Home Donation Policy
Legal & donation transparency
Donation Policy
Effective Date: July 10, 2026
Thank you for supporting Lily's Second Chance. Every contribution helps us further our mission of helping overlooked senior shelter dogs get seen, shared, and connected with potential adopters. This policy explains how contributions are accepted, processed, used, acknowledged, and, when appropriate, refunded.
1. Organization and Tax Status
Lily's Second Chance is a nonprofit corporation formed in the State of Tennessee.
Lily's Second Chance is not currently recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions made to Lily's Second Chance are therefore not currently tax-deductible as charitable contributions for federal income-tax purposes.
Any payment confirmation, email acknowledgment, or receipt provided by Lily's Second Chance documents the payment but should not be treated as a charitable tax receipt.
Donors should consult a qualified tax professional regarding their individual circumstances. Lily's Second Chance does not provide tax, accounting, financial, or legal advice.
2. How Contributions Are Used
Unless a contribution is accepted by Lily's Second Chancefor a specific restricted purpose, contributions are treated as unrestricted support for the organization’s mission and operations. Contributions may be used for purposes including:
- Website hosting, maintenance, security, and development
- Shelter, rescue, and adoptable-dog data integrations
- Technology, software, database, email, and administrative expenses
- Awareness campaigns, advertising, outreach, and social-media promotion
- Educational resources and senior-dog advocacy
- Professional services, insurance, regulatory filings, and operational expenses
- Other activities reasonably related to the mission of Lily's Second Chance
Lily's Second Chance is a senior-dog adoption directory and advocacy organization. It is not a shelter or rescue and does not house, own, sell, or directly adopt out the dogs displayed on its website. Unless expressly stated in writing, a contribution to Lily's Second Chance does not go directly to a particular dog, shelter, rescue, veterinary bill, or adopter.
3. No Guarantee of a Particular Outcome
Contributions support Lily's Second Chance’s overall mission, but no specific result can be guaranteed. A contribution does not guarantee that:
- A particular dog will be adopted
- A particular dog will remain available
- A specific listing will receive a certain number of views or shares
- Funds will be transferred to the shelter or rescue caring for a particular dog
- A specific program, campaign, feature, or service will continue indefinitely
Adoption decisions, adoption fees, veterinary care, foster placements, transportation, and animal availability are controlled by the shelter or rescue responsible for each dog.
4. Voluntary Contributions
All contributions are voluntary. Unless a specific campaign expressly states otherwise, contributors do not receive goods, services, ownership rights, voting rights, advertising rights, or control over Lily's Second Chancein exchange for their contribution. A contributor may not direct the organization’s daily operations, staffing, content, listings, partnerships, or use of unrestricted funds.
5. One-Time Contributions
When making a one-time contribution, the contributor authorizes Lily's Second Chance and its payment processor to charge the selected payment method for the amount displayed at checkout. The contributor is responsible for confirming the amount, payment method, and billing information before completing the transaction.
6. Recurring Contributions
When a contributor selects a recurring contribution, the contributor authorizes the selected amount to be charged automatically at the frequency shown during checkout until the recurring contribution is canceled.
Recurring contributors may cancel future charges using any cancellation tools provided by the payment processor or by contacting [email protected].
Cancellation stops future scheduled charges but does not automatically refund charges that were completed before the cancellation request was received and processed. Contributors should submit cancellation requests sufficiently in advance of the next scheduled charge. Lily's Second Chance will make reasonable efforts to process cancellation requests promptly but cannot guarantee cancellation of a charge that has already entered payment processing.
7. Refund Policy
Contributions are generally final and nonrefundable because funds may be committed to operating expenses, technology, outreach, or mission-related activities soon after they are received. Lily's Second Chance will nevertheless review a written refund request when it involves:
- A duplicate transaction
- An incorrect contribution amount
- An unauthorized transaction
- A technical or processing error
- A recurring contribution charged after a timely cancellation request
- Other exceptional circumstances
Refund requests should be submitted within 30 calendar days of the transaction and include:
- The contributor’s name
- The email address used for the contribution
- The transaction date
- The contribution amount
- The reason for the request
- Any available transaction or confirmation number
Requests should be sent to [email protected]. Approval of a refund is determined individually based on the circumstances, applicable law, the payment processor’s rules, and whether the funds remain recoverable.
Approved refunds will ordinarily be returned to the original payment method. Payment-processing fees may be nonrefundable when the processor does not return those fees to Lily's Second Chance. Nothing in this policy limits any nonwaivable rights a contributor may have under applicable law.
8. Unauthorized or Fraudulent Transactions
A person who believes their payment method was used without authorization should contact Lily's Second Chance promptly at [email protected]. Lily's Second Chance may request reasonable information needed to locate and investigate the transaction. Suspected fraud, stolen payment methods, false identities, abusive refund activity, or misuse of the donation system may be reported to the payment processor, financial institutions, or appropriate authorities.
9. Restricted Contributions
Lily's Second Chance does not accept a legally binding restriction merely because a contributor places instructions in a payment note, message, email, social-media comment, or other informal communication. A contribution will be considered restricted only when Lily's Second Chance expressly offers a designated contribution option during checkout, or an authorized representative of Lily's Second Chance agrees to the restriction in writing before or when the contribution is accepted.
Lily's Second Chance may decline or refund a contribution carrying a restriction that is unlawful, impractical, inconsistent with its mission, excessively burdensome, or not formally accepted. When an accepted restricted purpose becomes completed, impossible, unlawful, unnecessary, or impracticable, Lily's Second Chance may contact the contributor when reasonably possible to discuss an alternative mission-related use. Any restricted contribution will be handled in accordance with applicable law.
