Raising Money For Charities Abroad

It is possible to fundraise for charities that are not registered in the UK. However, you should be aware that you cannot use the words ‘charity’ or ‘charitable’ if the cause you are raising money for is not a UK registered charity.

It is vital that you are open and honest about everything you do and donors are aware of where their money is going.

In some cases, organisations based abroad may have offices in the UK or there may be British charities that could act as a strategic partner. You could start by having a look on the internet for suitable organisations. The Charity Commission holds the register charity in England and Wales and the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) has a list of registered charities in Scotland. Guidestar is another helpful search engine for finding suitable organisations.

You should be aware that if you claim money is being raised for a specific project and the appeal is so successful you end up with too much money for the project, you would have to get permission from the donors to establish if they are happy for the money to be spent in another way.

It may be advisable therefore to state that funds raised are for the general purposes of the cause and rather than specific projects. Alternatively, provide examples of the work that may be done with the funds raised.

Codes of Fundraising Practice

The Accountability and Transparency Code of Fundraising Practice is a vital resource, providing best practice and legal information, to help you ensure that you are not misleading your donors.

The Codes of Fundraising Practice highlight the law and best practice for a range of fundraising techniques. All of the Codes are available online and you can search the Codes directory to find the most relevant document for your fundraising activity.

Other Institute Resources

We have produced a number of information briefings which should offer an introduction to fundraising in this area.