×

News publications and other organizations are encouraged to reuse Direct Relief-published content for free under a Creative Commons License (Attribution-Non-Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International), given the republisher complies with the requirements identified below.

When republishing:

  • Include a byline with the reporter’s name and Direct Relief in the following format: "Author Name, Direct Relief." If attribution in that format is not possible, include the following language at the top of the story: "This story was originally published by Direct Relief."
  • If publishing online, please link to the original URL of the story.
  • Maintain any tagline at the bottom of the story.
  • With Direct Relief's permission, news publications can make changes such as localizing the content for a particular area, using a different headline, or shortening story text. To confirm edits are acceptable, please check with Direct Relief by clicking this link.
  • If new content is added to the original story — for example, a comment from a local official — a note with language to the effect of the following must be included: "Additional reporting by [reporter and organization]."
  • If republished stories are shared on social media, Direct Relief appreciates being tagged in the posts:
    • Twitter (@DirectRelief)
    • Facebook (@DirectRelief)
    • Instagram (@DirectRelief)

Republishing Images:

Unless stated otherwise, images shot by Direct Relief may be republished for non-commercial purposes with proper attribution, given the republisher complies with the requirements identified below.

  • Maintain correct caption information.
  • Credit the photographer and Direct Relief in the caption. For example: "First and Last Name / Direct Relief."
  • Do not digitally alter images.

Direct Relief often contracts with freelance photographers who usually, but not always, allow their work to be published by Direct Relief’s media partners. Contact Direct Relief for permission to use images in which Direct Relief is not credited in the caption by clicking here.

Other Requirements:

  • Do not state or imply that donations to any third-party organization support Direct Relief's work.
  • Republishers may not sell Direct Relief's content.
  • Direct Relief's work is prohibited from populating web pages designed to improve rankings on search engines or solely to gain revenue from network-based advertisements.
  • Advance permission is required to translate Direct Relief's stories into a language different from the original language of publication. To inquire, contact us here.
  • If Direct Relief requests a change to or removal of republished Direct Relief content from a site or on-air, the republisher must comply.

For any additional questions about republishing Direct Relief content, please email the team here.

Nepal Earthquake Donation Policy

Direct Relief will use all contributions designated for the Nepal Earthquake solely for relief and recovery efforts related to the Nepal Earthquake.

News

Nepal Earthquake 2015

Sixty tons of medicine and medical supplies arrive via FedEx in Nepal in 2015 after an earthquake devastated the region. (Direct Relief photo)
By Thomas Tighe, President and CEO, Direct Relief

Direct Relief relies on charitable contributions to conduct humanitarian assistance throughout the United States and globally. In the outpouring of generosity and offers of assistance in the aftermath of catastrophic Nepal earthquake, Direct Relief wishes to note its policy regarding donor-designated contributions as it has done in previous high-profile emergencies (such as the Ebola crisis, Typhoon Haiyan, Hurricane Sandy, the 2011 Japan earthquake and tsunami, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake) that also have generated significant financial support.

Direct Relief’s policy regarding designated contributions for the Nepal earthquake is simple: Direct Relief will use all contributions designated for the Nepal Earthquake solely for relief and recovery efforts related to the Nepal Earthquake.

Direct Relief practices have long recognized the importance of enabling donors to communicate their intentions regarding donations and explaining how the organization carefully accounts for and uses designated contributions to honor the donors’ intentions. Direct Relief takes several steps to ensure that both donors’ intentions and the organization’s use of contributions are clear.

Ensuring Donor Intent

To ensure that donors communicate their intention regarding a gift, we note that Direct Relief’s online donation page requires that donors consider the options of “wherever needed most” or to designate their gifts by choosing from a drop-down menu that includes “Nepal Earthquake” as the first item among several other particular activities or areas where Direct Relief works and to which donors may also elect to restrict their gift. Other methods of contributions, such as by check or wire transfer that include an “earthquake” or “Nepal” or similar notation in the check memo line or accompanying correspondence also will be considered as instruction to restrict the gift for this particular response effort.

Detailed Accounting for Nepal Earthquake Funds

An internal fund is created with all designated contributions, and all expenditures related to the Nepal earthquake response are recorded for both internal management and external reporting purposes. Independently audited financial statements are prepared and published annually, but Direct Relief will share current information on its website as events unfold regarding programmatic activities and expenditures.

No Nepal Earthquake Funds are Used for Fundraising Expenses

100 percent of Direct Relief’s fundraising expenses are paid by a bequest. This means that no portion of any Nepal earthquake contribution (or any other contribution) will be used for fundraising purposes.

What Restricted Funds May be Used For

Nepal earthquake contributions will be used only for Nepal earthquake-related programmatic costs and administrative expenses directly related to the earthquake response activity. Programmatic costs include those related to purchasing, storing, transporting, and distributing essential medical material to affected areas and the costs of programmatic staff and related travel for earthquake relief-assistance functions. Directly related administrative expenses include credit-card processing fees associated with the receipt of Nepal earthquake contributions; accounting fees associated with managing Nepal earthquake funds; postage related to issuing receipts to Nepal earthquake donors; banking fees related to wire transfers of Nepal earthquake donations; warehousing and packaging of medical material; and IT support costs that are necessary to conduct Nepal earthquake-related programmatic activity (such as inventory management of medical material being provided in the relief effort).

General, unrestricted financial support is essential for Direct Relief to fulfill any of its deeply humanitarian activities, including being able to respond rapidly to any emergency. Such unrestricted contributions always are needed, deeply appreciated, and enable Direct Relief to assist people in many places and situations that do not make the news.

However, Direct Relief is obligated to – and will always – honor the intent of a donor-designated financial contribution, including, obviously, in this instance with regard to Nepal earthquake contributions. If a donor were to make a clearly restricted gift for a purpose or with a restriction that Direct Relief is not able to fulfill or comply with, Direct Relief will advise the donor of this situation and inquire if other uses may be permitted. In the event that a donor’s intent cannot be met by Direct Relief, the organization would offer to direct the gift to another nonprofit that would be able to fulfill the donor’s intent or return the gift.

Filed Under: , , , , , ,

Giving is Good Medicine

You don't have to donate. That's why it's so extraordinary if you do.