Nonprofits on the Benevity platform manage their own profiles, including descriptions of their mission, programs, and projects. This ensures that their voice and intentions are authentically represented. However, it also means that some content such as references to political issues, historical conflicts, or human rights crises may include language that some users or companies find distressing or polarizing.
One example includes the use of terms like “genocide,” which may appear in project descriptions from nonprofits focused on conflict zones, Indigenous rights, or human rights advocacy. While Benevity does not moderate or censor these terms by default, we have processes in place for review when concerns are raised.
What Benevity does (and doesn’t) moderate
Benevity does not proactively moderate or redact nonprofit descriptions. In the event a flag is raised to Benevity regarding a nonprofit description of service or content, we will review that content.
Specifically, content is subject to moderation if it contains:
- Hate speech or discriminatory language
- Statements supporting or promoting terrorism or violence
- Use of funds for military purposes
If our internal review determines that the content is in violation of our Causes Terms of Use or Platform Guidelines, we will reach out to the nonprofit and either request that they remove, revise, or retract their content and/or sign an attestation that they are not using funds in violation of the Causes Terms of Use. Failing to remove content as requested by Benevity or sign the attestation will result in a nonprofit being deactivated from the platform.
Military use of funds policy and enforcement
All nonprofits are required to comply with the laws and regulations of the jurisdictions in which they operate. When it comes to Military Use of Funds, all jurisdictions have regulations wherein funds received must be used for charitable purposes, which would not include activities such as combat operations, military infrastructure, or the procurement of weapons. This policy is enforced by the Causes Terms of Use and Platform Guidelines and through Benevity's third-party reporting process, as outlined below.
Third-party reporting and investigation
If you or your people believe a nonprofit may be in violation of our Causes Terms of Use, an investigation may be initiated by submitting a Nonprofit Review Request. This request should include evidence that the organization has breached our Platform Guidelines — for example, through hate speech, discrimination, or other violations such as the military use of funds.
Submitted evidence must include:
- Links or screenshots of the relevant content
- Statements that are published or quoted directly from the nonprofit or from a nonprofit representative acting in an official capacity
- If dated, statements made within the last 12 months
- Undated statements, such as content from a nonprofit's About or Mission page, which are also eligible for review
The submitted content is reviewed by Benevity, and reviews are typically completed within six weeks, depending on volume, and the outcome is communicated to the submitter. If it is suspected that the nonprofit may be violating the Causes Terms of Use, all pending disbursements will be held which is typically 30 days. If it is determined that a nonprofit violates our Terms of Use:
- The nonprofit is deactivated on our platform.
- Any held disbursements will be reversed through our Outstanding Funds Resolution process.
The Nonprofit Review Request is only for a suspected breach of the Platform Guidelines. If there is suspicion of fraud or illegal activity, submit a Suspicious Activity Report through Support Request in B-Hive, selecting Benevity Compliance as the Issue Type.
Deactivating a nonprofit
If a nonprofit fails to meet platform standards (for example, does not complete required attestations, is linked to sanctions or hate speech, or refuses to address flagged content), they may be deactivated. During this time, they cannot receive donations or appear in searches. If the issue is resolved post-deactivation, they may be reactivated following review and further decision.
Choosing which nonprofit content appears in your program
While Benevity strives for inclusivity, your company can decide which nonprofits and nonprofit content is visible in your program.
Options include:
- Program Eligibility Rulesets: Make eligibility decisions based on your risk, values, and alignment to your mission.
- Suggested for You Settings: If employees are seeing nonprofits that concern them in the “Suggested for You” carousel, you can disable this feature organization-wide if needed.