# Taxing time for fundraising opportunity

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2004/09/08/taxing-time-fundraising-opportunity/
- Published: 2004-09-08T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

As we are approaching the first deadline for submitting personal tax returns, now
is a good time to check that your charity is registered with the Inland Revenue 
to receive donations via self-assessment tax return forms.
The run-up to the September
and January deadlines for submitting personal self-assessment tax returns is a good
opportunity for charities to remind donors that they can donate part or all of any
tax rebate to them.

To do so, however, your charity needs to have registered already. By doing so it
is given a reference code which donors will need to quote if they wish to donate
their tax rebate.

It is too late to qualify for this year’s tax rebates, but charities can apply now
to start benefiting from next year onwards. If you send your charity’s details by
mid November 2004 it should appear on the December list available to would-be donors.
The application form can be downloaded from the Inland Revenue’s Web site.

## Advertisement

It is too early to know how many donors have taken up this opportunity. The Institute
of Fundraising says that “there has not yet been any research done to see how effective
it is, but the Institute has signed up and even we have received donations via this
method.” There is certainly a tempting pot of £3 billion which the Inland Revenue
repaid to taxpayers in 2003.

So, register your charity to benefit from this scheme, and then plan to start promoting
it in the run-up to the two deadlines for submission of personal tax returns. As
the Inland Revenue says: “individual charities have an important role to play in
raising awareness by telling their own donors about the scheme and encouraging them
to give in this way.”

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