Charity Fundraising: Miscellaneous

Because the wording fixes what the money can be used for. An appeal for a specific project creates funds restricted to that project: if it fails or raises too much, the surplus cannot simply be redirected, though rules introduced by the Charities Act 2022 now let trustees redirect smaller funds, up to 1,000 pounds without Commission consent, and treat small gifts as redirectable. Wording that names the specific purpose but allows application to general purposes if needed avoids the trap entirely. The guidance note provides tested formulations.

A declaration from each donor containing their name, home address, your charity's name, a description of the donation and confirmation they pay enough UK tax, plus your records of it, kept to support claims. Gift Aid adds 25p to each 1 pound donated. Sponsorship events need declaration data per sponsor, which is why the sponsorship form differs from single and multiple donation forms. All three HMRC-aligned declaration forms are in this sub-folder.

Yes. Trustees can refuse a donation where accepting it would harm the charity, reputationally, legally or through conditions that distort its work, and the decision belongs to the trustees acting in the charity's best interests, minuted with reasons. The harder discipline is knowing your donor before large or unusual gifts arrive: source of funds, conditions attached, reputational profile. The due diligence questionnaire and the know your donor guidance here structure both the checking and the decision.

Public charitable collections have their own licensing regimes, typically local authority permits for street collections and separate rules for house to house collections, and the person rattling the tin needs authority from the charity as well. Officers and volunteers acting as fundraisers should carry that authority and follow the collection's terms. The public collections guidance note here covers the regimes and the practicalities before your first collection day.

Make it easy and legally safe: provide suggested legacy wording that identifies your charity precisely, name, registered number and address, so gifts survive charity name changes and mergers, and offer will and codicil templates supporters can take to their advisers. Never draft a supporter's will for them; provide the wording and recommend independent advice. The legacy wording guidance note, will and codicil documents in this sub-folder package that approach.