Refund Policy
The Solana Beach School Foundation’s (SBSF) policy is to not refund donations.
When an individual donates money to a 501 (c) 3 organization such as the SBSF, the gift, once accepted, becomes the property of the charity. Nonprofit organizations exist to benefit the public interest, and the return of a gift could be viewed by regulators as contrary to the public interest*.
Limited Circumstances for Refunds to be Issued:
1. If the donor has made a designated donation at or above $5,000, in compliance with the SBSF designated donation guidelines, and the SBSF is not able to abide by any stated restrictions upon that gift, the donor may request a refund. This exception only applies to gifts of $5,000 or more. Requests for refunds must be made within ninety (90) days of the date of the donation for which the refund is requested.
2. For donations made using the solanabeachkids.org website, if the donor or the SBSF donation processing system has made an error, the donor must alert the SBSF within 5 business days of discovery of the error. The donor must submit his, her, or their refund request in writing via email to executive.director@sbschoolsfoundation.org. If a qualified error has occurred, refunds will be issued using the original credit card used, however, in the case of an electronic check, the donor will receive a paper check in return.
3. Additional exceptions may be made at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the SBSF Board of Directors.
Requirements and process to complete a donation refund:
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The donor must submit a signed written request, to include: donation amount, date, and method of payment within the applicable timeframe identified above.
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If approved pursuant to this policy, a refund check will be issued along with a letter stating the reason for the refund, including language notifying the donor that the original gift cannot be claimed as a charitable donation to the organization.
Events:
The SBSF does not provide refunds for ticket(s) purchased for an event unless the event is canceled. If for any reason, an individual cannot attend an event after purchasing a ticket(s), the SBSF will redirect the ticket cost as a charitable donation to the SBSF.
*https://hwco.cpa/donation-return-when-nonprofits-should-refund-donations/
Approved 5/17/22