Gift Acceptance Policy

Introduction

To protect the interests of GFA WORLD (hereinafter referred to as the “Organisation”) and the persons and entities who support its objects, these policies are designed to ensure that all gifts to, or for the use of, GFA WORLD’s charitable purposes are structured to provide maximum benefit to all parties involved.

Beyond meeting all legal requirements attaching to the acceptance of gifts, donations and gifts shall be assessed by the Organisation and its Board of Directors to ensure that their acceptance brings no risk of harm to the reputation of GFA WORLD or causes the Organisation to incur financial or other liabilities.

The Organisation will not execute a planned or negotiated gift agreement without the advice of legal counsel.

GFA WORLD is committed to the highest ethical standards in its engagement with prospective donors. No finder’s fee or commission shall be paid to anyone as consideration for directing a gift to GFA WORLD. Staff and volunteers shall, in all cases, strongly encourage prospective donors to discuss their proposed gift with their families and seek independent legal and tax advice. GFA WORLD does not act in any capacity as an advisor on any legal, tax, estate or other planning matters.

The goal of this policy is to encourage giving to the Organisation without encumbering the Organisation with gifts that cost more rather than benefit the Organization. The goal is also to avoid gifts that the donor restricts in a manner inconsistent with goals of the Organisation.

All donations are to support the Organisation’s charitable objects. Any offer of gift that does not meet this requirement shall not be accepted.

To facilitate the receipts of gifts and bequests, the Organisation must be capable of responding quickly and in the affirmative where possible to all gifts offered by prospective donors. Unless stated otherwise, the Board of Directors intends that these policies apply to all gifts.

All donations are subject to this Gift Acceptance Policy and GFA WORLD maintains full control over all funds donated. GFA WORLD will attempt, whenever consistent with our charitable objects and budget, to honour our donors preferences regarding the use of their gifts; however, unless a specific donor designation has been accepted by the Board of Directors, the Organisation retains full discretion over the use of funds donated to the Organisation.

All gifts, including those that are being negotiated, are treated in accordance with GFA WORLD’s Privacy Policy. The Organisation shall honour requests from donors for anonymity around their donation.

I. Gifts of:

Cash
1. The Organisation will accept gifts in the form of cash and cheques regardless of amount, unless a question exists as to the legal capacity of the donor to transfer funds.
2. Donors shall make all cheques payable to GFA WORLD, and donors shall never make cheques payable to an employee, director, agent, or volunteer for the credit of the Organisation.
Publicly Traded Securities
The Organisation welcomes and accepts gifts in the form of publicly traded securities. The donor may anticipate that the Organisation may immediately sell such securities.
Closely Held Securities
The Organisation may only accept closely held securities upon written approval by the Board of Directors. In reaching a decision, the Board of Directors will review closely held securities using the following criteria:
1. Is there a readily available market for their disposition?
2. Will accepting such securities create any potential liabilities for the Organisation?
3. Does the closely held entity engage in activities that would be inconsistent with GFA WORLD’s objectives or that could harm the Organisation’s reputation?
4. Will the closely held security generate unrelated business income taxes for the Organisation?
Real Property
GFA WORLD welcomes prospective donors to make charitable contributions in the form of real estate; however, the Organisation’s Board of Directors must approve in writing all gifts of real estate in advance of accepting the gift.
1. The Organisation may require that a licensed appraiser issue an appraisal of the real estate before acceptance. The licensed appraiser shall be at arm’s length from the donor, having no business or other relationship with the donor. The costs of the appraisal shall be borne by the donor.
2. The Organisation cannot accept any gift of real estate until the Board determines that no environment waste contaminates the property. The Organisation may require an environmental surveyor report. All costs related to the survey will be borne by the donor.
3. Special consideration shall be given to the receipt of real estate encumbered by a mortgage, as the administration of such property may give rise to unrelated business income for the Organization, as well as payments, taxes and insurance that may burden the Organisation’s finances.
4. The Board of Directors may choose to accept royalty interests in oil, gas or other minerals. Before accepting such interests, the Organization shall engage legal counsel and other professional advice, where appropriate, to evaluate whether accepting the gift exposes the Organisation to environmental or other liabilities. The Organisation shall not accept working interests.
Tangible Personal Property
1. Jewellery, artwork, collections, and other personal property shall not be accepted unless the Organisation shall have reason to believe the property has a value in excess of £1,000.00. Such property can only be accepted on behalf of the Organisation by the Board of Directors or such other person or persons authorised to do so by the Board of Directors.
2. No personal property shall be accepted by the Organisation unless there is reason to believe the property can be quickly sold. No personal property shall be accepted that obligates the Organisation to retain it in perpetuity.
3. No perishable property or property which that will require special facilities or security to properly safeguard it will be accepted without prior written approval of the Board of Directors.
4. If there is reason to believe personal property has a value of £1,000.00 or more, it may only be accepted after a qualified appraisal has been made and reviewed by the Board of Directors.
Other Property
Other property of any description including mortgages, notes, copyrights, royalties, easements, whether real or personal, shall only be accepted by further action of the Board of Directors or persons duly acting on the Board’s behalf.

