Guidance for charitable institutions using child sponsorship

This is where there is a direct, personal and, in the case of one to one sponsorship, an exclusive link between the donor’s money and an individual child. These are most often found where the sponsorship might provide items such as school books, stationery and clothing such as school uniforms. When a charity offers this sponsorship, they must be able to evidence to donors that there is a direct link to the child. This can apply to situations where there is one donor to one child (1-1) or where multiple donors combine to sponsor one child (many to one). 

This type of sponsorship has a child nominally selected by a donor, but the child does not see a direct, personal and exclusive benefit. The child does benefit, however, from the wider pool of money collected for the community or project of which they are a member. 

Most of the schemes we saw marketed as child sponsorship fell into the community sponsorship model. 

This involves a donor making donations that would be split between a directly sponsored child and for a wider community benefit. Similarly, a charity offering this must be able to evidence that the ‘direct’ element of the donation goes to the individual child. 

Code of Fundraising Practice: 1.3.1, 1.3.2, 2.7.4 

What this means in practice 

• If a child sponsorship programme has a wider community benefit or project, as described above, this must be mentioned at the earliest opportunity.
• Reference to the community benefit must be immediately clear and prominent, for example in the headline or subheading of a marketing communication (this can be any fundraising marketing communication where the information is linked to asking for a donation).
• for example: “child and community sponsorship”
• this applies across media (see [6] below)
• If a child sponsorship programme is exclusively the “direct sponsorship – one to one or many to one” model, and this can be evidenced, a headline of “child sponsorship” would not mislead. 

Code of Fundraising Practice rules: 1.3.1, 1.3.6 

What this means in practice 

• This applies to media which includes a donation tool, for example, a website or social media page with functionality for a donation to be made, for example a donation button or form.
• For the specific purposes of this guidance, this applies to the child sponsorship section of a charity’s website landing page but could equally apply to any other scheme that operates beyond a general fund. This includes any donation opportunity which states or implies a connection to a child sponsorship model.
• Clarity, in broad terms, about the type of child sponsorship and how the money will be used should be given to the donor before or alongside a ‘donate now’ button. It is good practice to have a link to further information elsewhere on the webpage or website which provides further detail. Please also refer to point 5 below.
• For example, if there is a community benefit, this must be explained before the donor can donate. 

Code of Fundraising Practice rule: 2.7.3 

What this means in practice  

• You must keep a record of donations that are given for restricted purposes to make sure that you keep to the conditions of the donation.
• This record will not need to be itemised to show each single use of the money but must be able to show, in general terms, where the money has been used. 

Code of Fundraising Practice rule: 1.3.1 

What this means in practice 

• In the event of a child leaving a particular project, the charitable institution must notify the current individual donor(s) that the sponsorship of that child has come to an end.
• Charitable institutions can offer to re-allocate their donations to another child and continue the sponsorship. If the donor is not willing to sponsor another child, the charity must cancel the continued collection of money from the donor.
• This information should be presented in the frequently asked questions (or similar) page on the charity website (see [5] below). 

Code of Fundraising Practice rules: 1.3.1 1.3.6, 2.7.4 

What this means in practice 

• All charities should provide a link to a frequently asked questions page or similar, on all materials promoting child sponsorship programmes.
• Where this is displayed on a website it should be displayed prominently on the landing page or the page of the website that specifically promotes child sponsorship, if this is different.
• This information should be positioned in such a way that means that a potential donor will be aware of it before the point of donation. The information should not be placed at the bottom of a website page.
• The frequently asked questions page, or similar should clearly explain the fundamental principles, such as whether there is a direct relationship with the sponsored child, whether there is a wider community benefit or whether their donations will be split between an individual child and a wider community. as well as addressing more specific questions relating to the various sponsorship options available to donors. 

Code of Fundraising Practice rules: 1.3.1, 1.3.2 

Examples of what this means in practice 

• Radio: Where there is a wider community benefit to the child sponsorship scheme, it must be made clear from the outset. This means alongside the first reference to child sponsorship in the ad.
• TV:  A TV advert must make it clear, from the outset, that there is a wider community benefit if there is one, alongside the first reference to child sponsorship in the ad. This can either be verbally or using on screen text if it is clearly and prominently presented.  

Paid ads in online media: although restricted by space, ads must still immediately state, where relevant, if there is a wider community benefit.