Donation & Refund Policy

Coral Futures Research & Innovation Centre
Last updated: 01/12/2025

1. Introduction

This Donation & Refund Policy explains how Coral Futures Research & Innovation Centre (“we”, “us”, “our”) handles donations made through our website, fundraising campaigns, or other platforms.
We are committed to transparency, fairness, and compliance with UK legal and fundraising standards.

By making a donation, you agree to the terms outlined below.

2. Legal Status of Donations

Coral Futures Research & Innovation Centre is currently a:

• Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) registered in England and Wales

• In the process of applying for registration as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) with the Charity Commission

All donations received during this period are treated as contributions to support our non-profit mission and activities.

Once CIO status is granted, we will update this policy and provide the associated charity registration number.

3. Nature of Donations

All donations made to Coral Futures are:

• Voluntary

• Non-refundable, except in specific circumstances outlined in Section 5

• Treated as unrestricted funds unless otherwise specified by the donor

• Used exclusively for charitable, educational, scientific, or conservation-related purposes aligned with our mission

Restricted donations must be explicitly agreed in writing before funds are accepted.

4. How Donations Are Used

Your donation may support:

• Coral conservation research

• Marine restoration initiatives

• Scientific equipment and fieldwork

• Educational outreach

• Laboratory and nursery development

• Public awareness campaigns

• Operational and administrative functions enabling our charitable mission

A portion of donations may be used for necessary operational costs unless the donor specifies otherwise.

5. Refund Policy

As a non-profit organisation, we rely on the generosity of supporters to fund our work.
However, we recognise that errors can occur.
Refunds may be issued only in the following circumstances:

5.1 Duplicate donations

If you accidentally donate more than once, we will refund the duplicated amount.

5.2 Incorrect donation amount

If you entered the wrong amount by mistake, we may refund the difference.

5.3 Fraudulent or unauthorised transactions

If a donation was made without your permission or knowledge, we will refund it once verified.

5.4 Technical issues

If a technical error resulted in an unintended donation, we will investigate and may issue a refund.

5.5 Refund requests deadline

Refund requests must be submitted within 14 days of the donation date.
After this, funds may already have been allocated to charitable activities.

All refunds are processed back to the original payment method (e.g., card, PayPal).

We reserve the right to decline refund requests that fall outside these conditions.

6. Gift Aid Eligibility

While awaiting CIO status and HMRC charity recognition:

• We cannot currently claim Gift Aid on donations

• Gift Aid declarations will not be collected during this period

Once recognition is granted, we will update this section and make Gift Aid available.

7. Recurring Donations (Subscriptions)

If you set up a recurring monthly or annual contribution:

• You may cancel at any time via the payment provider (Stripe, PayPal, etc.) or by contacting us

• Cancelling a subscription stops future donations but does not refund previous ones

• Failed or overdue payments may be automatically retried depending on the payment provider’s rules

8. Payment Security

All donations made through our website are processed securely through third-party payment processors such as:

• Stripe

• PayPal

• Other regulated financial services providers

We do not store or have access to full card numbers or bank details.

Our website uses encrypted SSL/HTTPS connections, and all payment processors comply with PCI-DSS security standards.

9. Donor Privacy & Data Protection

We respect your privacy and protect your personal data as required by:

• UK GDPR

• Data Protection Act 2018

• Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR)

We collect only the data necessary to:

• Process your donation

• Issue receipts

• Provide updates (with consent)

• Maintain financial and audit records

Full details are available in our Privacy Policy.

10. Transparency & Reporting

We are committed to financial transparency.
Once CIO status is granted, we will publish:

• Annual Reports

• Financial Statements

• Impact summaries on how donations are used

These will be made available on our website.

11. Donor Rights

As a donor, you have the right to:

• Request a receipt for your donation

• Ask how your funds are being used

• Request correction of personal details

• Opt out of future communications

• Withdraw consent for newsletters or updates

• Request records of your donations

We strive to respond to all donor enquiries within 14 days.

12. Contact for Donation Enquiries or Refund Requests

To request a refund or ask a question about your donation, please contact:

Donations & Support Team
Coral Futures Research & Innovation Centre
Email: donation@coralfuturesresearch.org
Registered Office: 167-169 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PF

Please include the following when requesting a refund:

• Full name

• Date and amount of donation

• Payment method

• Reason for refund request

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Donation & Refund Policy from time to time to comply with regulations or improve clarity.
The revised version will always be published on this page with an updated date.