Public Square Resource: Donation Policy for Religious Charities (Company)

Purpose:

To ensure that the company respects the autonomy of religious charities to make decisions about their internal employment policies and practices.

Model Policy Language:

1. Religious charities, like other charities, provide important societal contributions and promote diverse views that benefit society. The First Amendment, Title VII, and other laws also recognize this and protect the freedom of all types of religious organizations to operate consistent with their religious beliefs. [Company Name] affirms these values and respects the religious autonomy of these groups.
2. Notwithstanding any other policy, [Company Name] will not refuse to donate to a religious charity or refuse to give a religious charity nonprofit pricing for its goods or services because the religious charity is religious or because it makes employment or leadership decisions based on its religious beliefs, including hiring or firing decisions or any requirement for its employees, officers, or board members to adhere to a statement of faith or religious conduct.
3. A “religious charity” is any 501(c)(3) organization that asserts that its purpose and character are religious. This includes but is not limited to houses of worship, groups focused on proselytism or religious teaching, welfare and social services organizations, educational groups and institutions, and political, legal, or social advocacy groups.
4. “Religious beliefs” broadly includes theistic beliefs as well as non-theistic moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong.

Application:

Companies should periodically review all applicable policies governing employee donation matching, including eligibility requirements for charities to participate in the program. Reviews should:

1. Be comprehensive – consider both formal policies, as well as any training programs or resources used in the workplace.
2. Seek internal feedback from employees with diverse religious and ideological beliefs to assess whether they can freely give to religious charities of their choice.

 

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