nebenan.de allows one-time, purpose-specific fundraising appeals with a neighborhood connection but prohibits multiple requests, private messages, and unauthorized fundraising appeals. Links to online fundraising platforms are permitted, while publishing bank account details is not recommended. Examples include support for neighbors buying a washing machine or after fire damage. Caution is advised for funeral or hospital cost appeals as well as opportunists.
nebenan.de thrives on neighborhood help and is also intended for neighbors to ask for (financial) help during private hardships.
At the same time, we want to prevent abuse and protect our users from fraud. Therefore, the following rules apply to private fundraising appeals:
- You may ask for financial support on nebenan.de only once, not multiple times.
- You may not ask neighbors for financial support via private messages.
- The financial support must benefit a person/action with a neighborhood connection.
- The request for financial support must be purpose-specific and relate to a concrete occasion (examples below). The post must specify what the money will be spent on.
- You may not call for "donations" if you are not authorized to issue a donation receipt (the word donation may generally only be used by registered, non-profit organizations).
- We recommend setting up collection boxes via an online platform such as goodcrowd.org . You may publish the link to your online collection box in a post on nebenan.de.
- Private individuals who are members of a non-profit organization (e.g., association) may only publish their fundraising appeal through an organization profile (create one free here).
We generally advise against publishing bank account details on nebenan.de. We also advise against transferring money directly to private accounts.
We reserve the right to delete dubious fundraising appeals or those that violate the above points. Furthermore, we reserve the right to expand and amend these guidelines.
Positive Examples: Private Fundraising Appeals with Neighborhood Connection
The following requests for financial support are allowed on nebenan.de:
- An elderly neighbor with a small pension needs a new washing machine that she cannot afford. Her neighbors learn about this via nebenan.de and chip in together (to the story)
- A flower shop is threatened because the owner is ill. Neighbors collect money for her so she can recover peacefully (to the story)
- A public bookcase in the neighborhood burns down; neighbors collect money via nebenan.de for its reconstruction (to the story)
- A fire destroys a family’s apartment; their neighbors start a fundraising appeal for the family on nebenan.de.
Be especially cautious with:
- Fundraising appeals for financing funerals of relatives
- Requests for support with high hospital bills and serious illnesses of relatives and acquaintances
- Individuals claiming to collect for organizations and charitable causes (opportunists)
- Large sums and time pressure