Organise a Christmas fundraiser in 6 weeks in Luxembourg

A 6-week plan for your Christmas fundraiser in Luxembourg, with the permits for door-to-door collections and raffles, and tax-deductible donations.

In short A Christmas fundraiser takes 6 weeks to prepare with a team of 5 to 10 people. Fix the format first, then apply for permits: door-to-door collections go through the municipal council or the Ministry of Justice, and a raffle needs prior authorisation. Then come the donation page and the e-mails.

this article describes the rules in Luxembourg.

Why six weeks is enough for a Christmas fundraiser

Six weeks is a realistic timeframe for a Luxembourg association: enough to submit your permit requests, with no guarantee on the response time, but too short to improvise everything. Start around 12 November and you reach 24 December without rushing.

Permits come before posters, and the donation page before the first e-mail. If you are still unsure about the format, first read our Christmas fundraising ideas for a charity in Luxembourg.

The plan, week by week

Here is a 6-week plan, to adapt to your team. Each week has a single goal, so nothing piles up at the end.

  1. Week 6: choose a format, a target in euros and a lead person. Bring together 5 to 10 people.
  2. Week 5: submit the permit requests (collection, raffle, event) to the municipality or the ministry.
  3. Week 4: create the donation page, write the story of your fundraiser and prepare the visuals.
  4. Week 3: send the first e-mail to your donors and launch on social media.
  5. Week 2: follow up, set up the equipment, confirm the volunteers.
  6. Week 1: run the fundraiser, share the total every day and say thank you right away.

Keep some margin: if a permit is late, you can still change format. Also allow 48 hours after the fundraiser to send your thank-yous, while the emotion is still fresh.

Door-to-door collection: which permit do you need?

A fundraising collection or an appeal for help at people's homes requires a permit. If it takes place in a single municipality, the municipal council (conseil communal) grants it. If it covers several municipalities, you must apply to the Ministry of Justice.

Requests to the ministry go through info@mj.public.lu. Submit your file from week 5 of the plan, because each administration has its own pace.

A collection on a shopping street, with a collection tin or a stall, is not described on the ministry's page, which only talks about homes. Ask your municipality before you plan.

Christmas raffle: prior authorisation is mandatory

In Luxembourg there is no such thing as a free small raffle: every lottery or raffle needs prior authorisation. The board of mayor and aldermen (collège des bourgmestre et échevins) grants it up to €12,500 of tickets, the Minister of Justice above that.

The municipality of the main place where tickets are issued is competent. The purpose must be, wholly or partly, in the general interest (philanthropic, religious, scientific, artistic, educational, social, sporting or tourist). The authority can set conditions on the organisation, the draw and the oversight.

In Luxembourg City, the organiser must hand in a statement of receipts within the month after the draw. This rule is confirmed only for the City: ask your municipality what it requires. For deadlines, forms and the maximum ticket price, contact the Games of chance department of the Ministry of Justice. Selling tickets online is not described in any official source consulted: ask before you offer it.

Christmas market and events in public space

An event in public space (games, competitions, shows, exhibitions) needs the mayor's authorisation. Each municipality has its own police regulation: consult the municipal administration well before the date.

In Luxembourg City, the request can be made online and a tax on shows may apply. For a stall at a Christmas market, ask the market organiser about the pitch rental or any special authorisation. For mulled wine, a permit for alcoholic drinks may exist: ask your municipality.

Deductible donations: what you can promise donors

In Luxembourg, a donation is a special expense deducted from income, not a percentage given back on the tax. The total donations of the year must reach at least €120, and the deduction cannot exceed 20% of total net income or €1,000,000.

Amounts above these limits carry forward to the next two tax years. The donation counts for the year it is paid: a Christmas donation must therefore be paid before 31 December. This year-end date is an unofficial rule, deduced from the tax return form, which speaks of gifts paid during the year: confirm it with the Administration.

Only organisations recognised as being of public utility and listed by the Administration des contributions directes (the direct tax authority) are covered. Not every recognised association is automatically deductible. So promise nothing before you have checked your own case on the list. For the proof of payment the donor must keep, or for online payments, the official source is not explicit: ask the Administration des contributions directes. Our advice on this is in the article on deducting Christmas donations in Luxembourg.

E-mails to donors: consent first

For e-mails, the competent authority is the CNPD, the Luxembourg data protection authority. Without a pre-existing contractual relationship, the recipient's prior consent is needed before you send. With such a relationship, a right to object must be stated when the address is collected and in every message.

It is not known whether an earlier donation counts as a contractual relationship. The safest route is a separate checkbox for the newsletter and the Christmas e-mail, never ticked in advance.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

If your organisation is on WeGlow.world, you have a donation page in three steps: the amount, the details, the summary. It accepts one-off and monthly donations, with a label for each amount, and works on a phone. You can start for free with an account.

Your supporters can start their own fundraising page to pass yours on, and you can write a thank-you text that goes out after every donation. Glowie helps you write the story of your fundraiser; you stay in control and approve every suggestion.

For Christmas, four digital experiences are at concept stage, until the official launch. In the Starry Sky, every donation becomes a star and you fly from star to star. The Card Wall hangs envelopes on a string, each card being a stamp. Discover them all on the Christmas fundraising page, and read our article on the online Christmas fundraiser in Luxembourg.

Ready to start? Create your account or contact the team.

Frequently asked questions

How long should you allow to organise a Christmas fundraiser?

Count on 6 weeks: one to decide, one for permits, one for the donation page, two for communication and one for the fundraiser itself.

Who authorises a door-to-door collection?

The municipal council if it takes place in a single municipality, the Ministry of Justice if it covers several. In both cases, the permit must come before the collection.

What permit does a small Christmas raffle need?

No raffle is free: every raffle needs prior authorisation: from the board of mayor and aldermen up to €12,500 of tickets, from the Minister of Justice above that. The purpose must be in the general interest.

How do I know whether donations will be deductible?

They are only deductible if your organisation is on the Administration des contributions directes lists and the year's total donations reach €120. Check your status before mentioning it on your page.

How do I write to my past donors?

Carefully: without prior consent, sending is only safe if a contractual relationship exists, which is not established for a donation. Ask the CNPD for advice and include a consent checkbox.

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