Commercial participator agreement template
A commercial participator agreement is the written agreement between a business and a charity when the business tells customers that buying its products or services will benefit the charity. It sets out the promotion, how the charity's share is worked out and paid, and what customers will be told. A retailer, restaurant or brand completes one with each charity it runs a cause-related promotion with.
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What changes each time
28 values. Everything else is your wording, kept exactly.
The charity
- Charity name and address
- Registered charity number
- Company number, if a company
- Signatory name and position
The business
- Business company name and address
- Company number
- Signatory name and position
The promotion
- Start and end dates
- Products or services
- Objectives of the promotion
- Methods used
The charity's share
- Basis of the share
- Percentage or amount per product
- Whether VAT is included
- Minimum or maximum payment
- When sales are counted
Payment and records
- Payment interval
- Charity's account details
- Years sales records are kept
- Payment to the business, if any, and expenses cap
What customers are told
- Amount or percentage given
- Estimated total donation
- Shares between charities
Standards, approvals and ending
- Fundraising code followed
- Protections for the public
- Days to tell the charity of a complaint
- Working days to approve material
- Notice to end early
The rules it usually needs
Written in plain English when the template is set up.
- Only when…
“Include the company number if the charity is a company.”
The charity line adds its company number.
- Only when…
“Include more than one charity if several benefit.”
Each charity gets a row in the clause 3 table, and customers are told the proportions each receives.
- One of several wordings
“The charity's share is a percentage of the retail price, a fixed amount from each product or a percentage of net profit.”
Clause 3 shows the chosen basis.
- Once for each item
“Add a row for each charity.”
The share table lists each charity with its basis and amount.
- Only when…
“Include a minimum or maximum payment if agreed.”
The share table states it.
- One of several wordings
“Sales are counted at the point of sale or when payment is received.”
Clause 3 shows the choice.
- One of several wordings
“The business pays the charity every month or quarter, or within a number of days of the end of the promotion.”
Clause 4.1 follows the choice.
- One of several wordings
“The charity pays the business nothing, or pays a stated fee or expenses.”
Clause 5 shows which, with the amount and any cap.
- One of several wordings
“The customer statement gives a fixed amount, or a percentage with the amount in pounds and pence.”
The statement customers are told uses the chosen form.
- Only when…
“Include the estimate sentence if the share is based on profit or the amount per product is not known in advance.”
The statement adds an estimated total donation.
- One of several wordings
“The business follows the Code of Fundraising Practice, or another stated scheme.”
Clause 7.1 names it.
Questions people ask
What is a commercial participator?
It is a business that tells customers that buying its goods or services will benefit a charity or a cause. The written agreement records the deal between the business and the charity so each knows what has been agreed.
What does the agreement need to say?
It sets out the promotion period, products, how the charity's share is worked out and paid, what customers will be told, and what each side does. This template has all of these laid out for you to fill in.
What are customers told?
Clause 6 contains the statement the business will use, saying how much goes to the charity and giving the charity's registration number. It has an optional estimate sentence where the amount depends on profit.
Can more than one charity benefit?
Yes. There is an optional section for more than one charity, with a row in the share table for each, and the customer statement also gives the proportions.
Who can use it?
It is for a business working with a charity, such as a retailer, restaurant or hospitality business. Either side can complete it, then both sign.
Use this template
It opens in DocuWeave as a template you can check, change and publish. Nothing is used until you do.