I've funded school in India now want to start charity

vannen

Hello all,

I have funded a new school in India, and now pay £220 per month to cover electricity, teachers, and rent.

the school has been open for six months and they have just sat their half-year exams (the school year is not the same as in the UK. This is in Madhya Pradesh). I have a stream of photos of happy kids coming through.

This is a huge commitment for me alone. I want to bring in others to help and also do some charity challenges to raise funds...

Firstly I need under £5000 per year, so I can't register as a charity here. Secondly the school is in India and essentially my role is just to find funding, so I can't easily claim the charity is based in the EU as required by Gift Aid registration (as I understand it)

I am stuck! I want to open up the possibility of donations but I can't use Justgiving or any other sites like that as they require either Registered Charity status or Gift Aid. It's hard to gain people's trust if I have neither.



Any, any, guidance is warmly received!

shammyjack

??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

asajj

Here it says if you have under £5000, you can apply to a different scheme to get charity tax breaks and claim gift aid.

https://www.gov.uk/how-to-register-your-charity-cc21b

Perhaps contact Oxfam as they might be able to advise you how to proceed.

Marktheshark

India is the worlds tenth largest economy and set to over take the UK in 2016 in GDP.
Why do they need charity to pay the school electric bill ?

asajj

Probably same reason as to why Britain has food banks.

deedee71

The UK Govt spent just under £3 BILLION on a programme to overhaul education in Madhya Pradesh, between 2008-2013. There are other current programmes, perhaps OP can point the school in the direction of existing help in-country.

haribofangtastic

Hi,

My daughter's school are using https://www.cash4coins.co.uk. The school are collecting foreign currency and then Cash4Coins buy it back from them. They were recently listed as a trusted PTA supplier. The collection box is quite full with foreign currency. Speaking to the head teacher he said it has been received well with parents.

You might want to get in touch with them

Thanks

joogoo

look into setting up a CIO - charitable incorporated organisation - there's no minimum income and you'll have a charity number. you will need at least three volunteer board members willing to run the org. see charity commission website for guidance or find your local CVS