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Small-scale money collections

As the name suggests, small-scale money collections are money collection campaigns of a limited duration with a ceiling for the amount of money that can be raised. The local police department must be notified of all small-scale money collections. 

Always notify the small-scale money collection number when you appeal for donations. The number tells the public, that the collection has been informed to a police department and the organizer of the collection has committed to follow the law. 

A representor of an organisation shows a tablet to a by-passer, where they can see information about a small-scale money collection.

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Small-scale money collections in a nutshell:

  • No more than EUR 10,000 can be raised.
  • The campaign must not run for more than 3 months.
  • No more than 2 small-scale money collections can be run per calendar year.
  • Small-scale money collections can, as a rule, be run by the same parties that can be issued with a money collection permit.
  • However, small-scale money collections can also be run by groups of at least three permanent residents of Finland, who are at least 15 years of age and of whom at least one is an adult (at least 18 years old) of full legal capacity.
  • The local police department must be notified, and the criteria set out in the Finnish Money Collection Act must be satisfied.

How to file a small-scale money collection notice?

If you wish to run a small-scale money collection, you need to file a written notice with your local police department at least five working days before starting the collection. Wait for the police to process your notice and issue you with a small-scale money collection number. Small-scale money collection notices are processed within five working days of receipt. 

Do not launch your money collection until you have received your small-scale money collection number from the police.

Small-scale money collection notices can be submitted by post or email or via the Police’s online services. If you choose to send your notice by post, please allow enough time for the postal service to deliver your notice: the five-day processing time is calculated from the date on which the police receive your notice and not from the date on which you send it. Sending documents by post is always at the sender’s risk.
 

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What happens after you have filed the notice?

Once you have filed your small-scale money collection notice, wait for your local police department to process it. The police will process your notice within five working days of receipt and issue you with a small-scale money collection number. 

You can launch your money collection as soon as you get your small-scale money collection number. You need to quote the number in all your appeals for donations. Your small-scale money collection number lets the public know that the police is aware of your campaign and that you have complied with the law.

Remember that organisers of small-scale money collections also have other obligations both during and after the campaign. More information about organisers’ obligations can be found here.

What if the police does not issue our small-scale money collection number on time?

As a rule, you cannot launch a small-scale money collection until you have been issued with a small-scale money collection number and communicated it to the public. However, you can go ahead with your money collection without a small-scale money collection number, if the police fails to process your notice and issue you with a number within five working days of receipt of your notice.

If the police has asked you to supply information that is missing from your notice, you cannot launch your money collection until you have supplied the requested information and received instructions from your local police department as to what to do next. The five-day time limit does not apply in such circumstances.

Can the police refuse to allow a small-scale money collection to go ahead?

Yes. The police can refuse to allow a small-scale money collection to go ahead if, for example, the legal criteria are not satisfied. If this happens, you will get an appealable decision from your local police department. You can not start your money collection, however.
 

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Small-scale money collection notices must contain the following information:

  • Details about the identity of the organiser (name and business ID / personal identity code) 
  • Contact details for the organiser (address, telephone number and email address)
  • Estimated amount to be raised
  • Primary and secondary purpose for which the funds raised will be used (as a rule, the funds raised must be used for the primary purpose stated in the notice, but a secondary purpose must be provided in case the funds, or some of the funds, cannot be used for the primary purpose)
  • Estimated costs of the money collection (as detailed an estimate as possible of the costs of running the money collection including, for example, the notice processing fee, bank charges and advertising expenses)
  • Start and end dates for the money collection
  • Bank account(s) that will be used to deposit the funds raised (IBAN) and the name(s) and personal identity code(s) of the account holder(s)

If you are filing a small-scale money collection notice on behalf of an organisation, an association or a foundation, please also supply the names and personal identity codes of all individuals who will be in charge of running the money collection. Such individuals can include at least

  • the organisation’s directors and members of any supervisory board or other statutory governing body, 
  • the organisation’s managing director and other executives and managers,
  • the organisation’s agents,
  • anyone authorised to sign official documents on behalf of the organisation, and
  • the organisation’s money collection manager or chief of finance.

The list is not exhaustive. Please think carefully about the individuals who will be competent to make decisions about the money collection in your organisation before filing your notice.

All documents must be in either Finnish or Swedish.