II. Deferred Gifts

Bequests
1. The Organisation shall actively encourage gifts through Wills and Living Trusts.
2. In the event of inquiry by a prospective donor, representations as to the acceptability of a bequest to the Organization shall be made in accordance with this Gift Acceptance Policy.
3. The Organization shall at all times retain the right to refuse a gift from an individual or from an estate when it is not in the best interest of the Organization to accept the gift.
4. When the Organisation is the recipient of a gift from a Will or Trust, the Board of Directors shall review the restrictions, if any, upon the gift and determine if it is in the best interests of the Organisation to accept the gift. The Board of Directors may appoint a person or persons to review the restrictions and report their findings and recommendations to the Board of Directors for their decision. This report may be given in person, on the phone or over email.
5. The Organisation will not accept a gift that might result in a conflict of interest, conflict within the Organisation, confusion as to the utilisation of the gift, or that might create an undue financial burden on the Organisation.
6. When the Organisation receives an unrestricted estate gift, the Board of Directors, or those empowered to act on its behalf, in consultation with the Organisation’s Chief Executive, shall determine its highest and best use at the time. If the Organisation has created an Endowment Fund and the unrestricted funds are not needed for the ordinary and everyday expenses of the Organisation, priority for unrestricted gifts may be as an addition to the Organisation’s Endowment Fund.
Life Estate Gifts
1. Donors shall generally not be encouraged to make gifts of a remainder interest in real property in which the donor retains a life estate.
2. This policy is based upon the possibility that the donor may need to sell the property in the future and find that the value of the life estate is a small portion of the value of the property. Such gifts may be accepted by the Board of Directors when the asset involved appears to be a minor portion of the donor’s wealth, and the Board of Directors are satisfied that there has been full disclosure to the donor of the possible future ramifications of the transaction.
Gifts of Life Insurance
1. GFA WORLD encourages prospective donors to name the Organization as a beneficiary of all or a portion of a person’s life insurance policies.
2. The Organisation will not, however, agree to accept gifts from donors for the purpose of purchasing life insurance on the donor’s life.
3. No insurance products may be endorsed for use in funding gifts to the Organisation.
4. In no event shall lists of the Organisation’s donors be furnished to anyone for the purpose of marketing life insurance for the benefit of donors or the Organisation. This policy is based on the fact that this practice represents a potential conflict of interest, may cause donor relations problems, and may subject the Organisation to insurance industry regulations should this activity be construed as involvement by the
5. Organisation in the marketing of life insurance policies.
Beneficiary Designations. The Organisation welcomes the opportunity to be named as a beneficiary of a prospective donor’s tax-free savings account. The Organisation encourages all prospective donors to receive independent legal and tax advice before naming GFA WORLD as a beneficiary.
Trust. The Organisation welcomes the opportunity to be named as a beneficiary of donors’ trusts. The Organisation will not serve as a trustee of any trust and encourage donors to use a professional fiduciary.

III. Designated Gifts and Designated Accounts

Establishing Designated Funds
1. The Board of Directors, with input from the Organisation’s Chief Executive, will determine what designated accounts may be established.
2. Any donor to the Organisation may request in writing to the Board of Directors the establishment of a designated account. Once an account is established, the Organisation may accept funds into that account.
3. The Board of Directors will determine the length of time the account shall exist. When that time has passed, the Board of Directors may either extend the time period for expiration of the account or transfer any remaining funds to the general fund.
Disbursing Designated Funds
1. Designated funds may only be spent for the purpose for which they are designated.
2. If, at any time, the Organization accepts custody of designated accounts that have not been approved and established by the Board of Directors, and the Organisation does not intend to use the designated funds for the purpose designated, the Organisation will return those funds to the donor or contact the donor and request permission in writing to transfer the funds to another fund.

GFA World’s National Missionary Programme

GFA World seeks to provide Christians in the West with the opportunity to participate in sharing the message of Christ’s love among those who have never before heard there is a God who loves them.

Working in strategic alliances with national missionary sending agencies in Asia, GFA World makes it possible for Christians in the West to become personally involved in the Great Commission by helping to send well-qualified, committed national missionaries who will become living examples of the message of hope that can be found in Christ.

GFA’s National Missionary Programme provides for the needs of thousands of brothers and sisters who, after three years of intensive training, have dedicated their lives to taking the message of Christ’s love to those who have never before experienced it.

On average, it takes up to £300 per month for GFA World’s National Missionary Programme to fully support one national missionary, including the missionary’s basic living expenses as well as providing for some ministry expenses. However, a pledge of as little as £25 a month can help GFA World send well-trained national missionaries to places in Asia where people have never before known the Source of true hope.

