Christmas fundraising at work for a good cause

Donate instead of gifts, team advent calendar, matching: running a workplace Christmas fundraiser in Germany, with rules on tax receipts, raffles and privacy.

In short A Christmas fundraiser at work succeeds when a small group drives it, management agrees and a donation page makes giving easy. Plan five to six weeks, choose an association with a valid exemption notice (Freistellungsbescheid) and never promise a tax receipt that only the association may issue.

This article describes the rules in Germany.

Why run a Christmas fundraiser at work?

In December the team is already in the mood to do something together. A campaign for a good cause gives that mood a goal. It strengthens ties between departments and gives internal communication a story people like to pass on.

What matters is that taking part stays voluntary. Nobody should feel pushed to give. Show progress as the team's total and not as a list of individual names. That keeps the campaign open to every pay grade.

Which formats fit into the working day?

Formats that work during breaks, in meetings or via the intranet do well. They need hardly any material and can be run by five to ten colleagues.

  • Donate instead of secret Santa (Spenden statt Wichteln): the budget for gifts goes to an association
  • Team advent calendar: 24 days, a short story every day
  • Wish tree in the foyer with wishes from an institution
  • Bake sale or a mulled wine hour in the courtyard
  • Matching: the company doubles the staff total up to a limit

With matching, you decide in advance up to which amount the company doubles, for example up to €2,000, and share that openly. Everyone then knows that each euro counts twice, and the budget stays predictable. Photos of the office, the cakes and the team make the campaign visible, as long as everyone involved agrees.

Choosing the right association

Choose an association that fits your region or your company, and let the team help decide. Two or three proposals to vote on create involvement without the decision dragging on.

Check beforehand that the association is recognised as non-profit and may issue a Zuwendungsbestätigung (donation receipt). Under § 63 AO (Abgabenordnung, the German general tax code) it may do so only if its exemption notice is no more than five years old or, while it has none yet, the confirmation of its statutes is no more than three calendar years old. Ask the association for a copy of the notice.

Involve management, works council and data protection early

Settle three things before the start: who approves the campaign? May it take place during working hours? And where will you share calls to donate, for example on the intranet, in the newsletter or on posters? If there is a works council (Betriebsrat), it belongs in the loop from the start.

On data protection: do not collect donor lists with employee names and amounts if you do not need them. Under § 38 BDSG (German data protection act) a data protection officer is mandatory from 20 people who are permanently engaged in automated data processing. Open questions go to that officer or to the data protection authority of your federal state.

Tax receipts: what you may say and what you may not

A Zuwendungsbestätigung, the German tax receipt for donations, is issued only by the beneficiary association, using the officially prescribed template. Your company cannot issue it for donations by staff. In your announcement, write that the association will issue a confirmation on request.

Also confirmed: donations are deductible as special expenses (Sonderausgaben) up to 20 percent of total income and count for the calendar year in which they are paid. For donations up to €300, a bank statement can suffice for the donor under conditions. If your company gives itself, the alternative limit of 4 per mille of turnover and wages may apply. For the tax treatment of matching, check with your tax adviser or the tax office (Finanzamt).

Raffles and ticket sales at work

A raffle at the Christmas party looks harmless, but it is a prize draw (Ausspielung). The law is set by the federal states, and anyone who runs one without permission commits an offence. A tax receipt also cannot be issued for tickets, although this is only documented in non-official sources.

The framework of the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021 (German interstate gambling treaty) is confirmed: at most €40,000 in stakes for a small lottery, net proceeds only for non-profit purposes, at least 25 percent net proceeds and prize total each, no participation by minors. States such as Berlin or North Rhine-Westphalia demand more and exclude ticket sales over the internet from their general permits. Ask your state gambling authority and register the lottery tax with the Finanzamt, even if exempt. Formats without tickets are simpler and safer.

The timeline in five weeks

  1. Week 1: sign-off from management, a team of five to ten people, choose the association
  2. Week 2: fix the format, the goal and the donation page
  3. Week 3: prepare texts and photos, plan intranet and notices
  4. Week 4: launch with a call from management
  5. Week 5: show the interim total, celebrate the result, say thanks

A more detailed plan with tasks per week is in the article Planning a Christmas campaign: timeline for associations. You will find more formats in Christmas campaign ideas for your association.

Giving together with colleagues working from home

Many teams work remotely. A campaign that only takes place in the foyer shuts them out. So build an online route from the start that works on a phone and on a laptop, and use the ideas in the article Online Christmas campaign as a digital experience.

How to do it with WeGlow.world

With WeGlow.world, the association sets up a donation page in three steps: amount, personal details, summary. Donations can be one-off or monthly, each with its own amounts and labels, for example "A warm meal". The page works on a phone, including for people working from home.

Especially fitting for companies: employees start their own action page and collect within their team or department. Each department becomes a small fundraising team. A thank-you text that the association sets up is sent automatically after the donation. There are also four Christmas experiences that are still concepts until the official launch. In the Glow Room, a 3D living room with a Christmas tree, every donation becomes an ornament on the tree. That way the staff watch the result grow. The association can sign up here, and the team answers questions via the contact page. For a broader overview, see the Christmas fundraising overview.

FAQ

The five questions teams ask most often before a Christmas fundraiser.

How long does preparation take?

Allow five weeks. You need more time if a raffle or a stand on public ground is planned, because registrations with the Finanzamt require at least two weeks of lead time.

Can the company issue a tax receipt?

No. The Zuwendungsbestätigung is issued by the beneficiary association using the official template. The company can only point out that option.

May we hold a Christmas raffle at work?

Only after clarifying the rules of your federal state. A raffle is a prize draw. Ask the competent gambling authority and the Finanzamt before you sell tickets.

Do we have to involve the works council?

Where there is a works council, it is wise to inform it early, especially for campaigns during working hours or with calls on the intranet. The legal assessment is up to the HR department or a specialist adviser.

How do we prevent social pressure in the team?

Make taking part voluntary, show only totals and no lists of names, and name no minimum amounts. Every contribution counts, even a small one.

Sources

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