Q: We just had our first Ask Event^™, and it was a success! What is the proper protocol for releasing donation amounts and donors? One of our Table Captains is also a board member and wanted to know how much each of his individual guests contributed. How should we proceed?

Natasha in New York

A: I don't recommend telling Table Captains how much money their guests contributed to the organization, even if the Table Captain making the request is also a board member. This is private information, and some of your donors may want their gifts kept confidential. You will need to ask each of your donors separately whether they are willing to make their gift amount public and allow you to publish their names in your annual report. If they agree to make their information public, your curious Table Captains can find out through the annual report how much their guests contributed.

Terry