Donation Policy

ARDENNE ALUMNI FOUNDATION

DONATION POLICY

Effective Date: June 1, 2025

Last Updated: May 2025

  1. Introduction and Purpose

The Ardenne Alumni Foundation (“the Foundation”) is a registered charitable organisation under the Charities Act, 2013 of Jamaica. Our mission is to advance the quality of education at Ardenne High School through scholarships, bursaries, infrastructure development, student welfare programmes, and related charitable activities.

This Donation Policy sets out the terms and conditions governing all donations made to the Foundation, whether monetary or in-kind. It is intended to ensure transparency, accountability, and compliance with Jamaican law — including the Charities Act 2013, the Charities Regulations 2022, the Proceeds of Crime Act 2007 (POCA), and the Terrorism Prevention Act 2005 — as well as to provide donors with clear information about how their contributions are managed.

By making a donation to the Ardenne Alumni Foundation, you agree to the terms set out in this policy.

  1. Legal Framework

The Foundation operates under the following legal framework:

  • Charities Act, 2013 (Jamaica) — the principal statute governing the Foundation’s registration and operations as a charitable organisation
  • Charities Regulations, 2022 (Jamaica) — which introduced enhanced governance, financial accountability, and AML/CFT compliance requirements for registered charities
  • Proceeds of Crime Act, 2007 (POCA) — which requires the Foundation to carry out donor due diligence and report suspicious transactions
  • Terrorism Prevention Act, 2005 — which requires the Foundation to ensure that funds are not used to finance terrorism or related activities

The Foundation is registered with the Companies Office of Jamaica (COJ), which serves as the Registrar of Charitable Organisations, and is in compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

  1. Types of Donations Accepted

3.1 Online Donations

The Foundation accepts online donations through its authorised payment processor, SpurrOpen (www.spurropen.com). Online donations may be made in Jamaican Dollars (JMD) or United States Dollars (USD). Due to payment processing fees incurred by the Foundation, a minimum online donation of USD $20.00 (or the Jamaican Dollar equivalent) applies.

3.2 Bank Transfer and Cheque

Donations may also be made by direct bank transfer or cheque. Banking details are available upon request by contacting the Foundation at secretary@ardennealumnifoundation.org. There is no minimum amount for donations made by bank transfer or cheque.

3.3 In-Kind and Non-Cash Donations

The Foundation welcomes in-kind and non-cash donations, including goods, materials, equipment, professional services, and other non-monetary contributions that support the Foundation’s charitable objectives. All in-kind donations are subject to the following conditions:

  • The Foundation reserves the right to accept or decline any in-kind donation at its sole discretion, based on relevance to its charitable purposes and practical utility.
  • Accepted in-kind donations will be valued at their current fair market value at the time of receipt, which may be determined by reference to publicly available pricing, a supplier’s invoice, or an independent valuation as appropriate.
  • The donor is responsible for ensuring that any in-kind donation is of satisfactory quality and fit for the purpose for which it is offered.
  • A receipt acknowledging the in-kind donation and its assessed value will be issued to the donor in accordance with the Foundation’s legal obligations under the Charities Act, 2013.

3.4 Event Registration Fees — Optima 5K Run/Walk

Registration fees paid to participate in the Ardenne Optima 5K Run/Walk and other Foundation events are treated as charitable donations and are used to cover the costs of staging the event, with any surplus directed toward the Foundation’s charitable objectives. Event registration fees are non-refundable. Participants who are unable to attend after registering are encouraged to treat their registration fee as a contribution to the Foundation’s mission.

  1. Minimum Donation Amount

For online donations processed through SpurrOpen, the minimum donation is USD $20.00 (or the Jamaican Dollar equivalent at the prevailing exchange rate). This minimum is necessary to ensure that payment processing fees do not consume a disproportionate portion of the donation. There is no minimum donation amount for contributions made by bank transfer or cheque.

  1. Donor Identification Requirements

In compliance with the Proceeds of Crime Act, 2007, the Terrorism Prevention Act, 2005, and the Charities Regulations, 2022, the Foundation is required to identify and verify the identity of its donors. Accordingly:

  • The Foundation does not accept anonymous donations. All donors are required to provide their full name, contact information, and, where applicable, organisation name.
  • For larger donations or donations from international sources, the Foundation may request additional identifying information to fulfil its due diligence obligations under applicable AML/CFT legislation.
  • The Foundation reserves the right to decline, return, or report any donation where donor identification cannot be satisfactorily established or where there are reasonable grounds for suspicion under applicable law.
  • All donor information is held in accordance with the Foundation’s Data Privacy Policy, available on our website.
  1. Restricted Donations

The Foundation accepts donations designated by the donor for a specific project or purpose (“restricted donations”), subject to the following terms:

  • Restricted donations will be held and disbursed solely for the purpose specified by the donor, provided that such purpose falls within the Foundation’s charitable objectives.
  • The Foundation reserves the right to decline a restricted donation if the specified purpose falls outside its charitable mandate or is otherwise impractical to fulfil.
  • Where a restricted project is fully funded, the Foundation will contact the donor to discuss the reallocation of any surplus funds to a related charitable purpose, or to arrange a refund if the donor prefers.
  • In the event that a restricted project is cancelled, the refund provisions set out in Section 7.3 of this Policy will apply.
  1. Refund Policy

7.1 General Donations

A donor who wishes to request a refund of a general (unrestricted) monetary donation may do so within five (5) business days of the date the donation was made, by submitting a written request to secretary@ardennealumnifoundation.org. Refund requests received after this period will not be considered.

