Donations & Refunds

This page explains how we receive gifts, how we use them, and what to do if something goes wrong. If anything here is unclear, ask us, we would rather answer than have you wonder.

How to give

Online card payments are not switched on yet. Until they are, you can give by bank transfer using the details on our Donate page, or reach us on WhatsApp and we will walk you through it.

Our registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission is still in progress, so that account is held personally by our founder in trust for the foundation, rather than in the foundation's own name. We would rather tell you that plainly than have you wonder. Every transfer is recorded and reported, and the account will be replaced by one in the foundation's name as soon as registration completes.

How donations are used

• Gifts fund our work: food for elderly people, support for children in hospital including medical bills, and school costs for children who would otherwise drop out.
• Unless you tell us otherwise, we direct your gift to where the need is greatest at the time.
• If you ask us to use your gift for one particular programme, we honour that, provided we agreed it with you before you gave.
• A share of giving covers the real costs of running outreaches, such as transport and logistics. We keep that share as small as we honestly can.
• If a programme is already fully funded, we will tell you and agree with you where the gift should go instead.

Accounting for your gift

Every outreach is documented and published, with what was spent and who was reached, on our Transparency page. We keep receipts, bills and transfer records on file and will show them on request.

Tax

We cannot currently issue tax-deductible receipts. We will say so clearly on this page if that changes.

Protecting against misuse

A charity that receives money can be used, knowingly or not, to move money that should not be moved. These rules protect the people we serve, our donors, and the foundation itself. They are not negotiable, and we apply them to everyone.

• Refunds go back only to the account the money came from. We will never send a refund to a different account, person or bank than the one that paid, whatever the reason given.
• We do not pass money on to third parties. Gifts are spent on our own programmes. We cannot receive money on behalf of someone else, or forward it to a person or organisation you nominate.
• Unusually large or unexpected gifts are held, not spent, until we know who sent them and why. If we cannot establish that, we return the money to its source.
• We do not accept cash. Every gift arrives by bank transfer or card, so there is always a record.
• Money in and money out are not controlled by one person. Spending above a set amount needs more than one approval.
• We keep records of every donation and every payment, and we report suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities where the law requires it.

We would rather lose a donation than accept one we cannot account for.

Refunds

• Donations are voluntary gifts, so they are not usually refundable. That said, mistakes happen and we deal with them in good faith.
• If you gave the wrong amount, gave twice by accident, or did not intend to give at all, email hello@lovegivefoundation.org within 14 days and we will review it.
• Where we agree a refund, we return the money through the same channel you used, normally within 10 working days. Any bank or transfer charges may be deducted.
• If the money has already been spent on the outreach it was given for, we will tell you honestly and discuss what we can do.
• If you believe a payment was made from your account without your permission, contact us and your bank straight away.

Regular giving

You can stop a monthly gift at any time, with no explanation needed. Tell us by WhatsApp or email and we will stop it before the next payment date.

Gifts we cannot accept

We may decline or return a gift where we have reason to believe it comes from unlawful activity, where accepting it would compromise our independence or the dignity of the people we serve, or where a condition attached to it conflicts with our purpose.

Your information

We treat donor information carefully and never sell it. Our Privacy Policy explains what we collect and your rights under the Nigeria Data Protection Act. Tell us if you would rather your gift stayed anonymous publicly, and it will.

Changes

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page with its update date.

Contact

Questions about a donation? Email hello@lovegivefoundation.org or reach us from the Contact page.