For many people, charity fundraising is an opportunity for treatment and recovery. However, collecting donations from donors is subject to certain regulations. Can anyone organize a charity fundraiser? Does the fundraiser have to be reported and officially accounted for? These are just some of the issues discussed in regulations concerning charity fundraising. We have prepared the most important information for you. 

Charity fundraising and regulations – where can you find the information you need?

The regulations concerning charity collections are governed by the Act of March 14, 2014, on the rules for conducting public collections. Its content is available online on the government website, in the Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland.

Very often, public fundraisers are organized by foundations or associations referred to as public benefit organizations. Who can have the status of a public benefit organization and what privileges and obligations result from this is regulated by the Act of April 24, 2003, on public benefit activities and volunteering. Its content can also be found on the government website.

The regulations governing charitable fundraising should be known not only to the person/organization undertaking such fundraising, but also to anyone who wishes to support it. In an era of fake fundraising and impersonation of foundations, it is essential to ensure your own safety.

You can check whether a given association or foundation has public benefit organization status in the National Court Register search engine. All information about public fundraising—including its individual number, organizer details, location, and duration—is available on the Public Fundraising Portal. 

Check: where to find help for cancer patients.

What is and what is not a public collection, i.e., a charity collection and the regulations governing it

One of the basic criteria for collections is whether or not it is a public collection. Each type of collection entails different obligations for those conducting it. In the case of a public collection, it must be reported on the Public Collections Portal. Not sure whether a given collection is a public or private charity collection? The regulations clearly define this.

According to the Act on the Rules for Conducting Public Collections, a public collection is a collection:

• in the form of cash or in-kind donations collected in cans, piggy banks, or baskets, carried out in a public place, in a publicly accessible area,
• conducted for a specific purpose in the sphere of public tasks or religious purposes.

Public fundraising is not a collection, among others:

• raising funds through cash and raffle lotteries,
• organized at school (with the consent of the authorities, among students and teachers),
• fundraising among colleagues at work (also with the consent of the authorities and in a closed group),
• fundraising in the form of transfers to the foundation's account, sending charity text messages, and donations to the platform.

Organizing a fundraiser on the Cancer Fighters platform is not a public fundraiser. This means that you do not need to report it on the government portal.

Check out: how to organize a fundraiser for medical treatment.

Do I have to settle accounts for the collection?

The charity collection and the regulations governing it clearly indicate the need to prepare a report on the public collection. It must also be sent within the appropriate time limit specified in the Act.

Is your fundraiser not public? Public charity fundraising and regulations are one thing. However, it is worth considering moral issues and the transparency of your activities, also in the context of the comfort and safety of donors. As an oncology foundation with public benefit organization status, we regularly publish reports on our activities – you can find out where the money from collections or the 1.5% tax collected goes. If you are organizing a fundraiser for treatment yourself, be honest with your potential donors. Describe exactly what you are raising money for, provide updates on the progress of the fundraiser and treatment, and write about how you are using the funds raised.

Check out: how to raise money for cancer treatment.

Every Cancer Fighters beneficiary can use our fundraising platform free of charge. We will help you with organizational matters and promoting your fundraiser. If you would like to join us, please contact us.

Source:

Act of March 14, 2014, on the rules for conducting public collections, accessed on December 22, 2025.