Giving to Scottish charities with confidence this festive season
As the festive season approaches, many of us will give money to good causes, including charities. Recent media reports, highlighting a small number of incidents where money has been stolen or embezzled from charities, may cause members of the public to consider how they can ensure that their intended donation is in safe hands.
We all want to feel confident about where our money or goods go when we donate them. That’s why we have produced some handy quick tips for charities and donors so that we can all donate and contribute to Scottish charities and the excellent work that they do with confidence.
For charities:
- Make sure the charity is up-to-date with its filing of both the annual report and accounts and the annual return so that your charity's entry on the Scottish Charity Register shows you are meeting your responsibilities.
- Any fundraisers for your charity should always make it clear who they are and that they are raising money for your charity – equip them with information and training to help give confidence to donors.
- Make sure you have good internal controls on your finances including those with access to your bank accounts.
For donors:
- Check the charity’s name and registration number on the Scottish Charity Register here.
- Make sure the charity is genuine before providing any of your personal information.
- Be careful when responding to emails or clicking on links within them.
- Contact or find out more online about the charity that you’re seeking to donate to or work with to understand how they are spending their funds.
By following these guidelines, both charities and donors can help ensure that donations are used effectively and securely this festive season.