Plan a Christmas campaign: timeline for Austrian charities

Plan a Christmas campaign in six weeks: timeline, tax deductibility with confirmed facts, and collection law as a state matter in Austria.

In short Six weeks are enough for a Christmas campaign if you plan backwards from 1 December. Set the goal and team first, then sort out tax deductibility and collection rules, then build the donation page, stories and announcement. This plan gives the steps week by week and the facts we found officially confirmed.

This article describes the rules in Austria.

This article is orientation for Austrian charities, not legal or tax advice. Where we could not confirm something, we name the body to ask.

Why six weeks are enough

Count back from the launch of your campaign. If your Christmas campaign starts on 1 December, planning begins in mid-October. With a team of 5 to 10 people this works, if every task has a name.

Plan small and tidy rather than big and rushed. One clear goal, one donation page and three or four stories work better than ten half-finished ideas. Ideas to choose from are in Weihnachtsaktion Ideen für Österreich.

The timeline week by week

Week 1: set the goal, amount, team and roles.
Week 2: clarify tax deductibility and collection rules, check data protection.
Week 3: build the donation page and test it on a phone.
Week 4: write the stories, pick photos and draft the thank-you text.
Week 5: prepare the announcement for members, partners and press.
Week 6: final tests, launch on 1 December, thank the first donors.

In week 1, choose a realistic goal, for example an amount you can explain in one sentence: what does a meal, a gift or an evening cost? People give more readily when they understand the goal.

Week 2: tax deductibility, confirmed facts only

Donations from individuals are deductible as Sonderausgaben (special expenses), but only if your organisation is listed as a donation-eligible body. The Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF) gives a cap of 10 percent of total income for the year in question.

The basis is a notice from the Finanzamt Österreich (tax office) and inclusion in the public list on the BMF website.
Since 1 January 2024 all charitable purposes qualify, not just selected fields.
One condition is that the organisation has been active for at least 12 months and that administration costs are at most 10 percent of donation income.
Donations are reported electronically to the tax office if donors give their first and last name and date of birth.

Only promise deductibility if you are on the list. The BMF itself points out that the phrase “tax deductible” on promotional material does not prove an organisation is eligible. Check your status early, especially for the Christmas season.

We could not confirm whether there is a minimum amount, and we found no official rule naming 31 December as a cut-off date. The law refers to the calendar year of the gift. If in doubt, ask the Finanzamt Österreich. Details: Spendenabsetzbarkeit bei Weihnachtsspenden.

Week 2: collection law is state law

In Austria, collection law (Sammlungsrecht) belongs to the states, so the rules differ by Bundesland. We read the Wiener Sammlungsgesetz in full. For the other eight states we can state no rules as fact.

In Vienna, public collecting needs a permit. This includes collection tins on public streets and sales where part of the proceeds goes to a good cause. The application must reach the authority at least two months before the collection, and the accounts follow within 3 months of the end. Violations can cost up to €2,100.

An appeal by post, in the media or through electronic means of communication does not count as a collection in Vienna. An online donation page therefore needs no permit there. Whether the same holds in your state, we have not confirmed: ask your municipality or the state government.

For your timeline: want collection tins on the street? Apply in week 2, not in November.

Advent market, punch stall and raffle

A punch stall at the Advent market needs more lead time than a donation page. Events law is state law, and the municipality, city magistrate or district authority (Bezirkshauptmannschaft) is responsible. Ask the municipality in advance whether special rules apply to non-profits for serving drinks and for the pitch.

For a raffle, the federal Glücksspielgesetz (gambling act) applies. Draws fall outside the gambling monopoly as long as the combined stakes of the same organiser does not exceed €4,000 per calendar year and no personal or commercial interest is pursued. Above that, a permit from the Finanzamt Österreich is required.

We have not confirmed whether a draw is allowed online. Ask the Finanzamt Österreich before you sell tickets through a website.

Weeks 3 to 5: donation page, stories, announcement

The donation page is the heart of your campaign. Build it in week 3, test it on a phone and ask 3 people from the team to play through a test donation. Problems show up now, not on 1 December.

In week 4 you create the content: a photo, a short story, a clear amount with impact. In week 5 you prepare the announcement. For e-mails to supporters you need their consent: under § 174(3) TKG 2021, electronic mail for advertising purposes without prior consent is not permitted, and the fine can reach €50,000.

Whether a fundraising appeal counts as direct marketing, and whether the exception for existing customers applies to donations, is not confirmed. Assume consent is required. The Datenschutzbehörde in Vienna handles data protection questions. More on the online side: Online Weihnachtsaktion in Österreich.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

With WeGlow.world you set up the donation page in three steps: amount, personal details, summary. One-off and monthly donations are possible, each with its own amounts and labels such as “A warm meal”. The page works on a smartphone.

It asks for first name and e-mail, and donors can also give anonymously. If you add a thank-you text, a thank-you e-mail goes out after a donation. If your organisation is on WeGlow.world, supporters can also start their own action page for your campaign. You can start for free with an account via the WeGlow.world sign-up.

WeGlow.world is working on four digital Christmas experiences, a concept until the official launch. In the Starry Sky every donation becomes a star and you fly from star to star. In the Glow Room every donation becomes an ornament on the tree in a 3D living room. Both show your campaign's progress without a spreadsheet. Questions? Write to us via contact.

Week 6: launch and thanks

In the final week, check links, amounts, thank-you text and the Impressum (legal notice). A complete Impressum on the donation page is the safe rule. Under the E-Commerce-Gesetz, name, address and fast contact details including e-mail belong there.

Launch on 1 December with a personal message and thank the first donors the same day. A progress update after 7 days keeps interest alive.

Frequently asked questions

The five questions charities ask most often.

When should I start planning?

By mid-October at the latest if the campaign should start on 1 December. Six weeks are enough if goal, team and roles are fixed in the first week and you clarify collection and event questions early.

May I promise donors tax deductibility?

Only if your organisation is on the BMF list of donation-eligible bodies. The notice from the Finanzamt Österreich is the basis. Without a listing, donations are not deductible and the claim would be misleading.

Do I need a permit for donations on the internet?

In Vienna, an appeal through electronic means of communication does not count as a collection. For the other states we have not confirmed this. Ask your municipality or the state government before you start.

May I run a raffle?

Up to total stakes of €4,000 per year and organiser it falls outside the gambling monopoly, provided there is no personal or commercial interest. Above that, a permit from the Finanzamt Österreich is required. Online tickets are not confirmed.

May I send Christmas e-mails to supporters?

Assume consent is required. § 174 TKG 2021 prohibits advertising by e-mail or SMS without prior consent, with fines of up to €50,000. If unsure, ask the Datenschutzbehörde.

Sources

All information checked on 9 October 2026 (status of the legal texts: version of 9 October 2026).