At Giving Compass, we are committed to empowering users with the tools and information they need to make informed, impactful decisions. Our Guide to Good platform leverages AI to provide personalized recommendations, insights, and tools that exist to support donors at any stage of their donor journey — whether they’re looking for articles on causes, best practices in philanthropy, impact stories, funds, or nonprofits directly. Central to this commitment is our dedication to ethical AI and data practices. That’s why we’ve developed the Giving Compass Data Charter. This charter exists to transparently outline how we collect, use, and protect data, ensuring our practices align with our core values of equity, effectiveness, transparency, and systems change.

What is a Data Charter?

A data charter is a comprehensive document that outlines an organization's principles, practices, and policies regarding data collection, usage, privacy, and security. It serves as a guide for how we handle data ethically and responsibly, ensuring that our actions are transparent and aligned with our mission to support diverse communities and drive positive social impact.

Why Do We Need a Data Charter?

In today’s digital age (and particularly in the age of generative AI like ChatGPT), data is an incredibly powerful tool that can drive meaningful change. However, in the words of a very famous fictional superhero uncle - with great power comes great responsibility. The responsibility to ethically use data entrusted to us by partners and users is something we take very seriously. It is always on our minds, not least of which because we recognize that philanthropy and nonprofits cannot succeed without trust. And being effective stewards of data entrusted to us is paramount to building trust with our users and ensuring that our tools and recommendations are full of incredible data from engaged partners and also that our tools are as unbiased, equitable, and effective as they can possibly be. The Giving Compass Data Charter is our commitment to upholding this responsibility and safeguarding this trust through actively centering the highest standards of data integrity and protecting the privacy and rights of our users in what we build and what we do.

Giving Compass Data Charter

Our data charter covers several key areas:

Data Collection

We collect user information, behavioral data, and data from external sources to enhance the donor experience. This includes demographic details, actions taken on the platform, and non-standard data from underrepresented nonprofits to reduce bias and ensure comprehensive representation.

Data Usage

Collected data is used to personalize user experiences, improve our AI search tool, conduct internal research, and employ techniques to reduce bias.

Data Privacy and Security

We prioritize privacy through transparent consent management, data encryption, secure storage, and regular security audits. We minimize data collection to what is necessary and rely on third parties like Stripe and Okta for financial data and user authentication.

Privacy-First Approach

We prioritize donor privacy by anonymizing data and ensuring that personally identifiable information is only disclosed when it enhances a user’s or donor’s experience or is legally necessary.

Ethical Considerations

Our practices reflect core values of equity, effectiveness, transparency, systems change, and bias mitigation. We ensure extra protections for data from vulnerable populations and conduct regular audits to detect and mitigate biases in our AI systems.

Compliance and Regulations

We adhere to relevant data protection laws, including GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA, ensuring responsible data sharing and international compliance.

Monitoring and Review

We have a research committee for ongoing data practice reviews and updates. Automated tools and periodic reviews help us continuously monitor and improve our platform.

User Rights and Control

Users can access and edit their data, opt-out of specific data uses, and contact our Data Protection Officer for concerns. We retain data only as long as necessary and ensure secure deletion when it’s no longer needed.

Data Breach Response

In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected users within 72 hours, provide details on the breach, and offer support and guidance on protecting their data.

What Does It Mean for How We Operate?

The Giving Compass Data Charter is more than just a document—it is a living commitment to ethical data practices that guide our operations daily. It means that every decision we make is rooted in our values, ensuring that we remain transparent, equitable, and effective in our mission. By adhering to these principles, we can better serve our users, provide valuable insights, and drive broader social impact.

Our Dedication to Safeguard User Data

At Giving Compass, we’re dedicated to safeguarding user data and maintaining ethical standards in all our practices. As a nonprofit organization, our mission is at the heart of everything we do. Technology, including data and AI, is just a set of tools to help us achieve our mission of more effectively educating donors. We never forget that mission, and we strive to live it every day as a team. Our data charter is a testament to our commitment to innovation, equity, and transparency. We always welcome feedback from our community to ensure it remains relevant and effective, and we are excited to continue building a platform that empowers informed and impactful philanthropy.