The UK Use of Funds Declaration is a yearly confirmation that funds your organization receives through The UK Online Giving Foundation (UKOGF) will be used for charitable purposes as defined under the law of England and Wales.
Some donations travel from a donor in one country to a nonprofit in another. When they do, the money often passes through an intermediary charitable foundation so the transfer can be made in a compliant way. UKOGF is one of these foundations. Each foundation sets its own requirements. UKOGF asks every organization it disburses to for this short declaration, which you complete in the Benevity Causes Portal.
Completing the declaration keeps donations that go through UKOGF available to your organization. An outstanding declaration does not remove your organization from the platform. What happens if I don't complete the UK Use of Funds Declaration? explains what pauses and what stays available.
Completing the declaration each year
The declaration confirms the current year's use of funds, so you complete it every year. You will receive an email invitation when the annual cycle opens, followed by reminders while your declaration is outstanding. Reminder emails are sent in your organization's preferred language. If no language is set, they are sent in English.
You do not have to wait for a reminder.
This applies wherever your organization is based. If you receive donations from donors whose gifts go through UKOGF, the declaration is likely to apply to you.
Confirming UKOGF funds
To confirm whether your organization has received funds from UKOGF:
- Log in to the Benevity Causes Portal
- Create a disbursement report
- Find Disbursement From (Grantor)
- Check whether The UK Online Giving Foundation is listed
Charitable purposes under UK law
UK law allows a Charitable Incorporated Organisation to send donations to organizations outside the UK when both of these are true:
- The funds are used for a charitable purpose as defined by the law of England and Wales
- Reasonable steps have been taken to make sure the payments are applied for those charitable purposes
Charitable purposes include:
- The prevention or relief of poverty, the advancement of education or religion, and the advancement of health or the saving of lives
- The advancement of citizenship or community development, and of the arts, culture, heritage, or science
- The advancement of amateur sport and of animal welfare
- The advancement of human rights, conflict resolution, or equality and diversity
- The advancement of environmental protection or improvement
- The relief of people in need because of youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship, or other disadvantage
- Any other charitable purpose recognized under English law
UKOGF uses this declaration to confirm that funds it disburses will be used in line with those purposes.