Frequently asked questions
FAQ
Here you'll find answers to (almost) all the questions you might have about our Foundation.
About Swiss Solidarity
We typically launch campaigns in response to natural disasters and major humanitarian crises in Switzerland and abroad. Appeals for donations to be used abroad are subject to certain conditions: the affected country must request international aid; at least three of our partner organisations must be on the ground there to deliver aid; the disaster must be substantial; and the Swiss public must be aware of the situation.
We sometimes also launch campaigns for issues, both in Switzerland and abroad, that require long-term attention, such as child relief.
In Switzerland, we appeal for donations after natural disasters or collect donations to support children and young people. In the event of major disasters in Switzerland, we supplement the assistance provided by the federal government, cantons, insurance companies and other agencies by supporting those affected. We also appeal for donations when there is a major disaster affecting several regions and a large number of people, and when we can guarantee responsible use of the donations collected.
Our work has three main components: mobilising, implementing and monitoring. We launch appeals for donations in a timely manner following major disasters, crises or conflicts, and we use the money we raise to fund the projects of our partner organisations. By subsequently carrying out assessments at various stages during the projects, we evaluate their quality and ensure that donations are being used effectively.
This video shows in brief how Swiss Solidarity helps.
We finance our operating costs from the interest earned on the funds that we do not spend immediately and invest conservatively in the meantime. If the interest income is not sufficient to cover the operating costs, we draw on the reserves. To build up reserves, the Board of Trustees has authorised withdrawals of a maximum of 5 percent for all larger collections. These are only withdrawn if the investment results and the existing reserves are not sufficient to cover the operating costs.
Zewo is a specialised Swiss service for charitable organisations engaging in fundraising activities. We do not have the Zewo quality seal for several reasons:
- We are a foundation, not a relief organisation. Consequently, we do not directly carry out activities on the ground.
- The Zewo Foundation sets out a specific timetable dictating when organisations, and which ones, may hold fundraising campaigns. Unlike these organisations, we launch appeals for donations immediately following disasters, crises and conflicts—urgent situations require immediate action. Because of how we operate and the fact that we launch fundraising campaigns as soon as a crisis comes to light, we are unable to follow this timetable.
- Our fundraising methods differ from those of relief organisations. For example, instead of making appeals for donations by post, we do so through our own communication channels and the media outlets of the SRG SSR.
However, other than these aspects, we meet all the other criteria of the Zewo Foundation.
We do not work directly on the ground, but finance the projects of our Swiss partner organisations, which in turn have teams on the ground. In most cases, the Swiss partner organisations work together with local partners. All our partner organisations have solid humanitarian relief experience abroad and, to receive funding from us, they must prove that their projects meet precise criteria. We also make regular visits to the affected countries to monitor and assess projects in progress.
While we do not work on the ground in Switzerland either, we do fund projects launched by Swiss organisations in response to natural disasters or in support of children and young people.
Of course! At the moment, we mainly need volunteers during our National Solidarity Days to receive pledges from donors. To find out more about volunteering with Swiss Solidarity, please click here.
We do not seek in-kind donations. Distributing goods directly to affected countries poses a significant logistical challenge, and it is extremely difficult to guarantee that the different beneficiaries are treated equally. Moreover, this type of aid cannot always be sustained over the long term.
Crises, natural disasters and conflicts require a professional response. We fund the projects of our partner organisations, which adapt their humanitarian response to the needs of the vulnerable populations. Oftentimes, material goods can be purchased locally, which supports the local economy.
Assistance in Switzerland
In the area of social welfare, we are particularly committed to helping children and young people. Applications for support can be submitted throughout the year. You can find more information here. You can find more information here.
We consider it important to fund only effective, high-quality projects, in Switzerland and abroad, to ensure that donations are put to the best possible use and that they help those most in need. For aid in Switzerland, we work with a Project Committee made up of recognised experts from relevant fields, who ensure that donations are used judiciously. These experts analyse the projects submitted to us by Swiss organisations in response to our calls for projects and, if a project meets our quality criteria, we may choose to fund it.
We apportion the funds we raise as efficiently as possible, making sure to maintain high quality standards for all aid projects. We verify both how the money is spent and the impact it has.
Donating
The simplest option is to donate online. You can also donate using your credit card (VISA, Mastercard, American Express), Postfinance card, TWINT or PayPal.
You can also request that a QR-bill be sent to you by e-mail.
