We're One of the Fifteen: Better Giving Endorses NCN's Principles for Ethical Online Fundraising
Posted: October 20, 2026
Author: John Mark Velasco
The National Council of Nonprofits (NCN) has named the 15 online fundraising platforms that endorsed its Principles for Ethical Online Fundraising Platforms.
Better Giving is one of them.
In August, we told you that Better Giving had endorsed the National Council of Nonprofits' Principles for Ethical Online Fundraising Platforms. At the time, we were one of a small handful, but today the NCN has announced the full list as it currently stands.
Fifteen platforms have now endorsed the principles, and Better Giving is one of them.
That's worth celebrating, not least in that the number is so low and we are ‘one of the few’.
A quick refresher on NCN's four principles
There are four principles: nonprofit consent, transparency, partnership, and accountability.
NCN wrote them with its network of 52 state and regional associations, representing nearly 40,000 nonprofits. And they wrote them because of behaviors most of you have already run into:
- Platforms listing organizations without asking them
- Collecting donations in your name that you never agreed to
- Hiding platform fees in inflated processing costs
- Default selections that nudge donors into paying more than they meant to
NCN's President and CEO, Diane Yentel, put it simply: "Nonprofits must have the power to decide how their names and missions are used to raise money, and donors deserve clear information about their gifts."
We couldn't agree more.
Why 15 ethical fundraising platforms matter
One platform's promise about itself only travels so far, but fifteen platforms standing behind the same standard is the start of a trend.
But we don't want to stand out by being one of the few ethical options available. We want ethics to be the floor, including for the platforms we compete with for your donation form.
Fifteen is a good start. We hope that number gets much bigger.
What changes for nonprofits on Better Giving?
Honestly? Nothing.
These principles describe how we've operated since we started in 2021. In practice, that means:
- No hidden fees. There's no platform fee while the optional donor contribution stays on, and that contribution is always opt-in and never pre-selected. Turn the ask off and the fee is 1.5%, right there on our pricing page. Donors and nonprofits alike know exactly how much is being charged and where it’s going.
- Your donors stay yours. Your data exports freely. And if you ever leave, our Recurring-Donor Portability Guarantee means we'll help move your recurring donors to your new platform, free. No exit toll.
- Nothing to take on faith. We're a 501(c)(3) nonprofit ourselves, and our entire codebase is public.
Don't take our word for it
It’s true. Endorsing the principles is just a ‘promise’. NCN is clear that recognizing a platform isn't an endorsement of its products or services, or a check that it complies.
That's fine by us. So we actually open up the codebase so that if you want, you can check exactly what we do!
When we say the contribution that funds us is never pre-selected, go find the code that draws that checkbox.
Read the code. See how our open-source platform works. Have it audited. Hold us to it, out loud and in public.
Frequently asked questions
What are NCN's Principles for Ethical Online Fundraising Platforms?
They're four principles published in June 2026 by the National Council of Nonprofits and its 52 state and regional associations: nonprofit consent, transparency, partnership, and accountability. You can read the full principles here.
Has Better Giving endorsed NCN's principles?
Yes. Better Giving is one of 15 online fundraising platforms NCN has recognized for endorsing the principles. That recognition isn't an endorsement of any platform's products or services.
Does Better Giving charge platform fees?
No platform fee while the optional donor contribution stays on. The contribution is opt-in and never pre-selected. If a nonprofit turns the ask off, the fee is 1.5%. See our pricing page for details.
Can nonprofits take their recurring donors with them if they leave Better Giving?
Yes. Our Recurring-Donor Portability Guarantee means we'll help move your recurring donors to your new platform, free. Here's why that matters.
We'd rather be checked than trusted. Fifteen platforms and counting.
The Better Giving Team