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Section 10

Online Fundraising Platforms

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Please provide any comments you have on the redrafted code rules below. You can comment on as many rules as are relevant to you. You can also save your responses and return to them later.

You can see how rules in the current code relate to the redrafted code in the Table of Changes.

The supporting documents include Code Compliance Guides which will help you understand how to meet the requirements of the redrafted code, and a Glossary with definitions of specific terms in the redrafted rules.

10. Online fundraising platforms

Donation pages can be hosted on a charitable institution's own website or on a third party platform. If a charitable institution's own website directs donors to a third party platform that charges fees (including payment transaction fees) on a donation-by-donation basis, they should make sure those fees, and how they are charged, are clear and follow the standards in Section 8.5 Unstaffed Collections.

Money raised through online fundraising platforms may go:

  • direct to a charitable institution;

  • to a fundraiser or fundraisers to pass on to a registered charitable institution; or

  • to a beneficiary who is not a charitable institution.

Some online fundraising platforms fall within the definition of a professional fundraiser or commercial participator. Section 7 Fundraising Partnerships explains the standards they must follow.

As well as the standards below, you should also consult the following sections of the code.

10.1 Responsibilities of online fundraising platforms

In this section, ‘you’ means an online fundraising platform.

General Standards

10.1.1

You must take all reasonable steps to ensure charitable fundraising on your platform is conducted responsibly. This includes:

  • Keeping up to date with the Code of Fundraising Practice and guidance from the Fundraising Regulator;

  • Complying with relevant guidance for fundraising platforms; and

  • Addressing inappropriate charitable fundraising campaigns.


10.1.2

You must provide users with an easily accessible link to our guidance for those setting up a fundraising page before they are able to accept donations on your platform. Users must agree to keep to relevant sections of the code as a condition of using your platform.

If necessary, this will allow you to suspend a user if their page breaches the code.


Fees for hosting a fundraising campaign

Most fundraising tools and platforms will charge a fee, either to the charitable institution or the donor, as part of their business model. Whether this is a fixed amount per donation, a percentage of the donation or Gift Aid, a subscription by the charity, or an additional payment by the donor, information about these fees and how they are calculated must be clear and easy to find.

10.1.3

If you charge fees for hosting a fundraising campaign, you must ensure the following information is clearly visible to donors before you ask for their financial details:

  • How your fee will be calculated (for example, as a percentage of the Gift Aid, a fixed or percentage charge on each donation etc).

  • How much you will receive for their donation (If you don't know the exact amount at the time of donation, give an example that demonstrates how much you receive on a representative donation e.g. £10).

  • How your fee can be amended or removed, if possible.


Legal Requirements for Fundraising Platforms

You need to comply with all legal requirements which apply to you as an online fundraising platform. These include, but are not limited to:

Data protection: The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) is the lead regulator on data protection in the UK and can provide the most up-to-date information on how to comply with:

Financial services laws and regulations: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for financial services laws and regulations and provides guidance in this area.

Further Guidance

Fundraising Regulator: Guidance for Fundraising Platforms

Fundraising Regulator: Online fundraising advice and guidance for the public

Fundraising Regulator: Key questions you should ask when donating to an online fundraising appeal

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