# Acceptance criteria

When we become your fundholder, we take on a degree of liability for your activities. As such, we can only accept Collectives which comply with our strict criteria.

## Charitable purpose

Your Collective's activities must be of [charitable purpose](https://www.charities.govt.nz/ready-to-register/need-to-know-to-register/charitable-purpose/) according to New Zealand law. You must demonstrate in your application how your Collective's activities will contribute to:

* The relief of poverty,
* The advancement of education, and/or
* Any other purpose beneficial to the community.

To avoid conflicts of interest or perceived endorsement of specific religious beliefs, Gift Collective does not accept Collectives with a primarily religious purpose.

## Public benefit

As well as being of charitable purpose, your Collective's activities must also be of public benefit within New Zealand. (You may *spend* Collective funds outside of New Zealand, but the *benefit* of those funds must be within New Zealand.)

Activities of 'public benefit' cannot be of private benefit, or provide profit to any individual.

In addition, hate speech and hateful activities are not of public benefit. We do not accept Collectives that we believe, in our sole discretion, are engaging in [hate speech or hateful activities](https://app.gitbook.com/s/ChvGHsz0OwqX1soESS0E/gifts/our-grants-policy#prohibited-purposes) (online or offline).

## Advocacy

Advocacy is permitted only when it is clearly connected to a Collective's charitable purpose, and when it is carried out in accordance with [Charities Services' guidance](https://www.charities.govt.nz/ready-to-register/need-to-know-to-register/charitable-purpose/advocacy-for-causes).

Collectives [**may not**](https://www.charities.govt.nz/im-a-registered-charity/running-your-charity/charities-elections-and-political-parties) support or oppose a political party or candidate.

If the principal purpose of your Collective is to advocate for a specific cause, then the cause must be self-evidently beneficial to the public, and for ends that are themselves charitable. Such determinations will be made at our sole discretion.

## Additional criteria

The Gift Trust may decline any application to Gift Collective, for any reason, at its sole discretion.

If an already-accepted Collective violates these criteria, it may be removed, in accordance with our [Terms](https://giftcollective.nz/terms/).


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