The Christmas period and New Year is a really important time of the year for charities when it comes to fundraising. Research from the Charities Regulator highlights that the public expect all proceeds from events billed as charity fundraisers go to charities. The Charities Regulator is encouraging people to check the national register of charities before they donate to make sure they are giving to a registered charity. A full list of Ireland’s registered charities is available at checkacharity.ie
With over 11,500 registered charities, Irish people interact with charities – often on a daily basis – far more than they may realise - but only organisations that are registered can be legally be described as or use the word ‘charity’.
The Register of Charities on the regulator’s website contains a record of every charity with information about their finances and activities, showcasing the work of individual charities and their contribution to society. This helps people to make an informed decision about organisations they may wish to support.
Speaking about the importance of checking the charities’ register before donating, Chief Executive, Madeleine Delaney said Irish people are known to be incredibly generous.
“Public trust and confidence in charities is critical to sustaining this support. We encourage people – both the public and businesses - to check the register so they can be confident that their donation is being put to good use.
“There you will find information on the work carried out by your preferred charity from the annual reports submitted to the Charities Regulator.”
“Our research also shows that more than half of adults surveyed believed that any good cause could be classified as a charity. However, charities are just one type of not-for-profit organisation. The main distinguishing feature of a charity is that it must provide a public benefit. We have information on our website that explains the type of organisations that can apply to be registered as a charity, and anyone can check that a charity is registered by visiting checkacharity.ie ”
