Conditionally approved version from Board meeting 12/23/24. 

DZOKDEN GIFT ACCEPTANCE POLICY

Dzokden Donor Policy

At Dzokden, we warmly invite and deeply appreciate gifts that support our mission and reflect the values of our spiritual director, Shar Khentrul Rinpoche Jamphel Lodrö, and our vibrant community. Your generosity helps us fulfill our goal of creating a golden age of peace and harmony in the world through the teachings and practices of the Jonang Kalachakra, with a unique emphasis on rimé and Zhentong aspects. This Donor Policy is designed to provide clarity and guidance for all those considering a gift to Dzokden—whether you are a prospective donor, one of our team members involved in gift solicitation, or an outside advisor assisting with gift planning. It outlines the types of gifts we accept, the standards that guide our decision-making, and who has the final authority in the acceptance process.

Key Principles of Our Donor Policy

Commitment to Our Mission

Dzokden is dedicated to accepting gifts that support our mission and align with our values. This includes gifts that enhance our ability to spread the Jonang Kalachakra teachings and promote the well-being of our community.

1. Generosity in the Spirit of “Dana”: We encourage donations given in the true spirit of dana—generosity without expectation of return. Gifts should come from a place of heartfelt giving, with no additional conditions or expectations. When making a donation, we ask that donors do so in alignment with their own intentions and in the best interests of Dzokden.
2. Types of Gifts We Accept: Dzokden gladly accepts a wide variety of gifts, including cash, securities, real estate, and other assets, as long as the gift supports our mission and meets our acceptance guidelines. Unless otherwise specified, all gifts are considered unrestricted, meaning they may be used by Dzokden where most needed. However, if a gift is intended for a specific purpose, this must be clearly stated either in the solicitation materials or through a formal written agreement signed by both the donor and an authorized representative of Dzokden.
3. Standards for Acceptance: Gifts will be evaluated based on whether they are consistent with Dzokden’s mission, values, and legal and ethical standards. We reserve the right to decline gifts that may harm the financial, legal, or ethical integrity of Dzokden, or compromise its reputation.
4. Final Determination: The final decision on the acceptance of gifts is made by the appropriate representatives of Dzokden, in accordance with our policies and the best interests of the organization.

Dzokden abides by the Donor’s Bill of Rights as well as the Dzokden Code of Conduct.

Section 2: Definitions

• Gift: A donation of money or any other form of value made to Dzokden or its official affiliates.
• Donor: An individual, organization, or entity making a gift to Dzokden, including charitable foundations, corporations, or other entities.
• Donor Identity Unknown: A gift where the donor’s identity is unknown to Dzokden, typically delivered by a third party.
• Anonymous Gift: A gift where the donor’s identity is known to Dzokden, but they request privacy regarding the public’s awareness, the amount or other details of the donation.
• Director of Finance: An individual that is not a member of the Board of the Directors that work with the Board Treasurer is authorized to accept gifts as outlined in Section 5 below.
• Dzokden Board of Directors: (hereafter referred to as The Board) is the body that approves certain types of gifts, as outlined in Section 5 below.

Section 3: Gift Acceptance Principles and Standards

Charitable giving is a balance between philanthropic, personal, financial, and tax considerations. Dzokden is committed to accepting gifts that support its mission and are aligned with our values. The following principles guide our gift acceptance:

1. Mission Alignment: The primary motivation for making a gift should be to support Dzokden’s mission and programs.
2. Legal and Tax Guidance: Dzokden does not provide legal or tax advice. We encourage all donors to consult their own legal and tax advisors. Gifts should never be urged upon donors in a way that harms their personal interests or welfare.
3. Refusal of Gifts: Dzokden reserves the right to refuse any gift that:
• Conflicts with our mission or values
• Introduces a conflict of interest
• Imposes prohibitive restrictions
• Exposes Dzokden to legal, financial, or reputational risk
• Violates any local, state, or federal laws
4. Acceptance Conditions: Gifts will only be accepted if:
• The Donor can not exert undue influence over Dzokden’s operations nor distort Dzokden’s programs
• They do not jeopardize the public’s trust in Dzokden
• They come from lawful sources
5. Anonymity: We will honor donor requests for anonymity, provided it does not violate legal disclosure requirements. See Section 6 for more details on protecting anonymity.
6. Monetization of Non-Cash Assets: Dzokden generally prefers to monetize non-cash assets (e.g., securities, cryptocurrency, real estate) promptly to benefit from the value immediately. We may refuse gifts with restrictions that prevent monetization.

