Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, donations to Bethel are tax-deductible.

The v. Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel is exempt from corporation tax thanks to the promotion of charitable, ecclesiastical and charitable purposes recognised as particularly worthy of support in accordance with the exemption notice and the annex to the corporation tax assessment notice of the Bielefeld-Außenstadt tax office, StNr. 349/5995/0015, dated 23 February 2022 for the last assessment period 2020 in accordance with Section 5 (1) No. 9 of the German Corporation Tax Act (Körperschaftsteuergesetz) and Section 3 No. 6 of the German Trade Tax Act (Gewerbesteuergesetz).

For donations of up to €300, a statement issued by your bank is considered by the tax office to be a valid donation receipt.

However, as requested by many friends and supporters, we can send a donation receipt by post for donations over €20.

Beneficiary: Bethel Foundations
DE48 4805 0161 0000 0040 77
Sparkasse Bielefeld

Our bank details for donations from abroad are:
IBAN: DE48 4805 0161 0000 0040 77
BIC: SPBIDE3BXXX

Alongside the DZI, the German Donations Council (Deutscher Spendenrat e.V.) is committed to ensuring greater transparency throughout the German donations system. The German Donations Council is an umbrella organisation that brings together charitable organisations that collect donations. Its members are both private and church organisations. Bethel is a founding member of the German Donations Council. Every year, all association members are audited by independent auditors across all key criteria within the donations system. The aim of the Donations Council is to uphold and promote ethical principles in the donations sector in Germany and to ensure the proper, fiduciary handling of donations through voluntary self-regulation in accordance with these principles.

The v. Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel has once again been awarded the German Donations Council's donation certificate. Before being granted the award, external auditors must conduct a detailed audit. The certificate is only granted if they certify that all donations, bequests and fees are used for the intended purpose, economically and sparingly.

By applying the principles behind this certificate, the v. Bodelschwingh Foundation Bethel confirms – to the best of its knowledge and beliefs – that donations are handled properly, responsibly and on a trust basis. They will continue to observe and comply with the statutes, principles and annexes, and the voluntary commitment set out by the German Donations Council.

Any help for sick, elderly, disabled or socially disadvantaged people is effective and very welcome.

We have summarised the key information on our "Help instead of gifts" page. You can also call us on +49 521-144 3600 and we would be happy to advise you further.

We would be happy to send you some information material. Please call us on: +49 521-144 3604.

Providing we know your address, we will send you a thank-you letter as soon as we have received your donation. For any donation amount over €20, you will also automatically receive a donation receipt from us.

Over the past few days, you will have made a donation to benefit people in Bethel's facilities. Unfortunately, we did not receive your address details, so we are unable to send you a thank-you letter. We have therefore transferred 10 cents to your account so that we can get in touch with you.

You can choose one of the following ways to send us your address:

• E-mail: spenden(at)bethel.de
• Telephone: +49 521 144-3600
• Website: Online form

We look forward to hearing from you!