Donation and Refund Policy

"bee Charity" Verein (“BeeCharity”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is a Swiss association (Verein) with its seat in Dübendorf, Canton of Zurich, registered in the Commercial Register Office of the Canton of Zurich under UID CHE-457.076.818. Donations are the foundation of everything we do, and the people who give to us are entitled to know exactly how their money is handled.

The purpose of this policy is to explain, clearly and honestly, how we receive, record, allocate and steward donations; the circumstances in which a donation may be refunded; how we treat gifts made for a specific purpose; and what happens to funds when a project cannot proceed as planned. It also describes the controls we apply to prevent money laundering and fraud, and how we keep our supporters informed.

We have written this policy to reflect Swiss nonprofit governance principles and internationally recognised standards of ethical fundraising. It was formally adopted by the board and is published in the spirit of transparency; it describes the standards we hold ourselves to.

This policy applies to all donations received by BeeCharity from any source and through any channel, including one-off and recurring gifts, online and offline donations, donations made in response to appeals, and gifts made in kind. It applies to every person acting for or on behalf of the association, including board members, volunteers, contractors and delivery partners who handle donations or donor information.

It should be read together with our Responsible Fundraising Policy, our Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy, our Privacy Policy and our Data Retention Policy, each of which governs a related aspect of how we raise and manage funds. Where this policy refers to “donors”, it means any individual or organisation that gives, or offers to give, money or property to the association.

This policy does not create contractual rights beyond those required by law. Nothing in it limits any mandatory rights a donor may have under Swiss law or under the rules of the payment providers used to make a gift.

We gratefully accept several types of donation, each of which is recorded and acknowledged in the same transparent way:

For every donation, we record the amount, the date, the channel and — where the donor has indicated one — the intended purpose. We do not accept anonymous cash gifts above a modest threshold, and we reserve the right to decline any donation that we believe is unlawful, is inconsistent with our charitable purpose and values, or could damage the reputation or independence of the association. Any decision to decline or return a significant donation is taken under our joint signing authority, so that two authorised representatives are involved.

• One-off donations — a single gift made online, by bank transfer or in person.
• Recurring donations — regular gifts (for example monthly) that a donor sets up and can amend or cancel at any time.
• Restricted donations — gifts given for a specific project, appeal or purpose, which we are obliged to use only for that purpose.
• Unrestricted donations — gifts given for the general work of the association, which the board may allocate wherever the need is greatest.
• Donations in kind — goods, equipment or professional services offered in place of money, accepted only where they are useful, lawful and consistent with our values.

A restricted donation is a gift that the donor has asked us to use for a particular project, appeal or purpose — for example a specific coastline restoration effort or a named children’s healthcare initiative. When we accept a restricted donation, we take on a binding obligation to apply that money only to the stated purpose, and we account for it separately from our general funds.

We track restricted funds so that, at any time, we can show how much has been received for a given purpose, how much has been spent, and how much remains. Restricted funds are never used to cover unrelated activities or general running costs, except where a donor has expressly agreed that a reasonable, proportionate share may go towards the direct costs of delivering their chosen project.

If we receive more for a restricted purpose than that purpose can absorb, or if the purpose can no longer be carried out, we will deal with the surplus in the way described in the “Failed or Cancelled Projects” chapter below — normally by contacting affected donors where it is practical to do so, and otherwise by applying the funds to a closely related purpose with the board’s approval.

An unrestricted donation is given to support the general work of BeeCharity, without the donor specifying a particular project. Unrestricted funds are especially valuable because they allow the board to direct resources to wherever the need is greatest, to respond quickly to emerging situations, and to meet the essential running and governance costs that make our charitable work possible.

We are committed to keeping those running costs proportionate and to being transparent about how unrestricted funds are used. Decisions on the allocation of unrestricted funds are made by the board in line with our governance and financial-control policies, and are reflected in the financial information we publish. Where an appeal is described as supporting our “general work” or “where it is needed most”, gifts to it are treated as unrestricted.

Donations made online are processed through secure, reputable third-party payment providers. When you make an online gift, you enter your payment details directly with the provider; we do not see or store your full card or bank details. Once a payment is confirmed, we record the donation against your details (where you have supplied them) and, where possible, send an acknowledgement.

Donations made by bank transfer are paid into an account in the name of the association and reconciled against our records. Donations made in person are recorded promptly, issued with an acknowledgement where contact details are available, and banked without undue delay. In every case we apply segregation of duties and, for the movement of funds, our joint signing authority, so that no single individual controls a donation from receipt to disbursement.

Recurring donations are managed through the relevant payment provider. Donors can change or cancel a recurring gift at any time, either through the provider or by contacting us, and we will act on any such request promptly.

We rely on established payment and donation-processing providers to handle transactions securely and to meet the applicable card-industry and financial-services standards. These providers act as our processors: they handle payment data on our behalf, under agreed terms, and are not permitted to use it for their own unrelated purposes.

Because payments are handled by these providers, sensitive payment information such as full card numbers is processed within their secure systems rather than stored by us. Their own terms and privacy notices apply to the payment step, alongside our Privacy Policy, which governs the donor information we hold. If a provider changes, we will update our records and, where appropriate, inform recurring donors of anything they need to do.

We acknowledge donations as a matter of good practice and good stewardship. Where a donor provides contact details, we aim to issue an acknowledgement or receipt that records the amount, the date and, where relevant, the purpose of the gift. Donors who give regularly can request a consolidated statement of their giving for a given period.