For each monthly pledge of £25 to GFA’s National Missionary Programme the sponsor will receive a photo and information about a missionary they can pray for. The missionary’s personal testimony and family information will be included, as well as information regarding the region in which this missionary serves.

Your prayers are a crucial part of the sponsorship of a national missionary. The missionary is working in some of the most difficult areas of the world and often faces extreme opposition that comes in the form of spiritual warfare and also, many times, beatings and possibly even death. Your prayers are a crucial part of their successful ministry.

Normally, each quarter you will receive updated information regarding the region in which your missionary is serving. The updates include reports about the growth of the work of the Lord in their area, what kinds of opposition missionaries may be facing and information about how the sponsor can pray.

This is intended to allow you, the sponsor, to intercede more fully for the situations your missionary(ies) faces on a daily basis, so you can stand in the gap for your missionary and their ministry. As you stand in the gap for your missionary(ies), you will be helping to lift their hands (see Exodus 17:12) and strengthen them for the battles they are facing in the spiritual realm.

As people respond to the message of Christ’s love, you, as a sponsor, can have the satisfaction of knowing you have been personally involved in that process. By standing with a national missionary, you will be storing up treasures in heaven (see Matthew 6:20) that will last forever. What a joy it will be when we all stand before the throne of grace, looking out at a great multitude that no man can number from every tribe and language (see Revelation 7:9). Some of these will be men, women and children whom you helped by partnering with a national missionary. Maybe somebody will come to you and gratefully and passionately thank you for linking your life with the missionary who shared Christ’s love with them, which eventually ended up transforming their lives. Then you will have the privilege of worshiping our Lord together for all eternity!

*GFA World’s field partners are independent of GFA World and are solely responsible for the oversight of their national missionaries. GFA World provides funding for national missionaries and serves as a vital link of communication between the mission field and the sponsor.

GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Programme

GFA World, in a strategic alliance with an independent South Asian Child Sponsorship ministry, seeks to provide Christians in the West with the opportunity to minister to the physical needs of children in poverty, as well as to form a lasting relationship with these children.

GFA World’s Child Sponsorship Programme’s role is to provide Western Christians the opportunity to donate toward the physical well-being of the children, as well as to provide a vital link through which communication and relationship building can take place. While operating in a strategic alliance with GFA World, the Child Sponsorship Programme is owned and operated by Believers Eastern Church, India, and is free of any form of control by GFA World.

By sponsoring a child through the Child Sponsorship Programme you will not only be entering into a relationship with a child, but you will also enable the programme to provide life-changing assistance to your child, as well as to thousands of children throughout Asia. The Child Sponsorship Programme provides children with a quality education, a daily nutritious meal and medical care, all the while allowing them to daily experience the love of Jesus.

Often your gift will open a door that allows the Child Sponsorship Programme to minister to the children’s families, and often to the entire community as well. By God’s grace and through the generosity of donors like you, the programme is currently able to help meet the needs of more than 70,000 underprivileged children.

By sponsoring, you can become personally involved in the life of one or more of these precious children. As a sponsor, you will receive a packet that includes the name, picture, personal and family information for each child you desire to sponsor. You will be given the opportunity to write to your child and personally share information about you and your family, which will help to build a lasting relationship. Your child can also write back to you on a regular basis.

Through your letters, you can help the child to understand there is somebody who cares deeply about them and wants to stand with them to support them. Your letters are an important aspect of the Child Sponsorship Programme’s ministry and will be a significant encouragement to a child who often feels trapped in very difficult circumstances.

The knowledge that you are praying for them provides the spiritual connection that will help them understand there is a God who loves them even more than you do. This is also critical in helping them understand they are not alone, but rather they are part of something that is much bigger than them: the Body of Christ, which loves and cares for them personally.

As you intercede for your child, asking the Lord of the universe to help your precious child to grow into all He wants them to be, you will be helping to unleash heavenly forces to act on the behalf of your child.

Donors often wish to provide special gifts to the child they sponsor. While GFA encourages correspondence with sponsored children, we ask that any special gift be limited to those gifts that can be mailed as a flat item, such as stickers, pages of colouring books or pictures, as there are many difficulties associated with importation of packages in overseas locations. Given the difficulties of shipping to some overseas locations, we cannot guarantee donors that gifts sent will always be received by the child. Also, given the fact that many children live in difficult financial conditions, large financial gifts may not be in the best interest of that child or those around him or her, and may be better utilised by spreading those gifts for the benefit of the entire community. For that reason, it is our policy that special financial gifts will be used for the benefit of the entire Child Sponsorship Programme centre rather than a specific child.

*The Child Sponsorship Programme is independent of GFA World and is solely responsible for serving the underprivileged children in Asia. GFA World provides funding for the Child Sponsorship Programme and serves as a vital link of communication between the sponsor and their child.

** Due to socioeconomic conditions, a version of this sponsorship programme is offered only within India that makes available multiple sponsorships with a lower monthly donation amount.