Section 4: Valuing Gifts

As required by U.S. tax law, donors are responsible for determining the eligibility for any deductions, for the value given to any property and filing required IRS forms and obtaining any required appraisals or documentation. Dzokden will accept in-kind gifts (e.g., goods or services) that are useful to our mission, subject to review by the Director of Finance or a member of the Board of Directors as outlined in Section 5. 

Section 5: Gift Acceptance Procedures

• Level of Review.

• The Treasurer, their designee or the Director of Finance will review and determine whether Dzokden will accept gifts that are unrestricted, subject only to an endowment restriction, or restricted only to be used for a purpose previously approved by the Board and which consist of cash, cryptocurrency, or publicly traded securities with a value of up to $100,000 or tangible property with a value of up to $25,000.

• Unless approval of the Board is required by the following paragraph, the Treasurer or their designee will review and determine whether Dzokden will accept the following types of gifts:

• gifts of more than $100,000; 

• gifts of tangible property with an estimated value of more than $25,000

• The Board will review and determine whether Dzokden will accept the following types of proposed gifts: 

• gifts that include a restriction that would require Dzokden to conduct a major program or activity that the Board has not previously approved; 

• gifts that may require Dzokden to make an unusually large financial commitment or expenditure; 

• gifts of real estate or business interests; 

• gifts that another section of this policy requires the Board to review; 

• gifts referred to the Board by the Director of Finance or that the Board decides to review in its discretion; and 

• types of gifts not otherwise addressed by this Section 5.A.

Review Procedure The Board of Directors or Director of Finance, as applicable, will review proposed gifts using publicly available information and information received from the prospective donor to determine, with professional advice when appropriate, whether the gift complies with this policy’s principles and standards, especially those outlined in section 3.C. This review will be conducted prior to solicitation of the donor, or prior to acceptance for unsolicited gifts. If the Board of Directors, Treasurer or Director of Finance determines whether to accept a gift, its decision will be communicated to the Executive Director within one week of being asked to review the gift or within a longer reasonable time period. In a case where the gift is rejected, the donor will be informed of the decision by the Treasurer. If the Director of Finance rejects a gift, the Treasurer will inform the Board and include the reason for rejection. Recordkeeping All decisions, consultations, and notifications regarding gift acceptance will be documented digitally to a degree of detail appropriate to the magnitude of the gifts, and such records must remain accessible to the Board.

Section 6: Standard of Conduct

Dzokden staff and Board members are required to uphold the Dzokden Code of Conduct, which includes:

• No Personal Benefit: Staff and Board members must not benefit personally from gifts.
• Avoid Conflicts of Interest: Staff or Board members must not participate in gift solicitation or negotiations if it could result in a conflict of interest, unless explicitly approved.
• No Finder’s Fees: Dzokden does not pay finder’s fees for acquiring gifts.

We will not knowingly accept gifts that would result in unethical or illegal advantages for the donor or any third party.

Section 7: Donor Privacy and Confidentiality

Dzokden is committed to respecting donor privacy and confidentiality for those who wish to give anonymously. We will make all reasonable efforts to honor the donor’s wishes regarding anonymity and will make every effort to only disclose information when required by law. Any intentional violation of donor confidentiality will be subject to disciplinary action.

Section 8: Policy Review

The Director of Finance will periodically review this policy and propose updates to the Treasurer and Board as necessary to ensure it remains aligned with Dzokden’s mission and legal requirements.