10. Contributions Honoring a Person or Animal
A contributor may request that a contribution be made in honor or memory of a person or animal. Such a designation is commemorative unless Lily's Second Chance expressly agrees otherwise in writing. A memorial or honorary designation does not create a restricted fund and does not guarantee publication of a name, photograph, story, memorial, or acknowledgment on the website or social-media pages. Lily's Second Chance may decline or remove submitted content that violates its community guidelines, privacy standards, intellectual-property rules, or mission.
11. Payment Processing
Online contributions may be processed through an independent third-party payment processor. The processor may collect and retain payment information according to its own terms and privacy practices. Lily's Second Chancegenerally does not receive or store a contributor’s complete credit-card or bank-account number. Contributors are responsible for reviewing all payment details before submitting a transaction. Currency-conversion charges, bank charges, insufficient-funds fees, and other fees imposed by a contributor’s financial institution are the contributor’s responsibility.
12. Contribution Acknowledgments
Lily's Second Chance may provide an electronic confirmation containing information such as:
- Contributor name
- Contribution amount
- Transaction date
- Payment method or transaction reference
- Recurring-payment status
- Memorial or honorary designation
Because Lily's Second Chance is not currently recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization, such confirmations are payment acknowledgments and not charitable tax-deduction receipts. Contributors should retain their confirmation and payment records.
13. Donor Privacy
Lily's Second Chance respects the privacy of its supporters. Contributor information may be used to:
- Process and acknowledge contributions
- Manage recurring contributions
- Respond to support or refund requests
- Prevent fraud and unauthorized activity
- Maintain financial and organizational records
- Meet legal, regulatory, accounting, or reporting obligations
- Send mission updates when the contributor has consented to receive them
Lily's Second Chance does not sell or rent donor personal information. Information may be shared with service providers that help process payments, host the website, send communications, maintain records, prevent fraud, or provide professional services. Information may also be disclosed when required by law. Additional information is available in our Privacy & community guidelines.
14. Public Recognition
Lily's Second Chance may recognize supporters publicly only when the contributor has authorized recognition or when the contribution is made through a campaign that clearly provides for public acknowledgment. Contributors may request anonymous treatment by selecting an anonymous option when available or contacting [email protected]. Anonymous treatment prevents public recognition but does not prevent Lily's Second Chance, its processors, accountants, banks, or authorities from maintaining information required for processing, fraud prevention, financial records, or legal compliance.
15. Corporate Matching Gifts
A contributor is responsible for verifying whether their employer or another organization will match a contribution to an organization that is not currently recognized under Section 501(c)(3). Lily's Second Chance does not guarantee that a contribution will qualify for an employer matching-gift program.
16. Contributions From Minors
Contributors must be at least 18 years old or have permission from a parent or legal guardian to use the selected payment method. Lily's Second Chance may cancel or refund a transaction when there is reason to believe the contributor was not authorized to complete it.
17. Refusal of Contributions
Lily's Second Chance may decline, return, or refund a contribution when accepting it could:
- Violate a law, regulation, payment-network rule, or contractual obligation
- Create an improper financial or operational burden
- Damage the organization’s independence, reputation, or mission
- Require an unacceptable restriction
- Create a conflict of interest
- Be connected to fraud, unlawful conduct, exploitation, discrimination, or abuse
- Mislead the public about a relationship, endorsement, sponsorship, or partnership
Acceptance of a contribution does not mean that Lily's Second Chanceendorses the contributor, the contributor’s business, or the contributor’s views.
18. Changes to This Policy
Lily's Second Chancemay update this Donation Policy as its programs, payment systems, legal status, or operational practices change. The effective date at the top of the policy identifies the latest revision. Changes will apply prospectively unless applicable law requires otherwise. A contributor’s recurring authorization will not be materially changed without any notice or consent required by applicable law or the payment processor.
19. Contact Us
Questions, cancellation requests, transaction corrections, or refund requests may be sent to:
Lily's Second Chance
Tennessee nonprofit corporation
Control No. 002125817
Email: [email protected]
Website: lilysecondchance.org
You can also reach us anytime through our contact page. For our full nonprofit details, see the transparency section of our About page.
Donations — frequently asked questions
Is my donation tax-deductible?
No. Lily’s Second Chance is a Tennessee nonprofit corporation but is not currently recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Contributions are not currently tax-deductible as charitable contributions. Please consult a tax professional if you have questions.
Can I cancel a recurring donation?
Yes. You can cancel future charges anytime using the cancellation tools provided by our payment processor, or by emailing us. Cancellation stops future scheduled charges but does not automatically refund charges already completed before we receive and process the request.
Are donations refundable?
Contributions are generally final and nonrefundable, since funds may be committed to operating expenses soon after they’re received. We’ll still review a written request within 30 days for a duplicate charge, an incorrect amount, an unauthorized transaction, a processing error, or a recurring charge after a timely cancellation.
Does a donation go directly to a specific dog?
Not unless we’ve expressly agreed to that in writing. Lily’s Second Chance is a visibility and advocacy organization, not a shelter or rescue — we don’t house, own, or directly adopt out dogs. Contributions are treated as unrestricted support for our overall mission unless accepted for a specific purpose.
Ready to help a senior dog get seen?
Every contribution supports the mission — site operations, outreach, and visibility for the senior dogs who need it most.
