Understanding Compliance Issues for Charitable Fund-Raising and Donations
Course Date: Call for Schedule
Normal Fee: S$580 (Singapore Residents). Funding details available at the Funding page.
Course Overview
In many charitable or non-profit organisations, fund raising and donations is seen as purely an operational function that is handled by a middle manager or entry level executive. Little thought is given to the compliance rules governing the decisions and actions. The Singapore regulators has strict rules regarding how funds are collected, the ratio of collected funds permitted to be remitted out of the country, etc. It is precisely because of the lack of understanding that some organisation fell afoul of compliance laws and are charged in Court.
To illustrate the potential vulnerabilities of your Organisation, several questions are asked here to find out whether the responsible manager is competent (and confident) enough to navigate the following scenarios:
In each scenario, what additional information do you need to help you decide? Are there specific risks that you need to look out for?
If you are not confident of the answers (or your answers are wrong), this workshop is a ‘MUST-ATTEND’ for you. Delivered by a trained lawyer, it will highlight the rules and compliance requirements of fund-raising and donation. The trainer will also elaborate how your Organisation may unknowingly be drawn into money laundering and terrorist financing, thus damaging its reputation and creditability.
The course is designed to be interactive and will include case studies to help participants apply what they have learnt in a practical way and to reinforce their understanding through interactive discussions.
About the Workshop Facilitator
Mr Hwong Meng Jet is an Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore. He graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1999 and has also obtained his Graduate Diploma in Compliance from the International Compliance Association.
Meng Jet was the State Counsel and Deputy Public Prosecutor in the Attorney-General’s Chamber of Singapore for six years. As a DPP representing the Republic of Singapore, he is familiar with the Singapore law including family law, and the local legal system. In this capacity, he has conducted criminal cases in the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the Subordinate Courts under the Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, Copyright Act, Patents Act, Computer Misuse Act and Misuse of Drugs Act.
Meng Jet is currently heading a team of lawyers advising on legal compliance matters in an international bank. He is responsible for business’ compliance with financial crime controls and risk mitigation requirements in 20 countries.
Meng Jet is particularly knowledgeable in the area of Data Protection, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT).
Meng Jet has conducted training and workshops on different aspects of the law to both Singapore lawyers as well as foreign lawyers, including Chinese and Taiwanese prosecutors.
Target Audience
Duration
7 hours
Delivery Mode
Online via Zoom
Workshop Topics:
Part 1: Basics Rules/ Compliance Requirements of fundraising
The first part of the workshop will cover the general regulatory requirements for charitable fundraising and will include areas such as whether registration or permit is required, the purposes for which such funds raised can be used for, the information to be shared with donors, the issues to consider when deciding whether to use commercial fundraisers and the issues to consider if the funds are raised for foreign charities.
Relevant past legal cases will be discussed in order to learn from them. Case studies will also be discussed to understand salient points of the law.
Part 2: Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) concerns for fundraising
The second part of the workshop will focus on AML and CFT concerns by first explaining the concepts and mechanism of money laundering and terrorism financing, the relevant legislations governing AML and CFT in Singapore. It will also explore the potential vulnerabilities of charities to money laundering and terrorism financing.
Practical examples of measures will be discussed so that organisations can adopt to protect itself from such risks including identification of red flags, appropriate due diligence of donors and beneficiaries, and strong management oversight and transparency of processes.
In many charitable or non-profit organisations, fund raising and donations is seen as purely an operational function that is handled by a middle manager or entry level executive. Little thought is given to the compliance rules governing the decisions and actions. The Singapore regulators has strict rules regarding how funds are collected, the ratio of collected funds permitted to be remitted out of the country, etc. It is precisely because of the lack of understanding that some organisation fell afoul of compliance laws and are charged in Court.
To illustrate the potential vulnerabilities of your Organisation, several questions are asked here to find out whether the responsible manager is competent (and confident) enough to navigate the following scenarios:
- Do you know what is money laundering and terrorist financing? How can you avoid risk of being convicted of these crimes while fund raising and donations?
- How, if even possible, can you raise funds legitimately for another charitable organisation to for instance, help elevate the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine?
- When asked by your donors to transfer part of his donation to another named overseas institution, what is your decision?
- How, if even possible, can available funds raised for one cause to be used for be another?
In each scenario, what additional information do you need to help you decide? Are there specific risks that you need to look out for?
If you are not confident of the answers (or your answers are wrong), this workshop is a ‘MUST-ATTEND’ for you. Delivered by a trained lawyer, it will highlight the rules and compliance requirements of fund-raising and donation. The trainer will also elaborate how your Organisation may unknowingly be drawn into money laundering and terrorist financing, thus damaging its reputation and creditability.
The course is designed to be interactive and will include case studies to help participants apply what they have learnt in a practical way and to reinforce their understanding through interactive discussions.
About the Workshop Facilitator
Mr Hwong Meng Jet is an Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore. He graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1999 and has also obtained his Graduate Diploma in Compliance from the International Compliance Association.
Meng Jet was the State Counsel and Deputy Public Prosecutor in the Attorney-General’s Chamber of Singapore for six years. As a DPP representing the Republic of Singapore, he is familiar with the Singapore law including family law, and the local legal system. In this capacity, he has conducted criminal cases in the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the Subordinate Courts under the Penal Code, Prevention of Corruption Act, Copyright Act, Patents Act, Computer Misuse Act and Misuse of Drugs Act.
Meng Jet is currently heading a team of lawyers advising on legal compliance matters in an international bank. He is responsible for business’ compliance with financial crime controls and risk mitigation requirements in 20 countries.
Meng Jet is particularly knowledgeable in the area of Data Protection, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT).
Meng Jet has conducted training and workshops on different aspects of the law to both Singapore lawyers as well as foreign lawyers, including Chinese and Taiwanese prosecutors.
Target Audience
- Key Executives managing fundraising activities in Charities (including religious organisations)
- Employees and volunteers in Charities
- Key Executives managing fundraising activities in non-profit organisations
- Employees and volunteers in non-profit organisations
Duration
7 hours
Delivery Mode
Online via Zoom
Workshop Topics:
Part 1: Basics Rules/ Compliance Requirements of fundraising
The first part of the workshop will cover the general regulatory requirements for charitable fundraising and will include areas such as whether registration or permit is required, the purposes for which such funds raised can be used for, the information to be shared with donors, the issues to consider when deciding whether to use commercial fundraisers and the issues to consider if the funds are raised for foreign charities.
Relevant past legal cases will be discussed in order to learn from them. Case studies will also be discussed to understand salient points of the law.
Part 2: Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter Financing of Terrorism (CFT) concerns for fundraising
The second part of the workshop will focus on AML and CFT concerns by first explaining the concepts and mechanism of money laundering and terrorism financing, the relevant legislations governing AML and CFT in Singapore. It will also explore the potential vulnerabilities of charities to money laundering and terrorism financing.
Practical examples of measures will be discussed so that organisations can adopt to protect itself from such risks including identification of red flags, appropriate due diligence of donors and beneficiaries, and strong management oversight and transparency of processes.
