Donation Refund Policy

1 – Introduction

Water for Africa Inc. (WFA) is an Australian non-profit organisation providing clean water and sanitation solutions to communities in Africa.

2 – Our Commitment to Donors

At WFA, we are deeply grateful for the generosity of our donors and are committed to responsible and ethical financial management. We aim to ensure all donations are used efficiently and in alignment with our mission to provide clean, safe water to communities in need.

While donations are generally non-refundable, we recognise that there may be circumstances in which a refund is appropriate and reasonable. This policy outlines those circumstances and the procedures for requesting and processing a refund.

3 – Policy

As a registered charity, WFA operates under the governance standards of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) and complies with Australian Taxation Office (ATO) guidelines. In line with this, the following principles apply:

• donations are typically non-refundable;
• refunds may be granted in limited and clearly defined circumstances (see Section 4);
• refund requests must be made within the applicable payment processor’s time limits (see Section 5); and
• refunds are only issued to the original payment method.

4 – Acceptable Circumstances for a Refund

Refunds may be considered under the following situations:

a) Donor Error

• Donation made in the wrong amount (e.g. an extra zero added).
• Duplicate donation due to technical or user error.
• Donation made by selecting the wrong campaign or project.

b) Unauthorised or Fraudulent Use

• Donation made without the knowledge or consent of the cardholder.
• Identity theft or unauthorised access to donor’s financial account.

c) Vulnerable Donors

• A donation made by a person in a vulnerable position who may not have fully understood the nature of the transaction.

d) Exceptional Circumstances

• A refund requested under extraordinary conditions, subject to approval by WFA’s management or Board.
• We may request supporting documentation to validate the request (e.g. proof of identity or correspondence confirming unauthorised use).

5 – Time Limitations

To ensure consistency and transparency for all donors, WFA provides a standard 60-day refund window applicable to all payment methods.

Refund requests must be submitted within 60 days from the original donation date, regardless of the payment platform used (e.g. PayPal, Stripe or credit/debit card).

This unified timeframe allows us to manage refunds efficiently while complying with the operational and reconciliation requirements of our payment providers.  Refunds requested after this period may not be possible.

6 – Refund Process and Requirements

To request a refund, please contact:

Water for Africa Inc.
Email:   info@waterforafrica.com.au
Postal: PO BOX 20, Stoneville, Western Australia 6081

Please include the following information in your request:

• Full name and contact details
• Date and amount of donation
• Donation method used (e.g. Visa, PayPal)
• Last four digits of card (if applicable)
• Reason for the refund request

We will assess each request individually and aim to respond within 10 business days. All requests will be handled confidentially and with care.

7 – Tax Implications

If a refund is approved and processed, the original tax-deductible donation receipt issued by WFA will be voided.

It is the donor’s responsibility to ensure that only valid donation receipts are submitted to the ATO. Where a refund has been processed, the associated receipt will no longer be valid for tax purposes.

Donors should be aware that:

• refunded donations cannot be claimed as tax-deductible gifts
• if a tax deduction has already been claimed, the donor may need to amend their income tax return with the ATO to reflect the refund
• WFA will confirm in writing when a receipt has been voided and should not be used for tax reporting

International Donors

For donors who are tax residents of countries other than Australia, it is the donor’s responsibility to consider the potential tax implications of a donation refund under the laws of their country of residence.

WFA does not provide tax advice and recommends that international donors seek independent professional advice regarding their individual circumstances.

8 – How Refunds Are Issued

• Refunds will only be issued to the original payment method used for the donation (e.g. the same credit/debit card or PayPal account).
• Refunds cannot be issued in cash, by cheque or to a different payment method.
• This approach is a security measure to protect donors and prevent fraud or misuse, consistent with industry best practice and payment processor requirements.
• WFA reserves the right to deduct any transaction or processing fees incurred from the refunded amount, as these fees are not recoverable from our payment providers.

9 – Governance

This refund policy supports our obligations under:

• ACNC Governance Standard 5, which requires that we manage our finances responsibly and act in the best interest of the charity and its supporters
• ATO donation refund rules, ensuring compliance with tax and financial reporting standards.
• State and territory fundraising laws, which vary across jurisdictions and may influence refund decisions

We are committed to being transparent, fair and ethical in all donor interactions.

10 – Limitations and Exclusions

WFA will not issue refunds:

• for change of mind or dissatisfaction unrelated to the donation transaction
• for donations outside the applicable refund timeframes
• for donations that have already been used or allocated for project implementation, unless an error or exceptional circumstance is evident

11 – Review

This Policy is reviewed on an annual basis.