On our National Days of Solidarity, you can call us on 0800 87 07 07 to make a pledge, at which point we will send you a QR-bill.
For an overview of the different ways to donate (Swiss Solidarity rose, Cumulus points and more), click here.
Whether an individual or a company, you can organise a fundraiser for a special occasion.
Please contact us using the contact form: select “Other question" and mention that you would like to hold a fundraiser for a special occasion.
If you donate online, you will automatically receive a receipt for your donation by e-mail.
During busy periods on our donation platform, the receipt may take longer to reach you.
If you donate by QR-bill or bank transfer, you will receive a donation receipt by post for any amount of CHF 500 or more.
If you have not received a receipt, you can request one by sending us an e-mail or calling +41 58 458 12 12.
Swiss Solidarity safeguards your data. Donor data is processed internally in a strictly confidential manner. Swiss Solidarity does not provide data to any other entity or trade in addresses.
As a recognised foundation working for the public good, we are entitled to receive donations, inheritances and legacies. Donations can be deducted from direct federal tax as well as from cantonal and municipal taxes.
If you have not received a receipt for your donation, you can request one by sending us an email or call us on 058 458 12 12.
We post regularly on our website and social networks (Facebook / Instagram / LinkedIn) about the work we do thanks to your donations. We describe the projects we fund and explain how aid reaches affected populations. Sometimes, television programmes such as Ensemble on RTS feature dedicated reports on our projects.
You can also subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with our latest news.
Last but not least, our annual report contains detailed information on the projects we support and our finances.
Donations not earmarked for a specific campaign are turned over to the current campaign, i.e. where they are most urgently needed.
To offer online payment methods such as credit cards, we are dependent on the corresponding suppliers and service providers. We also pay an account-management fee. On average, these fees amount to 2% of the donation amount. To ensure that the entirety of the donations received can be used to fund our partner NGOs’ aid projects, we have decided to give donors the opportunity to cover these fees. Every donor is free to decide whether to help cover these handling fees.
Use of donations
In the aftermath of a disaster or humanitarian crisis, we fund the projects of our 28 Swiss partner organisations already working on the ground. This gives us a very good knowledge of the country and its inhabitants.
First, our partner organisations assess the needs of the affected population and implement projects based on their observations.
Then, as the projects are carried out, we conduct quality checks to ensure that the projects are truly benefiting the affected populations.
Basically, for every CHF 100 donated to Swiss Solidarity, at least CHF 95 goes to the partner organizations carrying out the projects. This is because we use our investment income to cover our operating costs and do not need to take a large percentage of your donations.
Our partner organisations send us project proposals during or after our fundraising campaigns. We scrutinise these requests to ensure that donations will fund only those activities that best meet the needs of people facing difficulties.
Our Programmes department first checks whether the applications submitted meet our guidelines, which list our project-funding criteria. The applications are then handed over to the Project Committee for International Aid, which examines the files in detail and makes a recommendation on whether to grant funding. The experts who make up this entity come from a wide range of relevant fields: medicine, child protection, construction, water and hygiene, and business. Finally, the Project Committee’s decision-making subcommittee makes a final funding decision based on the recommendation received.
We support people in need, both in Switzerland and abroad.
All information about our relief operations in Switzerland can be found here.
Private social institutions supporting young people at risk and child victims of domestic violence can consult this page to find out to what extent and how they can apply for funding.
Our Swiss NGO Partners
The trust you place in us by donating commits us to using your money in the most effective and useful way possible for the benefit of victims of disasters or humanitarian crises.
That is why we work with 28 Swiss relief organisations that meet our high quality standards: it enables us to guarantee that your donation will be used responsibly to support those who need it most.
To be accredited by Swiss Solidarity, an organisation must meet the following conditions in particular:
- Be a Swiss non-profit organisation that has been involved in humanitarian aid or child relief projects for more than three years
- Have the means to manage projects from Switzerland
- Have a quality-management process and ensure transparency and accountability
- Meet ZEWO standards, including the publication of annual accounts in accordance with the accounting standards in effect
Organisations wishing to become an accredited Swiss Solidarity partner and receive funds for their projects abroad can find information on our accreditation criteria and the two-stage application process for foreign partners (humanitarian aid and child relief) here.
Contact us
Do you have any further questions? Then simply E-mail us or ring us on +41 58 458 12 12 (weekdays from 09:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m.).