Wesley Mission’s vision to do all the good we can not only guides us but motivates us in our work each day. Like the people we help, our donors come from all walks of life. Individually unique united by our vision.
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Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to outline the guiding principles relating to fundraising activities undertaken by Wesley Mission.
Scope
This policy applies to all Wesley Mission workers. It covers all activities that are intended to generate funds for Wesley Community Services including the centralised account management of donor and data information used by the Fundraising department.
Wesley Mission accepts donations from:
- individuals, companies and organisations
- Wesley Mission congregations
- churches
- clubs (not including ClubGRANTS funding)
- philathropic trusts and foundations
- corporate foundations
- estates
Income received from government funding or government grants is not included in this policy.
Definitions
Donation – a voluntary transfer of money or property where there is no material benefit or advantage. A tax-deductible receipt is issued for donations of $2 and over.
Donor – an individual or their legal representative (in the case of a deceased person’s bequest) or other entity that makes a donation to a cause.
Fundraising – the act of seeking and obtaining donations on behalf of a cause.
Sponsorship – undertaking a fundraising activity with support received in the form of money in return for a benefit of value. Sponsorship is not considered a donation as a tax-deductible receipt is not issued as per the definitions above in accordance with the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) and Charitable Fundraising Regulation 2021 (NSW).
Further guidance can be found on the Australian Tax Office website located here.
Policy statement
Wesley Mission is exempt from the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 (NSW) and Charitable Fundraising Regulation 2021 (NSW), under the auspices of the Uniting Church (NSW/Act) however fundraising within NSW is conducted in line with best practice and adheres to our values, as well as abides by industry and regulator codes of practice to ensure all fundraising practices are ethical, accountable and transparent. As applicable, Wesley Mission will comply with fundraising regulations in other Australian States and Territories.
Principles
Wesley Mission is guided by the following principles:
- our fundraising activities will comply with all relevant laws, regulations and codes of practice
- any communication we make to the public in the course of carrying out a fundraising activity shall be truthful
- fundraising activities or donations will not be undertaken or accepted if they may be detrimental to the good name or community standing of Wesley Mission
- we will maintain a high standard of transparency, accountability and ethical practice in fundraising initiatives in line with the Charitable Fundraising Act NSW 1991 (NSW),Charitable Fundraising Regulation 2021 (NSW) and with fundraising legislation and regulations in other States and Territories as and when required.
- Wesley Mission does not engage in fundraising conducted through a ‘game of chance’ method such as lucky door prizes or generated from gambling of any kind.
Fundraising activities
Only authorised Wesley Mission staff may:
- process donations
- issue tax-deductible receipts and donor refunds
- conduct donor acquisition campaigns e.g., events, telemarketing, direct mail and digital campaigns
- use the donor relationship management database
- record and access donor information as required
- organise or authorise fundraising events and other activities
All Wesley Mission staff who are responsible for receiving and processing donations shall:
- respect and value all who donate
- ensure donation processes are secure and transparent
- acknowledge donations in a prompt manner
- provide excellent donor care
- respond to all donor feedback and enquiries in a timely manner
Donor privacy and confidentiality
Wesley Mission will ensure a high standard of privacy and data security is upheld at all times.
Client and donor information collected by Wesley Community Services is private and confidential. Our Privacy Policy is located at www.wesleymission.org.au/privacy.
Refunds and cancellations
Wesley Mission recognises that it is possible for existing regular donors to experience a change in personal circumstances which may require them to decrease or cease regular donations.
We further recognise that errors could also be made by donors or Wesley Mission or the many financial institutions involved in donation transactions. Wesley Mission will not automatically refund donations but will review all requests on a case by case basis and endeavour to refund donations made in error or under circumstances that may warrant an approved refund in compliance with our legal obligations.
Responsibility and policy owner
The owner of this policy is the General Manager, Communications & Partnerships.
The owner is responsible for implementing the policy and achieving the desired outcomes.
Consultation and approval
This policy has been developed in consultation with General Manager, Communication & Partnerships, Wesley Fundraising and the Quality Risk and Compliance Review Group.
The policy has been approved by the General Manager, Communications & Partnerships, Wesley Community Services and the Wesley Mission Management Committee.