Records Retention Policies

Elisabeth Platt

Hello everyone.

I have a non-database question for all of you (that feeds into the database, so it kind of works in this forum ).


I'm wondering if anyone has a records retention policy they'd be willing to share? We are trying to get rid of as much paper files as possible and I'm wondering how others choose what to keep in paper files, what gets uploaded to RE, and what gets put in the recycling/shredded, etc. I'm especially interested in planned giving files and endowment giving. We have both paper and scanned versions of this documentation. Thanks for any insights. 

Jen Claudy

At my last org, we moved to electronic filing (within RE) for Development files.  Gift paperwork and ack letters were scanned, as well as some other communications.  For gift paperwork, we kept one box of that paperwork which was a revolving file...I kept the (scanned) paperwork in a tray in my office, when the tray got full, I'd transfer that paperwork to the front of the box and pull out paperwork from the back of the box to make room (that paperwork was then shredded).  Our Finance office kept the "offiical" paperwork and had their own retention schedule, approved by the auditors.  The CFO requested that we keep paperwork for the fiscal year until that FY's audit was completed.


Planned giving and that sort of thing would definitely be retained as the original documents at least until the estate is fully disbursed and there is no reasonable expectation that we'd need that paperwork again (or that a scan wouldn't suffice).