A family foundation sends a generous gift with one condition: keep our name off the donor wall. For an individual donor, that is usually a checkbox on the constituent record in Altru. For an organization record, many administrators go looking for the same option and come up empty. That gap is where anonymous corporate and foundation gifts slip through, and the foundation’s name ends up printed in the annual report anyway.
This guide covers what to check, how to flag an anonymous organization reliably with tools Altru already has, and how to make sure the flag actually reaches every list you publish.
First, confirm what your Altru database offers
Open an individual constituent record and an organization record side by side and compare the fields. The anonymous-giving option many teams rely on for individuals is not always available, or not in the same place, for organizations. Behavior can also differ depending on how your database was set up and what has changed in recent Altru releases.
Before you build a workaround, do a short check:
- Look at the organization record’s edit screen and any tabs related to giving or recognition.
- Try the same thing in a sandbox or on a test organization record, so you are not changing real data while you explore.
- If you still are not sure, ask Blackbaud support directly whether organizations can carry the anonymous flag in your version. That answer is worth more than a guess.
If a native option exists for organizations in your database, use it. If it does not, the steps below give you a dependable substitute.
A workaround that holds up: a constituent attribute
The most practical substitute is a constituent attribute (or a solicit code, if your team already uses those for communication preferences) that means “this constituent gives anonymously.” Attributes work on organization records as well as individuals, they are queryable, and they can be added in bulk.
Set it up once
- Create the attribute category. Something unambiguous, like “Anonymous Giving,” with a Yes/No or simple code value. Avoid vague names such as “Special Handling” that will mean something different to every staff member.
- Decide whether it applies to all giving or only some. Some organizations want to stay anonymous forever; others only for one gift or one campaign. If yours varies, add start and end dates or a comment noting the gift it covers.
- Use it for individuals too. If you only flag organizations this way, your recognition queries need to check two different places. A single attribute applied to every anonymous donor keeps the logic simple, even if you also keep the native individual checkbox in sync.
Apply it consistently
- Add the attribute the moment the donor’s request arrives, not when the honor roll is being assembled months later.
- Put a note on the record with who asked, when, and how (letter, email, phone call). If anyone questions the decision later, the history is right there.
- Write the step into your gift processing checklist so it does not depend on one person remembering.
The flag only works if your lists respect it
Marking the record is half the job. The other half is making every outbound list check for it. Anonymous gifts usually leak through lists nobody thought to update.
- Recognition and honor roll queries. Add a filter that excludes constituents with the anonymous attribute, or better, include them but output “Anonymous” in place of the name so gift totals still add up.
- Annual report and donor wall exports. These are often built once and reused for years. Open the query behind each one and confirm it checks the new attribute.
- Event programs and signage. Sponsor lists for galas and exhibitions are frequently pulled by hand. Give whoever builds them a saved query rather than asking them to remember.
- Board and staff reports. Internal reports can usually show the real name, since anonymity is about public credit. Agree on that internally and say so in your policy.
A smart field or a simple yes/no output column on your standard donor queries makes the flag visible at a glance, so anyone exporting data sees it before anything goes to print.
What anonymity does and does not change
Anonymity is about public recognition. The organization still gets a receipt, an acknowledgment letter, and normal stewardship. Its giving still counts toward your revenue totals and campaign goals. Make sure your acknowledgment process is not accidentally suppressed by the same filter you use for recognition lists, which is a common mistake when one query is reused for both.
Also think about soft credits and matching gifts. If an anonymous foundation gift is soft credited to a board member, or an employee’s gift is matched by a company that wants anonymity, check how those relationships appear on your recognition lists. The name you are hiding can show up through the related record.
Cleaning up past gifts
Once the attribute exists, run a quick audit. Search notes, gift comments, and old spreadsheets for words like “anonymous” or “do not list.” Build a list of organizations that should carry the flag and add it in bulk. Then rerun last year’s honor roll query with the new filter and compare. Any name that disappears and was not supposed to is a sign the filter is too broad; any anonymous name still showing means a list is missing the check.
Quick answers
Can I just change the organization’s name to “Anonymous”?
Please don’t. You lose the real identity for receipting, relationship management, and reporting, and you create a duplicate the next time they give under their real name.
Should anonymity be per gift or per constituent?
Both happen. A constituent-level flag covers donors who always want anonymity; a gift-level note or attribute covers a single anonymous gift from an otherwise public donor. Your recognition queries should check whichever level you use.
