How YOU can help support the Organic Research Centre
Our work at ORC is unique and vital to the future of organic farming, but we need ongoing support that will enable us to continue our important research, training and policy work and to demonstrate sustainable, ecological solutions to the food security, public health, climate change, biodiversity, economic and other challenges global society is now facing.
To remain independent, to be able to challenge the accepted view of things - as we have with Foot and Mouth Vaccination and with GM - and to be able to make the case for an ecological, not industrial farming future, we need your support. Our policy, communications and education work, rooted as it is in a scientific evidence base, also depends on us having a sufficient, unrestricted core funding so that we have the freedom to disagree with received wisdom.
If you would like to see how donations to the Charity are used, please see our Annual Report.
You as an individual, or as an organisation, can make a valuable difference if you help us in one of the following ways:
Making a donation
As a Charity with no public funds to cover our core costs and to allow us to explore new avenues or controversial themes before they are sufficiently developed/accepted to be eligible for government or EU project funding, donations from supporters are fundamental to keeping us going. Like all charities, we have been affected by the downturn in donations as a result of the recession, so now more than ever your donation can help!.
You can make a donation using our 30th Anniversary Appeal form or donate on line.
You can also Gift Aid your donations using the same form, increasing its value to us by 28%.
Becoming a friend of ORC
While one-off donations are always very welcome, a regular monthly or annual donation provides us with increased security of income and allows us to provide you some benefits in return. By becoming a Friend you will receive the ORC Bulletin, additional information on our activities, free ORC publications, discounts on or free access to events and invitations to Friends-only events.
You can become a Friend by completing the Standing Order Mandate on our 30th Anniversary Appeal form, and making a regular donation. Please make your contribution as generous as you can - If you can afford £10/month or £100 per year or more, this would really help us make progress. But in view of the services provided in return, we do ask for the following minimum donations from Friends:
- Individual annual donation - £25 minimum
- Charities/NGO annual donation - £50 minimum
- Corporate annual donation - £250 minimum
As with one-off donations, you can Gift Aid your donations using the same form, increasing their value to us by 28%.
Leaving a legacy
By including us in your Will, you will be enabling us to continue to develop our work and activities well into the future. As we are a charity, all legacies to ORC are free from inheritance tax.
You can find further information on legacy donation from your solicitor or by visiting legacy giving sites such as www.givingwithcertainty.co.uk or www.rememberacharity.org.uk.
We may not be registered as a member with these sites, but you can find full details about us on the Charity Commission website www.charitycommission.gov.uk. You or your solicitor will need to use the formal charity name Progressive Farming Trust Ltd or our Registered Charity number 281276 to find us there.
Donating shares
The option to donate shares to a charity applies to many listed shares and unit and investment trusts. As a charitable donation this is normally free of capital gains tax. To be sure of the current tax implications, you should check with your financial advisor or HMRC.