Fundraising partnerships

Entering into fundraising partnerships can be beneficial to charitable institutions, offering opportunities to access new funding sources, meet fundraising goals, increase public awareness and access external skills, knowledge and experience, However there are legal requirements with which the charitable institution and fundraising partner must comply.

Working with commercial participators

Charitable institutions working with commercial participators

A commercial participator is an individual or business which promotes their goods or services on the basis that they will make contributions to one or more charitable institutions.  

Working with commercial participators can be beneficial to charitable institutions, offering opportunities to access new funding sources and increase public awareness. However, there are legal requirements with which the charitable institution and the commercial participator need to comply. 

For charitable institutions:

  1. Carry out due diligence
  2. Have in place a Commercial Participation Agreement (CPA)
  3. Carry out monitoring 

For commercial participators:

  1. Have in place a CPA
  2. Make the required solicitation statements
  3. Carry out monitoring
  4. Report and make documents available
  5. Pay money to the charitable institution

You should also read our detailed guidance for charitable institutions working with commercial participators

Working with professional fundraisers

Charitable institutions working with professional fundraisers

A professional fundraiser is an individual or business who is paid by a charitable institution to fundraise on their behalf.  

Working with professional fundraisers can help charitable institutions meet their fundraising goals and access external skills, knowledge and experience. However, there are legal requirements with which the charitable institution and the professional fundraiser need to comply. 

For charitable institutions:

  1. Carry out due diligence
  2. Have in place a written agreement
  3. Carry out monitoring 

For Professional fundraisers:

  1. Have in place a written agreement
  2. Make the required solicitation statements
  3. Carry out monitoring
  4. Report and make documents available
  5. Pay money to the charitable institution 

You should also read our detailed guidance for charitable institutions working with professional fundraisers