In an article for the STEP Journal, Klara Kronbergs and fellow members of the STEP Philanthropy Advisors SIG Global Steering Committee, Madeleine Schubert and Assaf Hasson, consider accepting, refusing and returning charitable donations from English and Welsh, South African and Israeli perspectives.

What is the issue?

The Charity Commission for England and Wales in March 2024 published guidance on accepting, refusing and returning donations, stressing that charities should generally accept donations, unless, for example, the donation has an illegal origin.

What does it mean?

Refusing donations may deter charitable giving when charities urgently need more funds. This fits into a wider international picture, involving a recent case and regulations from Israel and South Africa respectively.

What can I take away?

Given the current global climate, charitable donations are vital. Philanthropists should be encouraged to give and charities to accept donations. However, both the associated short-and-long-term risks should be considered. 

Read the full article.

The article was originally published under the names of Klara Kronbergs TEP, Madeleine Schubert TEP and Assaf Hasson, as “Accept, refuse or return?”, in STEP Journal (Issue 2, 2025), https://journal.step.org