Setting up a charity / charity platform

[LDN]

I've researched this in some detail but could use some pointers.

I can see there are plenty of charities already setup and I needn't, necessarily, set up a new charity for what I'd like to do. I want to setup a website taking donations for certain causes and that money gets passed onto other charities. Each month, there'll be a spotlight which focuses on another charity or project and each month, they will receive all the donations.

Now, I could link directly to their charity donation page in each case but the website I want to build will be a hub with articles and entertainment and it would be far more streamlined to offer the same process month on month if i can accept the donations and then pass them on... visitors / subscribers would be used to the process and have an account to very easily send money to each cause... this is where it gets tricky as how do you establish the fact that it's a genuine platform and not going to skim any money off top? Probably by becoming a charity??? ... which it seems would be best avoiding from what I've read.

I need a way of taking charitable donations (with gift aid) with the purpose of passing the donations on to 'frontline' charities... the website will basically fund raise for selected charities month on month.

[s2kjock]

LDN said:

how do you establish the fact that it's a genuine platform and not going to skim any money off top?

"Establish" for who? Public perception, or HMRC who might consider you to be running a business if you are wanting to avoid that?

If it is public perception, it would be difficult avoid people being somewhat suspicious. I guess what you are taking about is similar to, say, broadcasters or newspapers running charity appeals, but they have the benefit of being household ("trusted") names.

I think you are correct in that setting up a charity to manage this would be more hassle than it is worth.

Are you planning to derive any income personally from this?

[LDN]

s2kjock said:

LDN said:

how do you establish the fact that it's a genuine platform and not going to skim any money off top?

"Establish" for who? Public perception, or HMRC who might consider you to be running a business if you are wanting to avoid that?

If it is public perception, it would be difficult avoid people being somewhat suspicious. I guess what you are taking about is similar to, say, broadcasters or newspapers running charity appeals, but they have the benefit of being household ("trusted") names.

I think you are correct in that setting up a charity to manage this would be more hassle than it is worth.

Are you planning to derive any income personally from this?

Yes I meant more the public perception... as for income; none. It will be tied with another music and entertainment venture and will mean more exposure for everyone involved including the charities. I really want to avoid setting up a charity whose sole purpose will be to support other charities; seems a waste of money and resources. I suppose the easiest way will be to indeed, simply link to each featured charity and their donation page. I'd rather the resources go into the money making for them than the nitty gritty from my side.

[Europa1]

I think you may struggle to set it up as a charity in its own right - simply raising money for other charities is not a charitable aim in its own right - a charity can only make donations to other charities if the recipient charity's objects are a sufficient fit with those of the donor charity.

[Beetnik]

Something like http://www.charitychoice.co.uk/ ?

[akirk]

Why not just use an api such as the one to just giving, we have used that in a project and it works well...

[StevieBee]

The only way you can benefit from Gift Aid is to set u a charity yourself and that charity will require a specific purpose, trustees and many other factors.

There are several organisations that sort of do the same thing that you're looking at. The one that comes to mind is King George's Fund for Sailors ( KGFS; Now called SeafarersUK IIRC). They receive donations which are retained. Other seafaring charities then apply to KGFS for grants or donations, etc.

[LDN]

Thanks to everyone for the pointers and tips; all taken on board.