Transparency & monitoring
- About us
- Transparency
- Transparency and monitoring
Transparent use of funds
Transparency and responsible conduct are among Help's most important working principles. The proper and transparent use of the grants and donations entrusted to Help in accordance with our Articles of Association and the efficiency of our work are checked and ensured by external and internal controls.
What happens with your donation?
Your donation is in good hands with Help. Only around eight percent of the funds entrusted to us are used for administration and public relations. Independent bodies regularly confirm our careful and transparent handling of donations.
Every year Help receives the DZI donations seal of approval from the German Central Institute for Social Issues (DZI). Help comes under the lowest heading for the costs of administration, donations advertising and public relations work at under ten percent. The criteria for awarding the seal of approval can be summarised as follows:
- True, clear and factual advertising
- Verifiable and cost-effective use of funds
- Clear, reproducible accounting
- Verification of the annual accounts and submission to the DZI
- Internal monitoring of the management committees by an independent supervisory body
Help is also a member of the Deutscher Spendenrat e.V. (German Donation Council), the umbrella organization for trust and transparency in donations.
On June 14, 2023, Help was awarded by Deutscher Spendenrat e.V. with the Donation Certificate for Transparency. The certificate, which is valid for 3 years, certifies that Help handles the entrusted donations responsibly and economically and reports truthfully, clearly and transparently about its structures, project activities and finances.
Initiative Transparent Civil Society
Help is a signatory to the Initiative Transparent Civil Society declaration of commitment.
On the initiative of Transparency Deutschland e.V. a large number of stakeholders from civil society and academia have defined ten basic points, which are intended to make every organisation within civil society accessible to the general public. Help is participating in this initiative and has signed the declaration of commitment.
External Auditing
Help is regularly audited by external, independent auditors and by the tax authorities. Our projects are also subject to audits and evaluations that are independently commissioned by the funding institutions.
How is the management monitored at Help?
Help is a registered association. The honorary Executive Board, including current and former members of the lower house of the German parliament (Bundestag), monitor the management. Meetings are held three to four times per annum for this. The meeting of members discharges the Executive Board and meets once every year. In addition, Help applies the dual control principle when awarding contracts for goods and services. Our projects are assessed by sponsors and/or external auditors.
The objects and fundamentals of the organization are set forth by our articles of association:
Articles of Association of "Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe e.V."
Non-profit status
Help is registered at Bonn District Court (VR4650) and recognised as being particularly eligible for subsidies by the Bonn-Inner City tax office (Tax no. 205/5783/1000) in accordance with the notice of exemption of 15.12.2020. Donations to Help e.V. are tax deductible according to § 10 b Abs. 1 EstG. Help promotes charitable and non-profit purposes.
Since 1981, Help has been carrying out its projects for people in need and is handling donations responsibly.
How much are staff or service-providers remunerated at Help?
We take our charitable status, qualifications and the level of responsibility of the relevant person into account when setting staff remuneration. Pay is within the normal range for the sector. Staff remuneration in the office is based on the TVÖD (German federal public service pay scale).
Remuneration, which is performance-related in the field of funds procurement, is paid only under certain conditions and complies with the requirements of the DZI.
