International Donations

Giving Without Borders

bcause connects philanthropic capital with nonprofit organizations worldwide. Through an international partner network, donors can support organizations across borders, with locally recognized donation receipts available in 19 countries.

The Challenge

Giving abroad is complex,
slow and costly

Philanthropy does not stop at national borders. Yet the legal and tax frameworks governing charitable giving are largely organized at the national level. As a result, giving internationally often involves complex requirements and fragmented structures.

Through its international partner network, bcause is building the infrastructure to make cross-border giving faster, more cost-effective and easier to manage.

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament in London, with a digital foundation account graphic.
Berlin TV Tower and Bode Museum along the Spree river, with a bcause app screen showing a Digital Foundation account — philanthropic giving made simple at bcause.com

„Charitable status has always stopped at the national border – a dramatic inefficiency found almost nowhere else but in philanthropy.”

Felix Oldenburg in conversation with Liz McKeown, Das Neue Geben Podcast Episode October 2026

A man wearing glasses stands outdoors, holding a document as another person faces him.
Our Approach

Give globally.
Tax optimized at home

Through bcause, donors can support nonprofit organizations worldwide while benefiting from tax recognition in their home country. Contributions are made to the charitable bcause trust foundation in Germany or through partner foundations in 18 other countries.

Donors can either make a direct donation to an organization abroad or use a digital foundation account for long-term charitable giving. In both cases, bcause and its international partner network handle the organization's eligibility checks, documentation and grant processing.

What is a digital foundation account?

bcause's digital foundation account is modeled after the internationally established Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) model. It allows donors to contribute assets to an existing charitable foundation structure without having to establish a foundation of their own.

Contributed assets can be managed, invested and allocated to nonprofit organizations in Germany and abroad over time. Donors retain the flexibility to decide when and which organizations they wish to support.

01 - Contribute
Give from any country

Donors contribute philanthropic capital through a recognized charitable structure in their home country. Tax treatment follows the applicable national regulations.

02 - Support
Support charities worldwide

Choose from more than 500,000 listed charitable organizations worldwide or suggest additional organizations for funding.

03 - Transfer
bcause handles the process

After verifying the organization's eligibility, bcause coordinates the transfer of funds through its international partner network.

International Philanthropy made easy

International Philanthropy made easy

Criterion
without bcause
With BCAUSE
Charitable status
Charitable status

Foreign charitable status is not automatically recognized.

Classic · Foreign charitable status is not automatically recognized.

Foreign charitable status is not automatically recognized.

Contributions are made to a recognized charitable structure, regardless of the recipient organization's country.

bcause · Contributions are made to a recognized charitable structure, regardless of the recipient organization's country.

Contributions are made to a recognized charitable structure, regardless of the recipient organization's country.

Donation receipt
Donation receipt

Tax recognition must be clarified individually.

Classic · Tax recognition must be clarified individually.

Tax recognition must be clarified individually.

Locally recognized donation receipts in currently 19 countries.

bcause · Locally recognized donation receipts in currently 19 countries.

Locally recognized donation receipts in currently 19 countries.

Speed
Speed

Individual checks and coordination take time.

Classic · Individual checks and coordination take time.

Individual checks and coordination take time.

Timely processing through an international partner network.

bcause · Timely processing through an international partner network.

Timely processing through an international partner network.

Crossborder Processing
Crossborder Processing

Coordinate payments and processes independently.

Classic · Coordinate payments and processes independently.

Coordinate payments and processes independently.

Manage grants digitally. bcause handles the coordination.

bcause · Manage grants digitally. bcause handles the coordination.

Manage grants digitally. bcause handles the coordination.

Documentation
Documentation

Obtain and manage documentation independently.

Classic · Obtain and manage documentation independently.

Obtain and manage documentation independently.

Documentation is reviewed by bcause and its partners.

bcause · Documentation is reviewed by bcause and its partners.

Documentation is reviewed by bcause and its partners.

Costs
Costs

Individual costs for advice, verification and processing.

Classic · Individual costs for advice, verification and processing.

Individual costs for advice, verification and processing.

2% fee for processing international transactions.

2% fee for processing international transactions.

