Donations & refunds

Before giving opens

• Complete the applicable Maryland charitable solicitation filing and confirm the public disclosure language.
• Make the confirmed federal tax-exempt status and supporting documentation clear to donors.
• Select and test a secure donation provider that keeps payment data outside the Foundation website.
• Publish final receipt, privacy, refund, restricted-gift, and donor-contact terms.

Provisional refund approach

Once an authorized giving channel opens, a donor may request review of a donation made in error or reported as unauthorized by contacting the Foundation within seven calendar days of the transaction.

The request should include the donor name, transaction date, amount, and provider reference, but never a full card or bank-account number. Requests will be reviewed against available payment records and applicable law. An approved refund will be returned through the original payment method when possible, and any receipt will be corrected or cancelled as appropriate. Provider processing times may apply.

This provisional approach is not yet an active transaction policy because the Foundation is not accepting donations.

Follow readiness progress

Ask to receive a manual progress update. This opens an email; there is no automated mailing list.