Charitable Disclosure Statements for Websites
Charities often know that states require charitable disclosure statements to accompany written solicitation and most charities include these disclosure statements along with their direct mail pieces. However, what is less understood is that many state regulators also want the state disclosure language to be pasted on a visible webpage on the organization’s website. This is not easy for organizations to do as they need to both keep up with the state statutes that determine the required disclosure wording and also need to come up with the HTML code to post on their website that satisfies these state disclosure requirements. To simplify this process for nonprofits and charities, below we have posted the required state disclosure verbiage so that a charity can just take the HTML code in the file and paste it on a new page on their website. Then you can just link to the page in your sitemap or another page and just like that, you have essentially satisfied the state disclosure requirement for your website.
State Charitable Disclosures
Some states require written disclosures for nonprofit organizations soliciting contributions. Individual state disclosures are as follows:
State | Disclosure Language |
Arkansas | Use an Arkansas address, including a return address, in any solicitation unless the:
(A) Charitable organization maintains and staffs an office at that address; |
Colorado | “Colorado residents may obtain copies of registration and financial documents from the office of the Secretary of State, 303-894-2860, www.sos.state.co.us/ re: Reg.No [registration number].”
Learn more at the Secretary of State FAQ page. |
Delaware | 1) The solicitor must identify themselves and the agency for which the funds are solicited and 2) donors are entitled to question how the funds will be allocated between administrative costs and actual charitable use. (http://revenue.delaware.gov) |
Florida | (2) A charitable organization or sponsor soliciting in this state must include all of the following disclosures at the point of solicitation:
(a) The name of the charitable organization or sponsor and state of the principal place of business of the charitable organization or sponsor; (3) Every charitable organization or sponsor which is required to register under s. 496.405 must conspicuously display in capital letters the following statement (including registration number) on every printed solicitation, written confirmation, receipt, or reminder of a contribution: |
Georgia | (a) Every charitable organization, paid solicitor, or solicitor agent required to be registered under this Code section, at the time of any solicitation that occurs in or from this state, shall include the following disclosures:
(1) The name and location of the paid solicitor and solicitor agent, if any; (A) A full and fair description of the charitable program for which the solicitation campaign is being carried out and, if different, a full and fair description of the programs and activities of the charitable organization on whose behalf the solicitation is being carried out; and (4) If made by a solicitor agent or paid solicitor, that the solicitation is being made by a paid solicitor on behalf of the charitable organization and not by a volunteer and inform the person being solicited that the contract disclosing the financial arrangements between the paid solicitor and the charity is on file with and available from the Secretary of State. Georgia Code Ann. § 43-17-8 |
Illinois | “Contracts and reports regarding [name] are on file with the Illinois Attorney General.”
…Engages in any public solicitation and therein purports to relate the purpose or purposes for which the funds are solicited, such shall then be fully and accurately identified to the prospective donor. |
Iowa | A charitable organization shall provide, upon request and without cost to the requesting party, financial disclosure information concerning contributions received and disbursements for the organization’s last complete fiscal year, or, if the organization has not completed a full fiscal year, for its current fiscal year, to the attorney general or a person requesting the information within five days of the request. |
Maine | It is a violation of this chapter for any person or entity to solicit contributions from a prospective donor without fully disclosing to the prospective donor, at the time of solicitation but prior to the request for contributions, the name and physical address of the charitable organization for which the solicitation is being conducted. |
Maryland | “For the cost of postage and copying, documents and information filed under the Maryland charitable organizations laws can be obtained from the Secretary of State, Charitable Division, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401, 800-825-4510.”
