Thank you so much for considering supporting MS Queensland with your fundraising activity. Before you commence fundraising, please review the following guidelines.

Your Impact

Your support can make a real impact to the lives of people living with MS and other neurological conditions. 

Because of you, choosing to fundraise for us, we will be able to provide vital services such as:

• The NeuroAssist infoline, giving people hope in their darkest time
• Accommodation, giving a home to young Queenslanders across the state, keeping them out of aged care
• Regional information sessions, enabling people in regional areas feel empowered and connected
• Wellbeing Centres, helping more people access exercise classes and physiotherapy close to their home
• A skilled and compassionate team of Service Coordinators, giving families confidence their loved one would get the vital services they need to live their best life.

Most importantly, through your commitment and dedication – you will be joining our vision to ensure that no one faces MS alone. 

Authority to Fundraise

It is a requirement for MS Queensland to approve all fundraising activities. If your activity is approved, MS Queensland will issue you with a “Letter of Authority”, giving you approval to fundraise. 

In order to obtain your approval and start your planning, please follow the steps below:

• Read and adhere to the “MS Queensland Fundraising Guidelines”.
• Complete the “Fundraising Application form” and return to MS Queensland.

Allow 5 working days for your application to be reviewed. If you need an urgent approval, please return your form and call our fundraising team on 1300 090 923.

If your application is approved, you will receive a Letter of Authority.

Once you have received your Letter of Authority, you can begin promoting your activity as an MS Queensland fundraiser.

Please note, there are some fundraising activities that MS Queensland cannot be associated with including activities that may:

• Promote a high level of personal or public risk;
• Be interpreted as rude, offensive or inappropriate
• Do not align with our values 
• Your key responsibilities

As the organiser of the activity you must accept and adhere to all of the guidelines in this document, including: 

• Accept full responsibility for ensuring that your activity is safe, legal and appropriate to our organisation. 
• Accept full responsibility for the coordination and management of the activity, volunteers, associated finances, prizes, publicity and all communications with MS Queensland and guests/participants/supporters of your activity.
• As your activity is not an official MS Queensland activity, but rather is a personal activity to raise funds for the organisation, you must make it clear that you are independently raising funds to support MS Queensland.  

How MS Queensland can help you

Once your fundraising activity has been approved by MS Queensland, we will keep in touch with you by regular email or phone contact to monitor the progress of your fundraiser.  The important thing to remember is that, being a charity, we have a small team and rely on you as “the fundraiser” to plan and conduct the event. We will support you in any way we can and share the advice we have learnt in our own fundraising endeavours over many years. 

Ways in which MS Queensland may be able to assist:

• Creating your fundraising page 
• Tax receipts for you to give donors 
• MS Queensland representative to attend your event (dependant on availability) 
• Posters, brochures, donation tins, merchandise 

Please note that MS Queensland is not able to provide the following:

• Reimbursement for any expenses incurred
• Contact lists for you to use in promoting your event (due to privacy legislation) 

Legal Requirements

All fundraising activities must comply with all relevant national, state, territory laws and regulations. In each state and territory, there is a Charitable Fundraising Act or equivalent to which MS Queensland and people fundraising on behalf of MS Queensland must adhere to. 

To find out more about legislation in Queensland including regulations of collections & raffles, please see details for Queensland Registration Services Fair Trading Operations Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.  Website www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au   Phone: 13 13 04.

Public Liability Insurance

You will need to consider whether you require insurance to cover your fundraising event to protect both yourself and your participants.  It's great peace-of-mind to be prepared. 

Taking out the appropriate type and level of insurance for your activity is strongly recommended. MS Queensland can provide Public Liability Insurance for some low risk fundraising events. For further information about public liability insurance please contact us. 

Financials

As the activity organiser you are responsible for all financial aspects of the activity, including record keeping, management of funds and sending funds raised to MS Queensland. 

Your basic obligations are to ensure that:

• You keep, and provide MS Queensland with accurate financial records of your activity.
• All funds raised are sent to MS Queensland within 28 days of completion of fundraising activity. Once your application is approved, you will receive further information on banking your funds.  

Please note, MS Queensland cannot pay or reimburse any expenses incurred by you as a result of the fundraising activity. However, you can deduct your expenses from the proceeds of the activity, provided this is properly documented. As an MS Queensland policy, we ask that the total expenses should not exceed 30 per cent of total proceeds. 

Receipting

MS Queensland can provide a tax-deductible receipt for all donations of $2 or more. If any of your supporters require a tax-deductible receipt, please complete a MS Queensland receipt request form be sent to you, if your application is approved. MS Queensland will issue them a receipt once we have received all funds from you. 

Please note:

• You cannot claim a personal tax deduction for funds received and/or donated on behalf of others.
• You cannot claim a tax deduction for gifts that are donated to your activity and not a ‘true’ donation i.e. buying a ticket for a fundraising event is not tax deductible.

For more information on tax deductable regulations please visit the ATO website.

Use of logos & communications

Upon request, MS Queensland can provide activity organisers use of the MS Queensland fundraising logo in accordance with our guidelines for use. The logo can only be used to promote the activity for the dates stipulated in the Authority to Fundraise. 

Please note, MS Queensland must approve any reference to the organisation’s name or logo before going to print or publication. Further guidelines on how to use the logo will be supplied after written approval has been provided to the fundraiser. 

As the organiser, it is your responsibility for generating interest for your activity, however MS Queensland can support you with sharing on social media and if appropriate, to our networks. 

If you agree to guidelines and wish to proceed, please then complete your ‘Fundraising Application’ form and return to our team. 

Thank you for choosing to support MS Queensland!

If you have any further questions please use the details below:

Email: events@msqld.org.au 

Phone: 1300 090 923

Address: MS Queensland, Locked Bag 7, Milton 4064