Saudi Fundraising Law and Licensed Donation Campaigns: NCNP Licensing, Ehsan and Sahem – Dubai, 22–26 Mar 2027

Programme overview

Technical depth: Practitioner · Practical mode: Case study

Introduction

Donations are the most visible test of a non-profit's integrity. In Saudi Arabia, the Fundraising Law issued in 1446H (2024) and its Implementing Regulations require a licence from the National Center for Non-Profit Sector (NCNP), approved collection channels and post-campaign financial reporting, while national platforms such as Ehsan and Sahem have raised donor expectations. An unlicensed appeal or a restricted gift spent on the wrong purpose can halt campaigns and damage trust. This Core Concept course equips fundraising, finance and compliance staff to run compliant campaigns. Participants leave with a Campaign Compliance File for a campaign of their own.

Course Objectives

• Distinguish fundraising methods and the licensing, platform and reporting requirements each one triggers under the Saudi Fundraising Law
• Apply international fundraising ethics codes and FATF Recommendation 8 to donor due diligence and campaign conduct
• Prepare an NCNP fundraising licence application and campaign plan that state purpose, budget, channels and duration
• Operate donation receipting, restricted-fund coding and acknowledgement so that each gift is used as the donor intended
• Control cash, online payment and third-party fundraising risks, and resolve donor complaints and surplus-fund decisions
• Produce a Campaign Compliance File that can be presented to the NCNP or an auditor

Target Audience

• Fundraising and resource development officers in Saudi associations and foundations and in charities elsewhere
• Digital fundraising and campaign coordinators who manage online donation channels and platform listings
• Finance officers who receipt, code and reconcile donations
• Compliance officers responsible for fundraising licences and donor due diligence
• Partnership and corporate giving officers who run joint appeals with companies

Course Outline

Day 1: Saudi Fundraising Regulation and Campaign Readiness

• Fundraising Methods: Public Appeals, Crowdfunding, Events, Major Gifts and Corporate Giving
• Saudi Fundraising Law (Royal Decree M/43, 1446H) and Its Implementing Regulations
• NCNP Fundraising Licence: Eligible Entities, Application and Campaign Approval
• National Donation Platforms: Ehsan, Sahem and the Tabarru Platform
• Fundraising Compliance Readiness Checklist

Day 2: Ethical and Regulatory Frameworks for Fundraising

• International Statement of Ethical Principles in Fundraising (2018)
• AFP Code of Ethical Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights
• Code of Fundraising Practice (2025) as a Principles-Based Comparative Model
• FATF Recommendation 8 and Best Practices Paper: Protecting Donations from Abuse
• Know-Your-Donor and Know-Your-Partner Due Diligence Procedures

Day 3: Designing and Running a Licensed Campaign

• NCNP Licence Application Dossier: Purpose, Budget, Duration and Channels
• Campaign Plan and Case for Support Drafting
• Campaign Message Review: Truthful Claims, Beneficiary Dignity and Image Consent
• Donation Receipting, Restricted-Fund Coding and Gift Acknowledgement Workflow
• Approved Collection Channels: Bank Accounts, Electronic Transfers and In-Kind Receipts

Day 4: Controls, Risks and Problem Cases

• Cash and In-Kind Donation Controls Aligned to COSO Internal Control (2013)
• Online Donation Security: PCI DSS v4.0.1 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Controls
• Unlicensed Appeals, Third-Party Fundraisers and Fundraising Law Violations
• Donor Complaints Handling Aligned to ISO 10002:2018
• Surplus Funds, Changed Purposes and Donor Refund Decisions

Day 5: Case Work and the Campaign Compliance File

• Emergency Appeal Case Study: Launching Within a Licensing Window
• Digital Platform Case Study: Ehsan Listing and Donor Reporting
• Campaign Compliance File Build for an Own Campaign
• Post-Campaign Financial Report and Closure Checklist
• Peer Review and File Defence

Skills You Will Gain

• Fundraising Licence Preparation
• Donor Due Diligence
• Ethical Fundraising Practice
• Campaign Planning
• Donation Receipting and Coding
• Donation Security Controls
• Donor Complaint Resolution
• Donor Impact Reporting

Why Attend This Course

• Leave with a Campaign Compliance File for a real campaign, from NCNP licence dossier to post-campaign financial report
• Launch appeals faster because the licence application and controls are ready before the campaign window opens
• Protect the organisation's reputation when influencers, third parties or emergency appeals are involved
• Compare fundraising regulation and practice with colleagues from non-profits in Saudi Arabia and other countries

Conclusion

Fundraising that is licensed, transparent and well controlled protects both the donor's intention and the organisation's ability to keep raising funds. This course moves from fundraising methods, the Saudi Fundraising Law and NCNP licensing, through ethical codes and due diligence, to campaign design, donation controls and the risks that most often halt appeals. The final day applies the method to an emergency appeal and a platform campaign and produces a Campaign Compliance File that participants can use for their next licensed campaign.