• Cash & Monetary Donation Policy

1.1 The Principle of Unrestricted Support

ConnectED Ghana operates under a strict policy of accepting Unrestricted Funds only. By making a financial contribution, you acknowledge and agree that your gift will be pooled with other contributions to support our general mission and organizational sustainability.

The Importance of Flexibility: This policy allows our leadership to remain agile and responsive to the most urgent needs of the students we serve. Your funds may be allocated toward:

· Hardware Logistics: International freight, customs duties, and local transport in Ghana.

· Refurbishment: Procurement of batteries, SSDs, and professional-grade data-wiping software.

· Operational Excellence: Essential software, legal compliance, and secure financial management.

Note: ConnectED Ghana does not accept “Restricted” gifts for specific individuals or narrow projects. Any gift received with attempted restrictions will be treated as an unrestricted contribution to our general fund.

1.2 2026 Tax Compliance

ConnectED Ghana is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law. For the 2026 tax year, please note the following federal provisions:

· The Universal Deduction (For Non-Itemizers): Under current 2026 law, individuals taking the Standard Deduction may deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 for joint filers) for cash contributions. This is a “permanent” above-the-line deduction.

· The 0.5% AGI Floor (For Itemizers): If you itemize, you may generally only deduct charitable gifts that exceed 0.5% of your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). We recommend consulting a tax advisor to maximize your impact.

· Substantiation: Digital receipts are issued instantly for all transactions. Per IRS rules, a formal Contemporaneous Written Acknowledgment (CWA) is required and will be provided for all single contributions of $250 or more.

1.3 Payment Channels & Security

· Secure Digital Portals: We utilize encrypted, PCI-compliant payment processors for all card and digital wallet transactions (Apple Pay/Google Pay). This ensures $AES-256$ encryption.

· Direct Transfers: For contributions exceeding $1,000, we encourage secure bank transfers to minimize transaction fees. Please contact [Email] for secure transfer instructions.

· Refund Policy: All donations are final. If a technical error occurs (e.g., a duplicate charge), please notify us at [Email] within 48 hours for a correction.

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• Laptop & Hardware Donation Policy

2.1 Acceptance & Quality Standards

To ensure that ConnectED Ghana provides high-quality, long-lasting tools to students, we maintain strict hardware acceptance criteria:

· Age Limit: Laptops must be manufactured in 2018 or later.

· Technical Health: Devices must be functional, power on, and have a healthy battery. Screens must be free of major cracks or dead pixels.

· Operating Systems: We accept Apple MacBooks (Intel/Silicon) and Windows Laptops (8GB RAM minimum preferred).

2.2 Data Security & Donor Liability

The “Clean Device” Requirement: Donors are legally responsible for removing all personal data and de-linking accounts (iCloud “Find My,” Google Workspace MDM, and BIOS passwords) prior to donation.

· Professional Sanitization: Upon receipt, ConnectED Ghana performs a software-based data wipe that meets or exceeds industry standards for data destruction.

· Locked Devices: Devices that arrive “Activation Locked” or “iCloud Locked” cannot be refurbished and may be responsibly recycled. ConnectED Ghana is not responsible for the recovery of any data left on donated hardware.

2.3 Valuation & IRS Reporting for Non-Cash Gifts

· Valuation: In accordance with IRS Publication 526, the non-profit is prohibited from providing a dollar valuation for your hardware. Determining the “Fair Market Value” is the sole responsibility of the donor.

· IRS Form 8283: If your total non-cash contributions for the year exceed $500, the IRS requires you to file Form 8283. For gifts valued over $5,000, a qualified appraisal and an authorized signature from our team are required.

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• Privacy & Data Stewardship Policy

3.1 Information Collection

ConnectED Ghana collects only the data necessary to fulfill our mission and legal obligations, including:

· Identity Data: Legal Name, Email, and Physical Address (for tax receipts and shipping labels).

· Technical Data: IP address and browser type (to prevent fraudulent transactions).

3.2 Third-Party Processing & Data Safety

We do not store your financial credentials. All sensitive data is handled by our secure, third-party partners who maintain the highest industry security standards.

· Encrypted Storage: We utilize $AES-256$ encryption for all donor records at rest.

· Secure Logistics: Hardware tracking data is stored in encrypted cloud environments.

3.3 Data Retention & Rights

· Non-Disclosure: We never sell, rent, or trade your data to third-party marketers.

· The Right to be Forgotten: You may request a copy of your data or request that we delete your personal information (subject to IRS record-keeping requirements) by emailing connectedghana@gmail.com.

· Communications: You will only receive mission updates if you explicitly “Opt-In.” You may “Opt-Out” at any time via the link in our emails.