2.3 Gift Acceptance Policy

Published

October 17, 2026

Policy and Procedure 2.3 - Gift Acceptance Policy

Philosophy & Independence

ESIP accepts many types of funding to support its mission of fostering Earth science data interoperability. To maintain public trust and scientific integrity, ESIP operates under a strict principle of institutional independence. Acceptance of any contribution, gift or grant is at the discretion of ESIP. ESIP will not accept any gift unless it can be used or expended consistently with the purpose and mission of ESIP. Acceptance does not imply endorsement of the donor’s products, services, or activities. Donors shall not have excessive influence over ESIP’s strategic priorities, governance, scientific standards, data protocols, research outcomes, or the selection of participants and awardees. In cases where this is in doubt, the ESIP Board will decide.

ESIP reserves the right to decline any gift that could damage its reputation, jeopardize its tax-exempt status, or compromise its mission. The Board will evaluate major gifts (exceeding $50,000 value); staff will evaluate smaller gifts. In every case, ESIP will evaluate gifts considering ESIP’s mission, vision, values, and public perception. ESIP will reject funds from sources that contradict its commitment to Earth stewardship or environmental integrity, including major polluters or entities involved in human rights violations. Funding derived from illegal or unethical activities will be declined. Associations that create a significant conflict of interest or a “toxic” public association will be avoided. If a donor’s future conduct is contrary to ESIP’s values or mission, the Board reserves the right to return funds or remove a donor’s name from a program.

Asset Acceptance & Fees

ESIP will accept donations of cash or publicly traded securities. ESIP does not accept cryptocurrency in any form, including all digital assets and blockchain-based tokens. Gifts of in-kind services (including software, computational services, and volunteer time) or discounted services will be accepted at the discretion of ESIP. ESIP reserves the right to apply an overhead fee of 10–15% to cover the cost of administration, unless specifically prohibited by the donor or law. International gifts must be reviewed and approved by the Board.

Review & Vetting

ESIP is committed to transparency in its funding. A “non-transparent” source is defined as any contribution greater than $10,000 where the ultimate beneficial owner or the legal origin of the funds cannot be verified through standard due diligence. Major gifts from non-transparent sources or gifts that come with restrictions unlike others ESIP has already navigated must be reviewed by the ESIP Board prior to acceptance.

Privacy, Transparency & Data Storage

All donor data will be stored securely, protected by multifactor authentication and robust internal controls. Donor data will not be used to train artificial intelligence (AI) models, and it will never be sold to or shared with third-party organizations. ESIP will also respect the desire of donors who wish to remain anonymous and will restrict anonymous donor information only to those staff members with a need to know. ESIP will maintain a public registry of all corporate and institutional donors contributing over a threshold of $5,000 annually to ensure transparency and prevent the appearance of undue influence.