Reliable and transparent

The Work of the United Internet for UNICEF Foundation

The United Internet for UNICEF Foundation has been supporting UNICEF’s programs since 2006. All donations are transferred 100 per cent to the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). How this and our commitment works is what we are going to explain here in detail.

How does the Foundation work?

In 2006, Ralph Dommermuth and Tessa Page launched the Foundation with a clear mission: To use the success and experience of United Internet to help people in need. UNICEF was chosen as a powerful partner, who receives all donations to 100 per cent.

Via the Foundation’s website, our social media channels and together with 1&1, GMX and WEB.DE we inform about the latest crisis and places where our help is needed.

In times of dramatic emergencies, our newsletter reaches over 30 million people within 24 hours. Thus, we can inform and collect donations effectively. All donations and their topic related purpose are directly transferred to UNICEF.

As a leading internet service provider, United Internet uses its online and mail services to call attention to UNICEF’s commitment for children. Within the United Internet for UNICEF Foundation, United Internet enables all forces and speed of technology to support UNICEF reliably and effectively.

The Foundation has already collected over 65 million Euro since the launch in 2006. Therefore, the United Internet for UNICEF Foundation is one of the most important partners to UNICEF.

How much of the donations is being used to pay administration and staff’s salaries?

One word: nothing. Our staff either works on a voluntary basis or as direct employee at United Internet or UNICEF. This enables us to transfer the collected donations directly to UNICEF. We work from different locations in Germany and even the United States to give our best for the Foundation’s growth, to inform about our and UNICEF’s commitment and to motivate people to donate, even regularly.

Where can I find information on earnings and spendings?

We publish an annual report on the Foundation’s revenue every year. In this report, you can track down earnings and spending transparently and reliably: Every donation as well as costs for travelling or marketing are listed in our report. You can read and download the most recent report here.

UNICEF on its own also informs you about the use of donations, earnings and spendings. The annual report is openly accessible.

How is my donation processed and will it arrive at its planned location?

To start of with, yes, your donation goes exactly where it should be. In our blog, we inform you about the success of your donations regularly. We show how we use them sustainably as we did in case of Haiti or the Philippines.

The way your donations is processed is a little more complicated. First, it depends if you donated out of a purpose related newsletter of directly via the Foundation’s website. Usually, newsletter donations are already connected to a certain purpose. For instance, in emergency situations your donation is preset to be used for “Donations for Haiti” or similar.

If you donate on our website, you can choose between different UNICEF programs. This could be “education in Nepal” or “Violence against children”. All donations to these programs can only be used for the chosen purpose. Thus, we cannot use donations of “education in Nepal” for “violence against children” projects. There is one exception: the purpose “where my donations is needed the most”. Donations of this purpose can be used freely for all of UNICEF programs.

So, we reliably transferred all donations to the appropriate UNICEF account, without any costs. What will happen now? In times of crisis, the answer is easy - emergency commodities: Clean, drinkable water, shelter, blankets, clothing, and nutrition are our priority number one. Afterwards, we fund programs for reconstruction and development to enable people to take their lives into their own hands again.

Long-termed projects such as “Children and AIDS” consist of several pieces. Worldwide, UNICEF works with local employees, international experts in the field and the government. This is how we can change things sustainably and on a bigger scale.

There are programs, which are collaboratively developed between UNICEF, governments and other involved parties. These three have to agree on certain goals. Only if the mission is clear, UNICEF funds the project. Those responsible need to report about the program’s success on a regular basis. Therefore, we can prevent misuse of donations used for such programs.