Local donation receipts available for the following countries:

Europe

🇩🇪

Germany

🇩🇪

Germany

🇨🇭

Switzerland

🇨🇭

Switzerland

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

🇬🇧

United Kingdom

🇳🇱

Netherlands

🇳🇱

Netherlands

🇭🇷

Croatia

🇭🇷

Croatia

🇷🇴

Romania

🇷🇴

Romania

🇪🇸

Spain

🇪🇸

Spain

🇨🇿

Czechia

🇨🇿

Czechia

Amercias

🇺🇸

USA

🇺🇸

USA

🇨🇦

Canada

🇨🇦

Canada

🇧🇷

Brazil

🇧🇷

Brazil

🇵🇷

Puerto Rico

🇵🇷

Puerto Rico

Asia & Oceania

🇦🇺

Australia

🇦🇺

Australia

🇳🇿

New Zealand

🇳🇿

New Zealand

🇵🇭

Philippines

🇵🇭

Philippines

🇮🇩

Indonesia

🇮🇩

Indonesia

🇮🇩

Indonesia

🇮🇩

Indonesia

🇯🇵

Japan

🇯🇵

Japan

🇰🇷

South-Korea

🇰🇷

South-Korea

Africa

🇿🇦

Southafrica

🇿🇦

Southafrica

As of October 2026

Giving from another country?

Giving from another country?

Our international network is continuously expanding in response to specific needs. Get in touch to discuss your plans and explore the available options.

Looking up at tall city buildings surrounding a clear blue sky.
Use Cases

International giving in practice.

International giving in practice.

Support organizations worldwide

Manage philanthropic capital through a digital foundation account and flexibly support nonprofit organizations around the world.

Manage philanthropic capital through a digital foundation account and flexibly support nonprofit organizations around the world.

Make a one-time donation abroad

Support a specific nonprofit organization abroad without having to open a foundation account.

Support a specific nonprofit organization abroad without having to open a foundation account.

Give together across borders

Join donors from different countries to support shared causes, with each donor receiving a locally recognized donation receipt.

Join donors from different countries to support shared causes, with each donor receiving a locally recognized donation receipt.

Advise international clients

Family offices and advisors can manage multiple foundation accounts for their clients through one platform and coordinate international grants.

Family offices and advisors can manage multiple foundation accounts for their clients through one platform and coordinate international grants.

Let's discuss your international giving plans.

Our team is happy to discuss your international philanthropic goals and explore how bcause can support them.

Our team is happy to discuss your international philanthropic goals and explore how bcause can support them.

Nicole, personal advisor for non-profit organizations at bcause.com

Felix Oldenburg

Co-founder and Managing Director

Co-founder and Managing Director

Nicole, personal advisor for non-profit organizations at bcause.com

Luke Kincaid

Partner International

Simone, contact person for organizations at bcause.com – personal advice and support

Katharina Bauch

Head of Private Giving

Frequently Asked Questions About International Donations

Are donations to foreign nonprofit organizations tax-deductible?

Whether donations to foreign nonprofit organizations are tax-deductible depends on the regulations of the donor's country. Through bcause's international partner network, donors can use recognized charitable structures to support organizations abroad and claim tax benefits in their home country, subject to applicable national regulations.

Which countries can I donate to through bcause?

Through bcause, donors can support nonprofit organizations worldwide, provided the organization meets the applicable legal and charitable requirements. Eligibility is verified before funds are transferred.

In which countries can I make tax-efficient donations through bcause?

Through its international partner network, bcause enables tax-efficient charitable giving in 19 countries, including Germany.
These countries are Germany, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Croatia, Romania, Spain, the Czech Republic, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and South Africa.

Can I support organizations that are not yet listed on bcause?

Yes. Donors can suggest international nonprofit organizations that are not yet listed on bcause. Before funds are transferred, bcause verifies that the organization meets the necessary eligibility requirements.

How does international giving work through bcause?

Donors contribute funds through a recognized charitable structure in their home country and select a nonprofit organization they wish to support. bcause verifies the organization's eligibility and coordinates the international transfer through its partner network.

What fees apply to international donations?

A processing fee of 2% of the grant amount, plus a €20 assessment fee and any applicable currency conversion fees, applies to international donations. These fees cover the assessment, coordination, and administrative processing of cross-border grants through bcause and its international partner network.

How are international nonprofit organizations verified for eligibility?

Before any grant is made, bcause verifies that the proposed nonprofit organization meets the applicable charitable and regulatory requirements. This review is conducted by bcause and specialized partners, taking into account the relevant national regulations.

For English-language perspectives on the future of giving, follow our CEOs Substack.

Monthly field notes from inside European philanthropy: why cross-border giving still breaks at the border, what donor-advised funds reveal about a continent without them, and what 500 anonymous donors taught us about generosity. Plus the argument behind Der gefesselte Wohlstand (Captive Wealth), Felix's TEDx talk, and where bcause is heading next.