Refund Policy | Donations
Effective Date: February 8, 2024
1. Introduction
There is no federal law that requires 501(c)(3) organizations to return donations. Once our nonprofit organization, the Hollywood Disclosure Alliance, has accepted a gift or donation, there is no legal obligation to return it. It becomes the property of the Hollywood Disclosure Alliance based on the principle concept of irrevocable gifts where the donor voluntarily transfers ownership and control of the gift to the nonprofit recipient, in this case the Hollywood Disclosure Alliance. Some individual states have enacted various laws that address this, but aside from special circumstances and/or egregious incidents, state courts typically side with the organization.
2. Our standard donor refund policy
The Hollywood Disclosure Alliance’s standard donor refund policy outlines the terms and conditions under which a donor can request a refund for a donation they have made to our nonprofit organization. While there may be no federal, state, or local mandate for having a refund policy, there are circumstances that can mandate a refund:
2.1 A refund can be issued if the terms of the donation agreement are no longer feasible. If the donor stipulates the funds are to be used for constructing a new HDA-related building and that building is no longer an option for our organization, our organization can refund the contribution or get permission from the donor to reallocate said contribution.
2.2 If a donor purchases a ticket or sponsorship to an HDA-related fundraising event and the event is cancelled, our organization can return the money to the donor, no questions asked.
Our nonprofit organization chooses to exercise discretion and accommodate refund requests in certain circumstances, particularly if there was an error or a misunderstanding in the donation process. We have implemented a formal, written donation refund policy in order to stop any unwanted, unwarranted donation refund requests and to prevent the possibility of any frivolous lawsuit. To comply with our formal, written donation refund policy, please submit your request(s) in writing via email to the following address: hda@hollywooddisclosurealliance.org
3. Here are key points to remember regarding our donor refund policy:
3.1 Eligibility for refunds can and may include, accidental duplicate donations, processing errors, or instances where the donor can demonstrate that the donation was made under fraudulent circumstances. Although there is no mandate for our 501(c)(3) to refund the transaction, our Hollywood Disclosure Alliance kindly allows for case-by-case refunds and strives to provide high-quality customer service to its visitors, members, and/or donors.
3.2 Timeframe for refund requests — The allotted time frame in which to formally submit a written request for a donation refund must not exceed 10-days from the date of the original donation. This maximum 10-day timeframe is necessary for our nonprofit’s auditing purposes, processes, and reconciliations.
3.3 Refund methods: Upon our organization approving a formal, written request for a donation refund, the Hollywood Disclosure Alliance will return said donation to the original payment method supplied by the donor (such as a credit card, debit card / bank account), or we may offer alternative options, such as a credit towards future donations.
3.4 Exceptions and restrictions can and may apply. Donations made during specific HDA campaigns or HDA-related events are typically non-refundable. It's essential to review our donor refund policy to understand any such limitations.
4. Updating of this Donor Refund Policy
We may update this Donor Refund Policy from time to time. We encourage you to check back periodically to review this Donor Refund Policy for any changes since your last visit.
Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us: hda@hollywooddisclosurealliance.org