Donations, aid collection and aid from abroad
- Distinguishing between accepting donations and aid collection activities that are subject to a permit or a special procedure
- Legal review of the aid collection application, campaign model, bank account, receipts, expenses and result notifications
- Assessing the legal conditions for the right to collect aid without a permit or for the status of an association working for the public benefit
- Notifications, protocols, bank records and project documents concerning receiving aid from abroad or giving aid abroad
- Online donations, digital campaigns that are not crowdfunding, and aid collection processes through SMS, platforms and social media
Public benefit, tax exemption, project and grant processes
- The conditions for the status of an association working for the public benefit and the legal preparation of the application file
- Assessing, together with financial advisors, the conditions for tax-exempt status for foundations
- Reviewing public support, national or international grant programs and project agreements
- Regulating the provisions on co-financing, budget, expenditure, procurement, reporting, intellectual property rights and repayment
- Disputes over the suspension of project support, its recovery, ineligible expenditure and breach of contract
Foreign associations, foundations and nonprofit organizations
- Permit processes for foreign civil society organizations to open a branch or representative office in Türkiye and to carry out activities
- Legal structuring of the activity in Türkiye in terms of purpose, duration, region, partner organization and financing model
- Foreign organizations’ obligations concerning annual reports, notifications, representatives, employees, banks and projects
- Assessing the conditions for foreign natural persons to take part in establishing an association or foundation in Türkiye
- Provisions on authority, trademarks, data, funds and liability between the international headquarters and the branch, representative office or partner organization in Türkiye
International activities and multilingual legal service
- Legal support for foreign civil society organizations and international networks that wish to operate in Türkiye
- Associations’, foundations’ or cooperatives’ projects, donations, partnerships and representation transactions abroad
- Assessing the applicable law, jurisdiction, contract language, funds, data transfer and sanctions provisions
- Document and communication processes in structures that have foreign donors, founders, members, cooperative members or managers
- Working in Turkish, English, German and Russian where necessary, and coordination with professionals authorized in the foreign country
Accepting a Donation and Collecting Aid Are Not the Same Transaction
Calling a payment a donation does not by itself place the activity outside the permit and notification rules. The campaign’s target, method of appeal, accounts and counterparties must be assessed together. Internet and social media campaigns are also within the scope of this review.
Public benefit and tax exemption
The status of an association working for the public benefit, the granting of tax exemption to foundations and the right to collect aid without a permit are different legal institutions. The existence of one does not mean that the others exist automatically. Tax consequences are examined together with a financial advisor on the basis of the type of activity and income.
Implementation and reporting in project funds
The provisions on eligibility of expenditure, procurement, co-financing, ownership of outputs, audit and recovery of the fund are assessed in advance. If the fund agreement conflicts with the organization’s bylaws or deed, a solution is determined before implementation begins.
Foreign organizations’ activities in Türkiye
The establishment, branch, representative office or cooperation model in Türkiye is addressed together with the status of the founder and the headquarters, permits, the flow of funds and the scope of the activity. Representation in a foreign country is carried out by legal professionals authorized in that country; coordination, document flow and fees are agreed separately.