ANBI
Requirements for ANBI status
In order to obtain and maintain ANBI (Public Benefit Institution) status as the Zeldzame Ziekten Fonds (ZZF), we meet the following legal requirements. These requirements are crucial to ensure that our organization actually contributes to the public benefit and operates with the highest standards of transparency and accountability.
Objective and activities
General Use: Hhe ZZF is committed to at least 90% public benefit, with the main goal of supporting people with rare diseases. Our activities are fully focused on promoting healthcare, stimulating research and offering peer contact days to patients and their families.
Non-profit: The ZZF operates on a non-profit basis. Any surpluses are fully reinvested in projects and activities that contribute to our objectives.
Management and remuneration policy
Excluding improper management: The ZZF board has no personal access to the foundation's assets and manages the resources exclusively in the interest of our mission. We apply strict governance principles to ensure this.
Limited reward policy: The ZZF directors do not receive unreasonable remuneration. Any compensation is always proportionate to the nature and scope of the work.
Spending requirement
Assets and expenses: The ZZF largely uses its assets for public benefit, with a focus on concrete projects that improve the quality of life of people with rare diseases. We have a clear spending policy to ensure that resources are used responsibly.
Transparency and accountability
Public annual accounts: We publish our annual accounts every year, including the balance sheet, statement of income and expenditure, and a report of our activities. This ensures that donors and other stakeholders have insight into our financial situation and the impact of our activities.
Insightful accounting: Our administration offers a complete and transparent overview of all income, expenses and our assets, so that we can always demonstrate that we meet the requirements of ANBI status.
Continuity and dissolution
Plan upon dissolution: If the ZZF ever ceases to exist, our remaining assets will be transferred to another ANBI with similar goals, so that it continues to contribute to the general benefit, specifically for the care of rare diseases.
Current information
Address and contact details: The ZZF ensures that our information is always up to date with the Tax Authorities, including our business location and the names of our board members. Any changes will be communicated in a timely manner.
Meeting the audience test
Social impact: The ZZF makes a substantial contribution to public benefit through our focus on improving the living conditions of people with rare diseases. This is evident from the growing number of donors, the recognition of our projects, and the positive effects of our efforts on society.
Restriction on political activities
Focus on healthcare and research: Although ZZF is committed to the interests of people with rare diseases, we mainly focus on healthcare, scientific research and direct support of patients. Political involvement is always subordinate to our main activities and is only used to support our core mission when necessary.
No prohibited activities
Specific exceptions for ZZF: The ZZF qualifies for ANBI status because we fully meet the criteria for public benefit. Our activities are fully focused on social interests such as healthcare and research, which clearly distinguishes us from organizations that do not qualify, such as political parties or commercial companies.
Guideline 650
Our commitment to transparency is also reflected in the fact that we comply with Guideline 650. This guideline ensures that our annual accounts are prepared and audited annually by an independent accounting firm, which covers not only our financial figures, but the entire organization and all our activities.
Why do we follow guideline 650?
- Reliability: Guideline 650 ensures that nonprofit financial information is reliable and consistent.
- Transparency: It promotes transparency towards donors, subsidy providers and other stakeholders about our financial position and performance.
- Comparability: It allows us to compare our financial data with that of other nonprofit organizations, which helps assess efficiency and effectiveness.
Why no CBF quality mark?
During a conversation with the Central Bureau of Fundraising (CBF), it turned out that our current control measures are already stricter than the requirements of the CBF. This means that obtaining the CBF quality mark would lead to unnecessary double costs, without actually improving our financial control, transparency or corporate governance. We would like to emphasize that we already meet high standards of financial accountability and transparency. Thanks to our professional approach and independent supervision of our financial administration, our donors can trust that their contributions are managed and spent in a responsible and effective manner.
We consciously choose not to apply for a CBF quality mark. Although the CBF is a well-known body, we believe it is irresponsible to spend our resources on the high costs associated with the application and annual maintenance of this quality mark. The CBF has a very high expenditure pattern, with high salaries for management and other unnecessarily high office costs. We believe that our resources can be better deployed to directly support our goals and projects.
At ZZF we believe in maximizing the impact of every euro we receive. By focusing on our mission and the strict financial controls we already have in place, we ensure that your donations are used to their full potential.