Brisbane Youth Service (BYS) is a registered charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC) and endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) to accept tax-deductible gifts of money and property in Australia.
BYS seeks funding and support from individuals, organisations, trusts and foundations, and government agencies to carry out its purpose and vision of new futures for young people. The following terms and conditions outline key principles and ethical practices in relation to fundraising, including the allocation, refusal, and refund of donations.
Fundraising Principles
As an Organisational Member of the Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA), BYS is committed to conducting its fundraising activities to the highest ethical standards, valuing privacy, confidentiality, trust, and integrity. BYS is committed to complying with all Federal, State and Municipal laws and regulations applicable to fundraising. BYS seeks philanthropic donations from supporters through various campaigns, appeals, and events to support our strategic plans and goals. The following principles guide our fundraising activities:
- We seek to develop long-term, meaningful relationships with supporters
- We will not exploit our relationships with supporters
- We will fundraise with respect for the supporter’s free choice, without the use of pressure, undue influence, harassment, intimidation, or coercion
- We will provide supporters with accurate and timely information about how donations are used and the impact of their giving
- We will use materials and techniques that respect the rights of beneficiaries of the donations to preserve their dignity and self-respect
- We will only use information that is accurate, truthful, and not misleading
- We will maintain appropriate professional relationships with supporters in connection with donations or bequests
- We will not prevent or discourage supporters from having a family member or trusted advisor present or from seeking independent legal advice when considering a donation
- We will advise supporters to seek independent advice where there is reason to believe a donation might adversely affect their financial situation or relationship with family members
Privacy
BYS respects the privacy of all individuals, organisations, trusts and foundations, and government agencies who make donations in support of our work. We are committed to respecting an individual’s right to privacy and shall act compatibility with the Human Rights Act 2019 and the BYS Privacy Statement in making fundraising decisions and in how supporters’ personal information is collected, used, and disclosed.
Respect for Supporters
BYS is committed to treating supporters (including prospective supporters) with respect and will:
- Promptly and courteously respect and comply with a supporter’s –
decision to not make a donation
request to not receive any future communications
request to be contacted at a more convenient time or by a different method
request to limit the number, type, or frequency of donation requests - Readily make available, on request, information about our fundraising, including –
BYS’s objectives and how we intend to use the donated funds
the capacity to use donations effectively for their intended purposes
BYS’s most recent Annual Report and/or Financial Report
BYS’s governance and Board of Directors - Each time contact is made with a supporter or prospective supporter, provide information about how they can opt-out of receiving any further communications from BYS
- Ensure a supporter has given consent prior to any public recognition of their donation
- Ensure appropriate security measures are in place to always protect supporters’ information
Donation Allocation
Donations of $10,000 or more may be given with a request for the funds to be used for specific purposes. BYS however, has ultimate, unconditional discretion to allocate the donation based on greatest need at the time. Where appropriate, the supporter’s intentions for a donation will be sought and documented and BYS will seek to honour those intentions while considering program needs. When a preference is expressed for how a donation be used, and this is agreed by BYS, we will refer to these funds as designated funds and account for them separately so we can honour the supporter’s wishes. If after receiving such a donation, BYS finds it is unable to meet the supporter’s wishes, we will communicate with the supporter to obtain their consent to use the donation for another purpose.
Donation Refusal
BYS may decide to accept or refuse a donation, taking into consideration any foreseeable consequences. Donations may be refused if:
- We have reason to believe that the supporter is in vulnerable circumstances or lacks capacity to make a decision to donate
- They impose or imply conditions that would limit, or appear to limit, BYS’s ability to carry out its mission fully and impartially
- There are real or apparent conflicts of interest between the mission, values, and objectives of BYS and those of the supporter, or the supporter’s policies or activities are incompatible with BYS mission, values and objectives
- They have the potential to adversely affect BYS’s reputation or result in an adverse reaction from existing or potential supporters
- The cost of accepting the donation would be greater than the value of the donation
- There is reason to believe that accepting the donation may give rise to litigation
- Donations are known to be the proceeds of criminal activity or obtained by illegal means, or
- Donations are indirectly given and routed through an unauthorised third party by an individual or organisation restricted by this policy (NB: BYS may authorise or deauthorise third parties at any time).
Donation Refunds
Due to the nature of charity donations, refunds are given at the discretion of BYS. A donation would only be refunded if genuinely made in error or if there was a system error with the donation processing. In the event of an incorrect amount being entered, or if the donation is made accidentally or there is an extremely unusual circumstance, please contact BYS in writing at fundraising@brisyouth.org. We will review the request and respond within ten working days. If a donation is refunded, the associated tax receipt is no longer truthful or valid and must be destroyed.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact fundraising@brisyouth.org