Our Donor Charter

Swinburne University of Technology celebrates the important role of philanthropy at the University and is committed to outstanding levels of donor stewardship, ensuring that donors have fulfilling experiences when supporting the University.

We implement gifts as agreed with our donor and seek to create meaningful opportunities to nurture a donor’s an ongoing relationship with the institution. We provide accurate and timely information pertaining to the investment, use and impact of all philanthropic gifts. 

Swinburne University of Technology makes the following commitments to Donors:

To be transparent, informative and professional 

• Swinburne University of Technology adheres to the Universities Australia Code of Practice for Australian University Philanthropy. 
• A donor can expect to be informed of the University’s mission, the way the University intends to use the gift and the identity of key personnel involved in managing the gift. 
• Individuals representing the University will act in a professional manner, and will inform prospective donors if they are volunteers, students or University staff. 
• No program, agreement, trust or contract will be pursued with potential donors at the expense of the donor’s intent. 
• The University and its staff will actively and positively provide relevant information on the University, and the use of, and progress with, the gift. 

To respect the privacy of donors 

• Donor’s details will be treated confidentially and will not be shared with any organisation outside the University for their own purposes without express permission. 
• Requests for anonymity will be respected, honoured and confidentially enacted. 

To use gifts effectively and ethically in line with donor wishes 

• The University is committed to ensuring that philanthropic gifts are managed in an efficient, effective and ethical manner for their intended purposes. 
• Should it become impractical or impossible to carry out the expressed purpose(s), or where the University reasonably believes that the original expressed wishes are no longer a suitable and effective means of using the gift, the University will communicate with the donor or the donor’s nominated representative. 
• As part of our commitment to responsible management and oversight of philanthropic gifts, the Philanthropic Governance Committee helps Swinburne to monitor how the University receives, tracks and applies gifts based on the explicit wishes expressed by donors.  The Committee reports bi-annually on the administration of philanthropic income of the University. 

To acknowledge and recognise donors and celebrate philanthropy 

• All donors will receive an official receipt, and appropriate acknowledgement and recognition.
• We want to celebrate and ensure that donors get to enjoy their philanthropy.