(g) “Disclosure statement” means a written statement that includes the following information: (1) a statement that a copy of the current financial statement of the charitable organization is available on request; The disclosure statement must be displayed conspicuously on a charitable solicitation and on a receipt for a charitable contribution. |
Michigan | No disclosure statement required. However, the state Attorney General’s office strongly encourages inclusion of the organization’s Michigan registration number in all solicitations written as: “MICS No._____.” |
Minnesota | Prior to orally requesting a contribution or contemporaneously with a written request for a contribution, the following information shall be clearly disclosed:
(a) the name and location by city and state of each charitable organization on behalf of which the solicitation is made; If the solicitation is made by direct personal contact, the required information shall also be disclosed prominently on a written document which shall be exhibited to the person solicited. If the solicitation is made by radio, television, letter, telephone, or any other means not involving direct personal contact, the required information shall be clearly disclosed in the solicitation. |
Mississippi | Any written confirmation, receipt and reminder of a contribution made pursuant to an oral solicitation and any written solicitation shall conspicuously state verbatim:
“The official registration and financial information of [insert the legal name of the charity as registered with the Secretary of State] may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167. Registration by the Secretary of State does not imply endorsement by the Secretary of State.” Miss. Code Ann. § 79-11-523(3) |
Nevada | A solicitation for a contribution by, for or on behalf of a charitable organization or nonprofit organization, including, without limitation, a solicitation by means of electronic mail or other electronic medium or device, must disclose the following information:
(a) The full legal name of the charitable organization or nonprofit organization as registered with the Secretary of State pursuant to this title; A solicitation for a contribution by, for or on behalf of a charitable organization or nonprofit organization by means of electronic medium or device, other than electronic mail, is deemed to comply with the requirements of subsection 1 if: (a) The information required to be disclosed pursuant to subsection 1 may be obtained from an Internet website maintained by the charitable organization or nonprofit organization; A solicitation or pledge drive conducted by a charitable organization or nonprofit organization as part of a broadcast telethon, radiothon, webcast or any similar form of broadcast communication is not required to provide the disclosure required by this section throughout the broadcast event, but must disclose the information to a prospective donor before the donor commits or pledges to make a contribution. A disclosure provided in connection with an appeal for funds to benefit a particular person or his or her immediate family must contain: (a) The name of the particular person or family members who are to benefit from the appeal; and |
New Jersey | Prior to soliciting any contribution (except for an in-person solicitation) either telephonically, electronically or in writing, a charitable organization, unless exempt from registration pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:48-3.3 and all independent paid fund raisers, commercial co-venturers and solicitors shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the following:
1. The name of the individual making the solicitation; …(c) If a contribution or pledge results from an oral or written solicitation, including a telephone solicitation but excluding any in-person solicitation, a written confirmation or receipt or written reminder shall, upon request of the contributor, be sent to the contributor. Every confirmation, receipt or reminder shall include the clear and conspicuous disclosure of the following: 1. The name of the individual making the solicitation; (d) Every printed solicitation, written confirmation, receipt or written reminder shall include the following statement which shall be conspicuously printed: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING 973-504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT http://www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/charfrm.htm. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT. NJ Admin. Code 13:48-11.2 (a) All canisters, honor boxes and public vending machines used to raise funds for charitable organizations required to be registered under the Act shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the following: 1. The name, address and registration number of the charitable organization, as registered with the Attorney General, or the organization’s name and address, if exempt; and (b) In addition to the requirements in (a) above, all canisters, honor boxes and public vending machines shall include the following statement which shall be conspicuously printed and displayed: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT. NJ Admin. Code 13:48-11.3 A charitable organization that limits its membership to persons who are or formerly were employed as officers statutorily authorized to enforce the criminal laws of this State or that is a parent organization that includes local units that so limit membership shall: (1) At least 10 days prior to initiating any solicitation campaign involving multiple solicitations, give written notice describing the nature, purpose and the proposed dates and location of the solicitations to the Attorney General and the county prosecutor of any county in which the solicitations will be made, unless the organization limits its membership to persons who are or were employed by the State, or is a parent organization with local units in more than one county, in which case notice shall be given to the Attorney General who shall notify the appropriate county prosecutors; and |
New York | “1. Any solicitation, by any means, including but not limited to oral solicitation, by or on behalf of a registered charitable organization which is required to file financial reports pursuant to this article and has filed all such reports, shall include therein a statement that upon request, a person may obtain from the organization or from the charities registry on the attorney general’s website, a copy of the last financial report filed by the organization with the attorney general. Such statement shall specify the address of the organization and the address of the attorney general, to which such request should be addressed and in the case of a written solicitation, must be placed conspicuously in the material with print no smaller than ten point bold face type or, alternatively, no smaller than the size print used for the most number of words in the statements. Provided, however, such statement need not be made where the space for a printed advertisement or promotional time in any media has been donated or made available to the charitable organization at no cost and such space or time does not reasonably permit inclusion of such statement.
