Application for Permit to conduct Fund-Raising Appeal for Foreign Charitable Purposes

Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY)

For Business Users only

This licence is only for business users with a registered Unique Entity Number (UEN).

Application Details

Any person who wishes to conduct any fund-raising appeal for foreign charitable purposes, must apply for a permit from the Office of the Commissioner of Charities.

To apply for the permit, the fund-raiser (i.e. an incorporated or unincorporated organisation in Singapore must submit the application at least 30 days before the commencement of the fundraising appeal. You will be asked to submit the following documents during application:

Proof that the beneficiary is a bona fide organisation in its Country/Region;
Letter from the beneficiary acknowledging that fund-raising activity held in its name; and
Governing instrument of the charity or intended beneficiary.

FAQ

What is Fund-Raising for Foreign Charitable Purposes (FRFCP)?
If you wish to conduct any fund-raising appeal for foreign charitable purposes, you must apply to the office of the Commissioner of Charities for a permit.
To apply for the permit, you must be an organisation (be it incorporated or unincorporated) in Singapore and submit the application at least 30 days before the commencement of the fundraising appeal. You will be asked to submit the following documents during application:
- Proof that the beneficiary is a bona fide organisation in its Country/Region;
- Letter from the beneficiary acknowledging that fund-raising activity held in its name;
- and Governing instrument of the charity or intended beneficiary.
What is Statement of Accounts (SOA) for a fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) permit?
The holder of a fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) permit must maintain the following records and keep proper accounts in respect of the fund-raising appeal:
- Name of the authorised persons who participated in the appeal;
- Dates on which the appeal commenced and concluded;
- Gross amount received from the appeal;
- Amount of every item of expenditure disbursed from the fund raised;
- Amount of net proceeds applied for the foreign charitable purposes for which the appeal was conducted and the means by which it was distributed; and
- Amount transmitted to any person outside Singapore and to whom the money was transmitted.
The Statement of Accounts (SOA) of the fund-raising appeal must be audited by a public accountant if the funds raised are more than $10,000. If the funds raised are less than $10,000, the SOA can be audited by an independent person who is reasonably believed by the governing board members to have the requisite ability and practical experience to carry out a competent examination. The SOA must be submitted to the Commissioner of Charities (COC) within 60 days of the last day of the appeal, or within such extended period as may be allowed by the COC.
When must I apply for a permit to conduct fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP)?
Any person who wishes to conduct or participate in any fund-raising appeal for any foreign charitable purposes must apply for a permit not less than 30 days before the date on which the fund-raising appeal commences.
The applicant (i.e. the permit holder) has to be a legal entity incorporated under ACRA or ROS. Such permits will not be granted to an individual. Either the charity or the fund-raiser can apply for the permit.
What are the documents required to be submitted for the permit application to conduct fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP)?
Along with the duly completed application form, the applicant will have to provide the following:
1. Proof that the overseas beneficiary is a bona fide organisation in its Country/Region;
2. Letter from the beneficiary acknowledging that the fund-raising activity may be held in its name;
3. Governing Instrument of the intended overseas charity/beneficiaries (where applicable); and
4. Information on the estimated expenses (in detailed breakdown) to be deducted from funds raised.
How long does it take to issue a permit to conduct fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP)?
The usual processing time required is about 30 working days from the receipt of the application and the necessary supporting documents.
Depending on a case-by-case basis, the processing time may take shorter (e.g. disaster relief cases) or longer (e.g. information submitted is incomplete).
Can the expiry date for fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) permit be extended?
The applicant will have to submit a new application or write an appeal letter requesting for the extension to the Charities Unit at MCCY_Charities@mccy.gov.sg.
For fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP), what is the guideline on the amount to be audited?
If a permit is granted, the statement of accounts must be audited if the funds raised are more than $10,000. If the funds raised are less than $10,000, the statement of accounts can be audited by an independent person who is reasonably believed by the governing board members to have the requisite ability and practical experience to carry out a competent examination. For more information on audit thresholds, please refer to the Charity Portal.
What is the validity period of the fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) permit?
It is dependent on the duration of the fund-raising appeal and is subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Charities (COC). The maximum permit validity is usually only up to 6 months, and only granted if the COC is convinced of the need for such a long duration.
What other information does the applicant need to take note of when applying for the fund-raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) permit?
The applicant needs to take note of the following when conducting a fund-raising appeal for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) if a permit is granted:
a) The amount collected needs to be remitted to the beneficiary no later than two months from the last day of the appeal.
b) The permit holder is also required to submit a copy of the receipt from the beneficiary acknowledging the amount received, to the Commissioner of Charities no later than two months from the close of the appeal.
c) The statement of accounts of the fund-raising appeal must be submitted to the Commissioner of Charities within 60 days after the last day of the appeal.
What are the responsibilities of the holder of a fund raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) permit?
It is the responsibility of the permit-holder to maintain proper accounting records in respect of the fund-raising appeal as follows:
a) Names of the authorised persons who participated in the appeal;
b) Dates on which the appeal commenced and concluded;
c) Gross amount received from the appeal;
d) Amount of every item of expenditure disbursed from the funds raised;
e) The amount of net proceeds applied to the foreign charitable purpose for which the appeal was conducted and the means by which it was distributed; and
f) The amount transmitted to any person outside Singapore and to whom the money was transmitted.
The permit-holder must also ensure that all payments out of the funds raised are made with due care and the payment is properly authorised.
When should the statement of accounts for a fund raising for foreign charitable purposes (FRFCP) permit be submitted?
The statement of accounts of the fund-raising appeal must be submitted to the Commissioner of Charities within 60 days after the last day of the appeal.
Under what circumstances will the 80/20 rule not apply or be waived?
The Commissioner of Charities may consider granting a waiver of the 80/20 rule when it is a private fund-raising appeal or if the fund-raising appeal is in aid of providing immediate disaster relief or humanitarian aid for natural disasters.
For more information, please refer to the Guideline on Public abd Private Fund-Raising.
Do organisations need to apply for permits?
If they have been duly authorised by the permit holders (i.e. the authorised fund-raisers) to collect donations on their behalf, they are not required to apply for the permits from the Commissioner of Charities.
If your organisation is a commercial fund raiser or collecting money on behalf of the permit holders, there must be a written agreement between your organisation and the permit holder. The agreement should include:
(a) location of appeal, date of appeal and fund-raising appeal method;
(b) percentage of proceeds to the charitable institution that is the permit holder;
(c) timeframe within which proceeds must be distributed to the charitable institution that is the permit holder; and
(d) remuneration of the commercial fund-raiser, commercial participator or person.
Are there any conditions on the use of funds raised for foreign charitable purposes?
The applicant has to apply at least 80% of the net proceeds of the funds raised within Singapore, unless the Commissioner of Charities in his discretion otherwise allows.

Additional Information

Fees
N/A

Documents Needed

Proof that the beneficiary is a Bona Fide organisation in its Country/Region
File format: pdf, jpeg, gif, jpg, png
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB
Letter of Acknowledgement from the beneficiary for the fund-raising activity to be held in its name
File format: pdf, jpeg, gif, jpg, png
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB
Governing instrument of the beneficiary
File format: pdf, jpeg, gif, jpg, png
Maximum upload per application: 2 MB

Application for Permit to conduct Fund-Raising Appeal for Foreign Charitable Purposes