Christmas fundraising at work for a charity in Spain

How to run a Christmas fundraiser at your company in Spain: team, schedule, internal communication, confirmed tax benefits and a donation page.

In short A company Christmas fundraiser works with a team of 5 to 10 people, a schedule of 6 weeks and one clear internal message. Pick a charity that issues a donation certificate, open a simple donation page and report the result at the end. Check the tax benefits first.

This article describes the rules in Spain.

In many companies a charity Christmas drive fades after two emails nobody answers. The difference lies in sharing the roles well and keeping the schedule realistic. Here is a plan that suits any workforce.

Who should take part in the company campaign?

A core team of 5 to 10 people is enough for almost any workforce: someone from HR, someone from internal communications, a sponsor on the management team and volunteers from different departments.

  • HR: approves the schedule, keeps participation voluntary and prevents any pressure on staff.
  • Internal communications: writes the messages, picks the channels and shares progress.
  • Management: gives the green light, decides whether the company adds an amount of its own and announces it.
  • Ambassadors per department: one person in each department who encourages their own team.

How do you choose the charity and the goal?

Choose one charity and one concrete goal, for example 40 Christmas Eve dinners or the school supplies for one class. A clear goal fits in a single sentence.

Let staff suggest 2 to 3 charities and vote within a week. That way the decision belongs to everyone and not just to management. Before the vote, check with each charity whether it can issue a donation certificate (certificado de donación), because this decides the tax benefits for donors (see below).

Schedule: 6 weeks until 22 December

Start in mid-November and finish before 22 December, the day of Spain's Christmas lottery (Lotería de Navidad), when attention is already elsewhere. Six weeks leave room to launch, remind and close calmly.

  1. Weeks 1 and 2: choose the charity, set the goal and prepare the donation page.
  2. Week 3: internal launch with a message from management.
  3. Weeks 4 and 5: short reminders and a visible update on the total.
  4. Week 6: final push, closing and thank you.

Internal communication people actually read

A good internal message fits in three lines: what is happening, for whom, and how to give in under two minutes. Everything else goes behind a link. Taking part is always voluntary and nobody should feel watched.

  • A launch email signed by management and a closing email with the results.
  • A short weekly note in the company chat, with the total and a photo or a sentence from the charity.
  • A poster or screen in the office with a QR code to the donation page.
  • A testimonial from the charity in a team meeting or in a 10-minute video call.

If the charity wants to send its own emails to donors afterwards, it needs clear prior consent. The LSSI (Spain's law on information society services) prohibits unsolicited commercial email, with a narrow exception, so the safe route is to ask for an explicit yes. For specific questions, contact the Spanish data protection agency (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos).

Which tax benefits exist and what should you check?

This is confirmed: Law 49/2002 lets individuals deduct from their IRPF (Spanish personal income tax) 80% of the first €250 donated and 40% of the rest, and 45% on the higher portion if they gave to the same charity in the two previous years in equal or greater amounts.

The charity must be covered by the law, for example a foundation or an association declared of public utility, and it must issue a certificate. To do so it needs the donor's tax number (NIF). The cap is 10% of the taxable base (base liquidable).

For companies that donate, corporate tax (Impuesto sobre Sociedades) provides a deduction of 40% of the amount donated, 50% for recurring donations, capped at 15% of the taxable base. In principle, buying a product or a raffle ticket is not a donation, because something is received in return.

We confirm nothing beyond this: no regional deductions, no treatment of donations deducted from payroll, and nothing about the Basque Country or Navarre, which have their own regime. Ask your tax adviser or the Spanish tax agency (Agencia Tributaria, AEAT) before promising tax benefits to staff.

Raffles and internal markets

An internal raffle or a Christmas market in the office lifts the mood, but it comes with rules. Raffles are regulated by the autonomous communities and, under the national gambling law and in Madrid, the prize cannot be money.

In the Community of Madrid, associations only need to notify in advance, for a maximum duration of one month. In Catalonia you need authorisation if the prizes exceed €3,000. For other communities we have not confirmed anything: ask your community before selling a single ticket. For a market on the street, ask the town hall whether a permit is needed.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

WeGlow.world gives you a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details and summary. It supports single and monthly donations, with your own amounts and labels, and works well on mobile. You can start for free with an account at WeGlow.world. The charity creates the page and you share the link by email, chat or QR code.

Colleagues can open their own fundraising page within the campaign, for example one team per department. Each person tells their reason and shares the link with family and friends. The charity can set up a thank you text that is sent after every donation.

For a Christmas feel there are four digital experiences, still concepts until the official launch. In the Glow Room every donation becomes a decoration on the tree in a 3D living room. In the Starry Sky every donation becomes a star. You will find more ideas in our ideas article, the guide to organising the campaign and the online version with a digital experience. To see everything, visit the Christmas fundraising page.

Closing: say thank you and share the result

Close the campaign with an email that states the total, what it means for the charity and a line of gratitude.

Plan the closing from day one: book 15 minutes in the January meeting so the charity can tell everyone what was done with the money.

Frequently asked questions

How much time does a company campaign need?

About 6 weeks from choosing the charity to closing, with 2 to 3 hours a week for the core team. A short campaign is possible, but it leaves less room for reminders.

Can the company oblige staff to take part?

It should not. Participation has to be voluntary and the communication must not single anyone out. HR can make sure there is no pressure and that nobody sees who gave or how much.

Can donations be deducted?

Yes, if the charity is covered by Law 49/2002 and issues a certificate. Individuals deduct 80% of the first €250 and 40% of the rest; companies 40%. Confirm your case with an adviser.

Is a permit needed for a raffle in the office?

It depends on your autonomous community. In Madrid you notify beforehand, in Catalonia authorisation is needed if the prizes exceed €3,000. In Madrid and under the national law, prizes cannot be money. Ask your community.

What if the charity does not issue certificates?

You can still go ahead, but explain to staff that giving will bring no tax benefit. If deductions matter to your team, choose a charity that issues a certificate from the start.

Sources

Official sources consulted for this article.

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