Approved refunds will be processed less any bank charges or payment processing fees incurred by the Foundation in receiving and returning the donation. Refunds will be returned via the same method of payment used to make the original donation, where practicable.

7.2 Event Registration Fees

As noted in Section 3.4, event registration fees are non-refundable. No exceptions will be made to this policy.

7.3 Restricted Donations — Project Cancellation

In the event that a project for which a restricted donation was made is cancelled, the following refund terms apply:

  • If the project is cancelled before any expenditure has been incurred: the donor is entitled to a full refund of their restricted donation, less any bank charges or payment processing fees incurred by the Foundation.
  • If the project is cancelled after expenditure has been incurred: the donor is entitled to a refund of the portion of their donation that has not yet been expended, less any bank charges or payment processing fees. The Foundation will provide the donor with a written accounting of expenses incurred before processing any partial refund.
  • The Foundation will notify all restricted donors in writing in the event of a project cancellation and will process eligible refunds within thirty (30) business days of such notification.
  1. Donor Recognition

The Foundation gratefully acknowledges the generosity of its donors through its Donor Board, which recognises contributions to major projects such as the Ardenne Alumni Wellness Centre. Applicable to the Ardenne Alumni Wellness Centre only are Donor recognition tiers shown as follows (all amounts in Jamaican Dollars):

  • Bronze: JMD $500,000 – JMD $999,999
  • Silver: JMD $1,000,000 – JMD $2,999,999
  • Gold: JMD $3,000,000 – JMD $9,999,999
  • Platinum: JMD $10,000,000 and above

Donors who qualify for recognition on the Donor Board will be permanently acknowledged on the relevant facility or structure, subject to the donor’s consent. 

The Foundation reserves the right to revise recognition thresholds for future projects and is subject to agreed terms and conditions applicable for each projects. Donor recognition is at the Foundation’s discretion and is subject to the donor’s identity being verifiable in compliance with Section 5 of this Policy.

  1. Tax Receipts and Donation Records

In accordance with the Charities Act, 2013 and the Charities Regulations, 2022, the Foundation is legally required to issue a receipt for every donation received and to maintain records of all donations for a minimum of seven (7) years.

Jamaican donors: Donations to the Foundation may be tax-deductible under the Income Tax Act (Jamaica) up to 5% of the donor’s statutory income. The Foundation will issue an official receipt upon request, which may be used to support a claim for tax deduction. Donors are advised to retain their receipt and to consult their tax advisor regarding their individual eligibility.

International donors: The tax treatment of donations to the Foundation in the donor’s country of residence will depend on the laws of that jurisdiction. The Foundation does not represent that donations are tax-deductible outside of Jamaica and strongly encourages international donors to seek independent advice from a qualified tax professional in their country.

  1. Declined Donations

The Foundation reserves the right to decline any donation at its absolute discretion. Without limiting this right, the Foundation will ordinarily decline donations where:

  • The identity of the donor cannot be satisfactorily verified in compliance with AML/CFT obligations
  • The donation is conditional on terms that conflict with the Foundation’s charitable objectives, values, or legal obligations
  • Acceptance of the donation would compromise the Foundation’s independence, integrity, or reputation
  • The Foundation has reasonable grounds to suspect that the donation may represent the proceeds of crime or be connected to terrorist financing

10.1 Excluded Industries and Activities

Ardenne High School was founded on Christian values, and the Foundation is committed to upholding the ethos and character of the institution it serves. Accordingly, the Foundation will not knowingly accept donations from individuals, organisations, or entities whose primary business or activities are associated with any of the following:

  • Tobacco — including the manufacture, distribution, or promotion of tobacco products and related substances
  • Gambling — including casinos, betting operations, online gaming platforms, and related activities
  • Illicit or illegal activities — including any business or enterprise that operates in violation of applicable law
  • Any industry or activity that is inconsistent with the Christian values and ethos of Ardenne High School or the charitable mission of the Foundation

Where the Foundation becomes aware after receipt of a donation that the donor falls within an excluded category, it reserves the right to return the donation in full and to remove the donor from any recognition or acknowledgement previously extended.

  1. Changes to This Policy

The Foundation reserves the right to amend this Donation Policy at any time. Updates will be published on the Foundation’s website with a revised effective date. Donations made prior to any amendment will be governed by the version of the policy in effect at the time the donation was made.

  1. Contact Us

For any questions regarding this Donation Policy, to request a tax receipt, or to discuss a donation, please contact:

Ardenne Alumni Foundation

C/o Ardenne High School, 10 Ardenne Road, Kingston 10, Jamaica

Email: info@ardennealumnifoundation.org

Telephone: 1 (876) 881-5355 | 1 (876) 213-1263

Ardenne Alumni Foundation  |  secretary@ardennealumnifoundation.org