JustGiving, the world’s leading online giving platform, is removing
platform fees from all fundraising campaigns and charitable donations from today,
allowing its 24 million users to raise even more money for charities.
JustGiving will no longer charge a 5% platform fee to charities in the UK. Instead,
donors will be able to make a voluntary contribution to support the operation of
JustGiving’s platform.
These voluntary contributions will provide donors with choice and transparency,
allowing charities to raise more and supporting the future sustainability of JustGiving’s
platform. Thousands of charities rely on JustGiving to raise hundreds of millions of
pounds for good causes every year safely, securely and reliably.
The voluntary contributions made by donors will enable JustGiving to invest in
innovation, helping meet our long-term goal of growing the world of giving and
making sure that no good cause goes unfunded. JustGiving has enabled more than
£3.8 billion to be raised for charities since 2000.
Today’s announcement follows changes made in October 2018 which saw the removal of JustGiving’s platform fees for all crowdfunding, disasters and major incidents. These changes followed extensive consultation with JustGiving users and charities.
Keith Williams, JustGiving’s General Manager and Head of UK, said: “Today, JustGiving is taking an exciting step into the future by removing our platform fee. This change means lower costs for charities, transparency and choice for their supporters, and a sustainable future for the UK’s biggest and best platform for giving.
“We’re incredibly proud of JustGiving’s history as the pioneer of online giving and are inspired by the generosity of our users, who have raised £3.8billion for charities since we launched 19 years ago.
“We believe that people who donate through JustGiving will be happy that more money will be going to their chosen charity, and by making a voluntary contribution to the UK's most-trusted giving platform we can continue to help charities and individuals raise even more money for good causes. That’s why we’re putting more power in the hands of our donors.
“We’re committed to providing a world-class platform and continuing to transform
and grow online giving for the future, and the removal of platform fees across charity
fundraising, donations and crowdfunding will help us do just that.”
Clive Sanders, Save the Children, said: “JustGiving has always been at the forefront of innovation in the fundraising and giving sector and today’s announcement is welcome news.
“These changes will bring benefits to charities, fundraisers and donors alike, helping build trust and increasing transparency at a time when secure, effective fundraising has never been more important.”
JustGiving announced a consultation regarding its Gift Aid reclaim service in October
2018. The service allows charities to save money and time by reclaiming Gift Aid
through JustGiving. The consultation process included hundreds of charities,
thousands of donor, political stakeholders and tax experts. During the consultation
process, charities made clear that JustGiving’s Gift Aid reclaim service is highly valued
because it is the most cost and time-efficient way for charities to reclaim Gift Aid.
Following the consultation - and to ensure transparency and choice - JustGiving is
changing its terms of service to allow charities to opt out of the Gift Aid reclaim service
if they wish. This gives charities the ability to choose the service they want, maintaining
a high level of transparency for donors and allows charities to continue claiming back
Gift Aid cheaply and efficiently through JustGiving if they wish to.
JustGiving believes the vast majority of charities will find its Gift Aid processing service
the cheapest, easiest and most effective way of claiming Gift Aid compared with
costs of alternative platforms and will continue to decide to opt in to receive the
service, which is best-in-class within the fundraising sector.
Richard Bray, Finance Regulatory and Taxes Manager, the Charity Tax Group, said:
“JustGiving helps many charities, particularly smaller organisations, to focus their
efforts on fundraising rather than on paperwork.
“The Charity Tax Group has welcomed the way JustGiving has listened to charities
during its consultation and supports JustGiving’s commitment to provide charities with
choice and transparency which is demonstrated by them giving charities the chance
to opt out of having Gift Aid claimed on their behalf.
“The Charity Tax Group welcomes this contribution to the charity sector and looks
forward to continuing to work with JustGiving to help future-proof Gift Aid as we move
into an increasingly digital age.”
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Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this
news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although
Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future
circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based.
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