KDYS

KDYS Donor’s Charter

Donors

Donors have the right to be assured that their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given. KDYS will respect the rights of donors to be informed about the causes for which KDYS is fundraising; to be informed about how their donation is being used; and to have their names deleted from mailing lists or databases if so requested.

The KDYS run TWO family support programmes in partnership with TUSLA one in Tralee and one in Kilorglin.

Use of donations

In raising funds, KDYS will accurately describe its activities and needs. The Organisations policies and practices will ensure that any donations received will be used solely to further the organisation’s mission. Where donations are made for a specific purpose, the donor’s request will be honoured. If the charity invites the general public to donate to a specific cause, then the charity will have a plan for handling any shortfall or excess.

Disclosure

Donors have the right to be informed of the status and authority of those soliciting donations; for example, donors will be informed if fundraisers are employees of the organisation or third party agents.

Organisational Independence

KDYS will record and publish an Annual Report and the Statement of Annual Accounts details of individual gifts, including gifts-in-kind; where the charity judges that those gifts may be construed to have the potential to influence the independence of the organisation’s decision making. While KDYS is not obliged to accept anonymous donations, where anonymity is requested by a donor this will be respected if the donation is accepted, however the other details of the gift will be recorded and published (such that anonymity is preserved).

Third Party Fundraisers

The charity will seek to ensure that any donations sought indirectly, such as through third party agents, are solicited and received in full conformity with the charity’s own standards and practices. This will normally be the subject of written agreement between the parties.

Volunteer Fundraisers

The charity’s board and management shall ensure that the organization has a policy for its activities involving volunteers, including the relationship and communications with volunteers and how volunteers are managed.

Complaints and Feedback Procedure

KDYS will put in place procedures to enable interested parties to notify the organization of their wishes, comments and complaints. These procedures will include systems to ensure that all feedback (including especially any complaints) are responded to and addressed within a specified timeframe. Public or donor queries or complaints should, in the first instance, be addressed to the KDYS. Where the organisations response does not satisfy the complainant, s/he will have clear information about the next level of the complaints procedure, which will be directed to the Monitoring Group. All matters of illegality should be addressed immediately to An Garda Siochána.

Financial Controls

KDYS’s internal financial control procedures will ensure that all funds are used effectively and will minimise the risk of funds being misused. KDYS will follow the principles of best practice in financial management. An Annual
Report and a Statement of Annual Accounts figures will be freely available to the public (see Section 8, number 2 for an outline of the content of an Annual Report and a Statement of Annual Accounts).

Human Resources

KDYS’s human resource policies will conform fully to relevant national and international labour regulations. These policies will seek to apply best practices in terms of employee and volunteer rights and health and safety at work.

Equality

KDYS adheres to any equality legislation and will not tolerate discrimination in any form.

Appointment of External Auditor

The KDYS board (or, in the case of an association, the general meeting of members) shall appoint an external auditor or independent examiner as appropriate to audit/ examine the annual accounts. It is a requirement of the Revenue Commissioners that charities with an annual income of €100,000 or above must have audited accounts and this audit threshold is also applied in the Charities Bill 2007.

There is provision in the Charities Bill 2007 that charities below this threshold will not be obliged to have fully audited accounts but will have to have their accounts examined by an independent person approved by the Regulatory Authority.