2. Any solicitation used by or on behalf of any charitable organization shall include: |
North Carolina | (b) Disclosures. – A charitable organization or sponsor soliciting in this State shall include all of the following disclosures at the point of solicitation:
(1) The name of the charitable organization and state of the principal place of business of the charitable organization or sponsor. (c) Printed Disclosure. – Every charitable organization or sponsor that is required to obtain a license under G.S. 131F-5 shall conspicuously display in type of a minimum size nine points, the following statement on every printed solicitation, written confirmation, receipt, or reminder of a contribution: |
Ohio | Every charitable organization, whether or not required to register pursuant to this chapter, that directly solicits contributions in this state shall make the following disclosures at the point of solicitation:
(A) The name of the charitable organization and the city of the principal place of business of the charitable organization; |
Oregon | Any written or oral statement made in connection with a solicitation of contributions that the person or organization conducting the solicitation is registered or has filed, will file or is required to file any report with the Attorney General, or any statement of similar import, shall be immediately followed by a statement of equal prominence that such registration or report in no way constitutes or implies any indorsement, sanction or approval of the solicitation, its purposes, the manner in which it is conducted or the person or organization conducting it, by the Attorney General or any other governmental agency or officer. (O.R.S. § 128.893) |
Pennsylvania | (a) Solicitation limitation. – A charitable organization may only solicit contributions for the charitable purpose expressed in solicitation for contributions or the registration statement of the charitable organization and may only apply contributions in a manner substantially consistent with that purpose. (b) Solicitation disclosures. – A charitable organization soliciting in this Commonwealth shall include all of the following disclosures at the point of solicitation: (1) Its legal name as registered with the department and location and, if different, the legal name and address of the charitable organization as registered with the department on whose behalf the solicitation is being conducted. Any use of a project or program name in a solicitation must be immediately followed by a disclosure of the legal name of the charitable organization as registered. (c) Notice on printed solicitation. – On every printed solicitation or written confirmation, receipt and reminder of a contribution, the following statement must be conspicuously printed verbatim: |
Rhode Island | (a) Any written solicitation used by or on behalf of any charitable organization shall provide a description of the programs and activities for which it has expended or will expend contributions it receives from the solicitation or shall include therein a statement that, upon written request to a specified person at the charitable organization, a person may obtain from the charitable organization a description. In addition, any written solicitation shall state in clear and unambiguous language whether or not contributions are deductible for federal income tax purposes in accordance with applicable law. The requirements of this section shall be satisfied by written notice to the donor or prospective donor. This written notice requirement shall be deemed satisfied if made once during the solicitation process, including at the time of confirmation of receipt of any contribution. (b) If any charitable organization solicits contributions for or makes contributions through a solicitation to another organization which is not its affiliate as defined in § 5-53.1-4, the written solicitation shall include a statement that the contributions have been made and that a list of all organizations which have received contributions from the soliciting organization during the most recently completed fiscal year of the charitable organization for which information is required to be filed in accordance with § 5-53.1-2 may be obtained from that organization. A United Way, federated fund or incorporated community appeal, by or through which a donation is merely transferred to another organization selected by the donor, does not need to include the donor selected transferee organizations in the list. The requirements of this section shall be satisfied by a written notice to the donor or prospective donor. This written notice requirement shall be deemed satisfied if made once during the solicitation process, including at the time of confirmation of receipt of any contribution. (c) A charitable organization shall comply with all requests made pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section within fifteen (15) days of their receipt. (RI Gen L § 5-53.1-12 (2012)) |
Texas | (b) A written disclosure must be in contrasting eight-point type or larger. (c) A disclosure must include: (1) the name of the public safety organization registered under Section 1803.053, if an organization is involved; (a) A veterans organization solicitor shall disclose at the time each solicitation is made the following information: “The secretary of state has on file important information about persons that seek contributions in the name of veterans, and the number to call about that information is the Solicitation Information Hotline (the number maintained by the secretary of state).” |
Virginia | “Financial statements are available from the State Division of Consumer Affairs, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218.”
