tax-deductible gifts to be used for the benefit of clergy who are serving or—if retired—have served in Massachusetts. You may make a gift to the society and mail your check, made payable to: 

Massachusetts Baptist Charitable Society
Mr. Douglas Tatreau
Treasurer of MBCS
69 Fort Point Road
North Weymouth, MA 02191

Congregations may direct gifts to The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts (TABCOM) and note on the Mission Offerings Form, line 9, that the funds are designated for MBCS. TABCOM will then forward your gift to our organization.

In February 2008, the Executive Committee of MBCS voted unanimously to accept the Donor Bill of Rights, included below. 

Palm Side Up and a White 'Donate' Word

The Donor Bill of Rights

History

The Donor Bill of Rights has been created jointly by the American Association of Fundraising Council (AAFRC), the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). It has been embraced and/or expanded upon essentially by all associations supporting non-profit organizations in Canada and the U.S.

MBCS also embraces the Donor Bill of Rights as part of an ongoing commitment to transparency and accountability with our donors. The Executive Committee unanimously voted to accept and share it with our constituency on February 7, 2008.

Preamble

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 non-profit 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 that their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.
  • To receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.
  • To be assured that information about their donation is handled with respect and 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.