The 6 principles of the Charities Regulator Governance Code have been adopted and implemented appropriately for a charity the size and complexity of Bray Women’s Refuge.

A governance subcommittee supports the Board, ensuring Bray Women’s Refuge Housing Association Ltd has controls to achieve its objectives with integrity and is managed in an effective, accountable and transparent way.

Bray Women’s Refuge’s volunteer Board is currently made up of 5 Directors who have a broad range of skills, experience and professional expertise.

October 2020 V1 Approved by Board Nov. 2020 Reviewed every 3 years Next

The Bray Women’s Refuge is committed to ensuring that fundraising activities are carried out in an open, transparent, honest, respectful and accountable manner.

The Bray Women’s Refuge is a not for profit charity with the mission to provide information, support and short term accommodation to women and children who have suffered domestic abuse.

All donations solicited on behalf of the Bray Women’s Refuge shall be used to further this mission and follow the policies and procedures outlined below.

The purpose of this policy is to outline procedures/guidelines on fundraising practice and to document the standards expected in raising funds from the community.

This policy applies to the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers and any third parties acting on behalf of Bray Women’s Refuge.

Bray Women’s Refuge funds shall be solicited in a respectful manner and without pressure. In doing so, the organisation will adhere to the following standards:

• Fundraising activities carried out by Bray Women’s Refuge will comply with all relevant laws.
• Bray Women’s Refuge ensures that all donations are tracked, recorded and comply with data protection requirements.
• Bray Women’s Refuge prepares financial reports consistent with the requirements of the Charities Act 2009.
• Any communications to the public made in the course of carrying out a fundraising activity shall be open, truthful and non-deceptive.
• All monies raised via fundraising activities will be for the stated purpose of the appeal and will comply with Bray Women’s Refuge mission statement and purpose.
• All personal information collected from donors by Bray Women’s Refuge is confidential and is not to be given away or disclosed to any third party without prior consent.
• Nobody directly or indirectly employed by or volunteering for Bray Women’s Refuge shall accept commissions, bonuses or payments for fundraising activities on behalf of Bray Women’s Refuge.
• No general solicitations shall be undertaken by telephone or door-to-door.
• Fundraising activities should not be undertaken if they may be detrimental to the ethos, good name or community standing of Bray Women’s Refuge.
• Financial contributions will only be accepted from companies, organisations and individuals the Board considers ethical.

This Donor Charter has been produced to assure donors and prospective donors of the integrity and accountability of Bray Women’s Refuge activities. As a not for profit charity seeking donations from the public, the Board of Directors, staff, volunteers and any third parties acting on our behalf aim to achieve the highest professional standards and to treat our donors with respect, honesty and openness.

• Donors will be informed of Bray Women’s Refuge mission and any donated resources solicited on behalf of Bray Women’s Refuge will be used to further this mission.
• Donors will receive prompt, truthful and forthright answers to questions they may have in relation to Bray Women’s Refuge.
• Donors will be informed of the identity of those serving on Bray Women’s Refuge Board of Directors.
• Donors will be assured that their donations will be used for the intended purpose for which they were given. Where the charity invites the public to donate to a specific cause, we will have a plan in place for handling any shortfall or excess and will inform donors about this.
• Donors will receive timely and appropriate acknowledgement and recognition of their donation.
• Donors will be assured that their right to privacy is protected in compliance with Data Protection. No information referring to them or their donation will be shared with a third party without seeking prior permission.
• Donors can expect that all relationships with individuals representing Bray Women’s Refuge will be dealt with professionally and in a fair and transparent way.
• Donors will be informed whether those seeking donations are staff, volunteers or third parties acting on behalf of Bray Women’s Refuge
• Donors will have easy access to the agreed procedures for making and responding to complaints.
• Bray Women’s Refuge will take into account the needs of any potential donor who may be vulnerable or who, due to his or her circumstances, may require additional care and support to make an informed decision. We will ensure that we do not exploit the credulity, lack of knowledge, apparent need for care and support or vulnerable circumstances of any donor at any point in time. If we have reasonable grounds for believing that an individual lacks capacity to make an informed decision to donate, a donation will not be taken.

When holding a fundraising event, the parties concerned must first seek permission from the Board of Bray Women’s Refuge. The fundraising events must be in keeping with the ethos of Bray Women’s Refuge.

If bucket collections are being carried out or organized as part of an event, Garda permits are required from your local Garda station in advance of the event.

Cash handling procedures are important to protect Bray Women’s Refuge from fraud, theft or embezzlement; to protect staff or volunteers from accusations of dishonesty and to assure donors and prospective donors that their donations are used for the purpose for which they were given.

The key principles to governing cash handling are;

• All cash (including cheques, postal orders, drafts, credit cards and gift card donations) is recorded at point of entry and should be capable of being traced through to Bray Women’s Refuge bank account.
• All cash is banked and acknowledged at the earliest possible opportunity.
• Cash at all times is to be counted by two staff members or two authorised representatives of the charity.