Every charitable organization required to be registered pursuant to § 57-49 and every professional solicitor required to be registered pursuant to § 57-61 soliciting contributions from prospective contributors shall disclose to the potential donor contemporaneously at the point of a written request or on a written receipt for donations made in response to an oral request that a financial statement is available from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services upon request. |
Washington | “The notice of solicitation required by the State Office of Consumer Affairs is on file with the Washington Secretary of State, and information relating to financial affairs of [name] is available from the Secretary of State, and the toll-free number for Washington residents: 800-332-4483.”
All entities soliciting contributions for charitable purposes must comply with the requirements of this section except entities exempted from registration are not required to make the disclosures under subsections (1)(c), (4)(b) or (c), and (5)(b) of this section. The following conditions apply to solicitations as defined by RCW 19.09.020: (1) Any entity that directly solicits contributions from the public in this state must make the following clear and conspicuous disclosures at the point of solicitation: |
West Virginia | No charitable organizations subject to this article may solicit funds from the public except for charitable purposes or expend funds raised for charitable purposes not stated in its solicitation materials.
All registered charitable organizations and their professional fund raisers and solicitors are required to disclose in writing: (1) The name of a representative of the charitable organization to whom inquiries can be made; (2) the name of the charitable organization; (3) the purpose of the solicitation; (4) upon request of the person solicited, the estimated percentage of the money collected which will be applied to the cost of solicitation and administration or how much of the money collected will be applied directly for the charitable purpose; and (5) the number of the raffle, bingo or other such state permit used for fund raising. Every printed solicitation shall include the following statement: “West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, West Virginia 25305. Registration does not imply endorsement.” The disclosure statement shall be conspicuously displayed on any written or printed solicitation. Where the solicitation consists of more than one piece, the disclosure statement shall be displayed on a prominent part of the solicitation materials. |
Wisconsin | (1) Except as provided in sub. (4), if a professional fund-raiser or unpaid solicitor solicits a contribution for a charitable organization that is required to be registered under s. 440.42 (1), the professional fund-raiser or unpaid solicitor shall, at the time of the solicitation or with a written confirmation of a solicitation, prior to accepting a contribution, make the following disclosures to the person from whom the contribution is solicited: (a) The name and location of the charitable organization. (b) That a financial statement of the charitable organization disclosing assets, liabilities, fund balances, revenue and expenses for the preceding fiscal year will be provided to the person upon request. (c) A clear description of the primary charitable purpose for which the solicitation is made. (2) The financial statement under sub. (1) (b) shall, at a minimum, divide expenses into categories of management and general, program services and fund-raising. If the charitable organization is required to file an annual financial report under s. 440.42 (3) (a), the financial statement under sub. (1) (b) shall be consistent with that annual financial report. (3) In addition to the requirements under subs. (1) and (2), except as provided in sub. (4), if a professional fund-raiser solicits on behalf of a charitable organization that is required to be registered under s. 440.42 (1), all of the following apply: (a) If a solicitation is made orally, including a solicitation made by telephone, the professional fund-raiser shall send a written confirmation, within 5 days after the solicitation, to each person contributing or pledging to contribute. The written confirmation shall include a clear and conspicuous disclosure of the name of the professional fund-raiser and that the solicitation is being conducted by a professional fund-raiser. (b) The professional fund-raiser may not represent that any part of the contributions received by the professional fund-raiser will be given or donated to a charitable organization unless that charitable organization has, prior to the solicitation, consented in writing, signed by 2 authorized officers, directors or trustees of that other charitable organization, to the use of its name. (c) The professional fund-raiser may not represent that tickets to an event will be donated to an organization for use by others unless all of the following conditions are met: 1. The professional fund-raiser has a commitment, in writing, from the organization stating that the organization will accept donated tickets and specifying the number of donated tickets that the organization is willing to accept. 2. The professional fund-raiser solicits contributions for donated tickets from no more contributors than the number of tickets that the organization has agreed to accept under subd. 1. (4) A charitable organization that operates solely within one community and that received less than $50,000 in contributions during its most recently completed fiscal year may apply to the department for an exemption from the disclosure requirements under this section. The department shall promulgate rules specifying the criteria for eligibility for an exemption under this paragraph, and shall grant exemptions from the disclosure requirements under this section to a charitable organization that satisfies those criteria. (W.S.A. 440.455) |
REGISTRATION WITH A STATE AGENCY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THAT STATE.
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