Funding Policy - Extract

1. Rationale:
   1. The purpose of Friends of Ahotokurom is to act as a vehicle giving practical expression to the love and concern of people in the UK for their brothers and sisters in Ghana, who have suffered through leprosy or disability and are being supported by Ahotokurom.
   2. In friendship we give time, support, ideas, prayers and financial support. In friendship they give prayers, support, feedback, inspiration and help us to raise our understanding of the issues and real needs of people facing disadvantage in the developing world.
   3. Friends of Ahotokurom is not specifically a fundraising group or organisation. Our formation and reason for existence is about a connection, a relationship between people in the UK and in Ghana.
   4. In raising awareness of the work of Ahotokurom and the issues people face, we and other people often wish to express solidarity by giving time, gifts in kind, or money.
   5. This policy sets out the responsibilities and relationships that Friends of Ahotokurom has to our donors and supporters, to DMJ's in Ahotokurom and to DMJ English Region.
2. Our relationship with donors:
   1. Friends of Ahotokurom is essentially a group of friends - people who have become connected with the work of Ahotokurom and want to help - not an organisation, although we do operate formally under the auspices of the DMJ Sisters (English Province) UK Charity No. 232421
   2. We maintain appropriate accountability to the DMJs. Our Bookkeeper maintains clear records of transactions; these are reviewed and prepared as accounts by our Treasurer, verified by the group and passed to the DMJ English Region annually for audit purposes.
   3. We meet formally twice a year - to receive reports on the work, to report on income and transfers to Ghana and to plan further support activities. Outside of our meetings we work individually or in small groups on the various projects we undertake. We do not have any staff, or charge any administration costs. All work is undertaken on a voluntary basis. All donations go directly to the work of Ahotokurom.
   4. When donations are made, donors may identify any specific purpose the funds may be intended for, and we record donations accordingly. Where a specific project is indicated, the donation is then designated as a restricted fund within our accounts.
   5. We try to minimise reporting requirements and restrictions, mindful of the reality that excessive reporting requirements can take away from the demands of the face to face work in Ghana. Friends of Ahotokurom do not therefore request/report detailed financial reports on Ghana expenditure (unless required by a third party, to which all have agreed- see note f below). However, we do value our relationship with Ahotokurom and with donors, and we know that feedback on the work is appreciated. We undertake therefore to produce a newsletter to all donors.
   6. Where specific reporting detail is required by a funding organisation or group we will negotiate with Ahotokurom and DMJ English Region as to whether all can meet and accept these reporting requirements and if so, we (Friends of Ahotokurom) are happy to undertake this responsibility.
   7. The DMJ's in Ghana, Africa Province provide accounts and reports to DMJ English Region as necessary to satisfy UK Charity law and audit requirements.
   8. We try to encourage tax efficient giving through operation within the Gift Aid Scheme. All donors who are UK Tax payers are invited to complete a Gift Aid form and the tax is claimed back on an annual basis to further contribute to the work.
   9. Donors are informed that in the unlikely event of Friends of Ahotokurom or Ahotokurom winding up its work, all outstanding funds will be passed to the English Region of the DMJ Sisters to be given for Social Welfare work with disadvantaged people within the African Province.

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