A note on tax: BeeCharity is a registered association, but its charitable tax-exemption status is still being confirmed. Until that status is granted, we do not represent that donations are tax-deductible, and any receipt we issue is an acknowledgement of the gift rather than a certificate of tax deductibility. We will update this policy and our receipting practice once the position is formally confirmed. Donors seeking advice on the tax treatment of a gift should consult their own adviser or the relevant tax authority.

Donations are, by their nature, voluntary gifts rather than payments for goods or services, and are generally non-refundable once received. However, we recognise that mistakes happen, and we deal with refund requests fairly and promptly.

We will normally issue a refund where: a donation was made in error (for example a duplicate transaction or an incorrect amount); an unauthorised payment was made from a donor’s account; a recurring donation continued after the donor asked to cancel it; or a refund is required under applicable law or the rules of the payment provider. Requests of this kind should be made as soon as possible, and in any event we ask that error-based requests are raised within 30 days of the transaction so that we can verify them against our records.

To request a refund, a donor should contact us using the details in the “Contact Information” chapter, providing enough information to identify the transaction. Approved refunds are made to the original payment method wherever possible. We may decline a refund where we are unable to verify the transaction, where the funds have already been irrevocably committed to or spent on the purpose for which they were given, or where a request falls outside the circumstances above — though we will always consider individual situations reasonably and explain our decision.

Occasionally a project may not proceed as originally planned — for example because circumstances on the ground change, a partner is unable to deliver, the necessary conditions cannot be met, or more money is raised than the project can responsibly use. Because donors trust us with funds for a stated purpose, we treat these situations with particular care.

Where a restricted project cannot go ahead, or cannot use all the funds raised for it, we will first seek to apply the affected funds to a closely related purpose that honours the donor’s original intention, with the board’s approval under our joint signing authority. Where it is practical and proportionate to do so, we will contact affected donors to explain the situation and, depending on the circumstances, offer them the choice of redirecting their gift to similar work or requesting a refund of the unspent portion.

Where individual contact is not practical — for example in a broad public appeal with many small gifts — we will reallocate unspent restricted funds to the most closely aligned charitable purpose and will disclose how those funds were used in our financial reporting. In all cases our aim is the same: to ensure that money given for good is used for good, as close as possible to the purpose for which it was given.

As a charity that receives funds from the public, we are alert to the risk that donations could be used to launder money or to disguise the origin of illicit funds, and we take proportionate steps to guard against it. We favour traceable payment methods, limit the acceptance of anonymous cash, and record the source of significant or unusual gifts.

Where a donation is unusually large, comes from an unclear or high-risk source, is offered on suspicious conditions, or where a donor requests an inappropriate refund route (for example a refund to a different account from the one used to give), we will make appropriate enquiries before accepting or refunding it. We reserve the right to decline or return such donations, to delay a transaction while we carry out checks, and to report genuine suspicions of money laundering to the competent Swiss authorities in line with our legal obligations. These measures operate alongside the controls in our Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy.

Protecting donated funds from fraud is a core responsibility of the board and, in particular, of the Treasurer. We apply layered financial controls to reduce the opportunity for fraud and to detect it quickly if it occurs, including segregation of duties, documented approval of expenditure, regular reconciliation of donation and bank records, and restricted access to accounts and payment systems.

Our joint signing authority is central to this: any binding financial commitment or movement of funds requires two authorised representatives acting together, so that no single person can misappropriate donations. Suspected fraud involving donations is handled under our Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy and may be reported to the police or other authorities, and we will always seek to recover misused funds. Donors who suspect fraudulent use of their gift are encouraged to contact us immediately.

We believe that accepting donations carries a duty to account openly for how they are used. We keep accurate financial records that distinguish restricted from unrestricted funds, and we intend to publish clear financial information — including, as the organisation matures, annual accounts — so that supporters can see how money is raised and spent.

Our commitment to transparency runs throughout our work: our registered legal information is published in full in our Legal Notice and Organisation information, our governance arrangements are set out on our Governance page, and our approach to fundraising is described in our Responsible Fundraising Policy. Where we are not yet able to publish something — for example audited accounts for a period that has not yet closed — we say so plainly rather than imply a standard we have not yet met.

We want every supporter to feel confident about giving to BeeCharity, and we take any concern about a donation, a refund or our fundraising seriously. If you are unhappy with how a donation has been handled, please tell us, and we will look into it fairly and promptly.

Complaints about donations or refunds are handled under our Complaints Policy. You can raise a concern using the contact details below or those on our Complaints page. We will acknowledge your complaint, investigate it, and explain the outcome. If you remain dissatisfied, our Complaints Policy explains how your concern can be escalated within the association.

This policy is owned by the Treasurer and approved by the board. Because it governs the handling of charitable funds, any material change to it — and its formal adoption — is made under our joint signing authority, with two authorised representatives acting together.

The board will review this policy at least annually, and sooner if there is a relevant change in Swiss law, in fundraising best practice, in our payment providers, or in the nature of our activities. The version and status shown at the top of this page reflect its current standing as a policy formally adopted by the board.

If you have any question about this policy, about a donation you have made, or about a possible refund, please contact us and we will be glad to help.

Donations and refunds: beecharity1@gmail.com

General enquiries: beecharity1@gmail.com

Postal address: "bee Charity" Verein, c/o Jasmin Semra Gabrielli, Bahnhofstrasse 33, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland

We record changes to this policy here so supporters can see how it has evolved:

• v1.0 — Formally adopted by the board, effective 25 July 2026. Next scheduled review 25 July 2027.