Terms of Use

These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of the Benewell platform, owned and operated by Braided River Consultancy Limited, trading as Benewell, a company incorporated in New Zealand (company number 5690848).

By accessing or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, you must not use the Service.

Benewell is a giving platform connecting Christian organisations and their donors. Benewell is not a charity, does not hold donor funds and does not provide financial or tax advice.

In these Terms, the following definitions apply.

Benewell, we, us, our means Braided River Consultancy Limited, trading as Benewell, company number 5690848, NZBN 9429041728246, of Christchurch, New Zealand.

Donor means any individual who uses the Service to make a donation to an Organisation.

Fees means the subscription fees set out on our pricing page at benewell.org/plans, as updated from time to time.

Journey means a fundraising campaign created by an Organisation on the Service.

Koha means the voluntary tip that Donors may choose to add to their donation to support Benewell's operating costs. Koha is entirely optional and is not deducted from the donation amount.

Moment means an update, story, photo, video or other content posted by an Organisation in connection with a Journey.

Organisation means a registered charity, trust or Christian organisation that uses the Service to raise funds and communicate with Donors.

Personal Information has the meaning given to it in the Privacy Act 2020.

Receipt means the donation receipt generated by Benewell on behalf of an Organisation and issued to a Donor.

Service means the Benewell platform accessible at benewell.org, including all features, tools and content available through it.

Stripe means Stripe Payments Australia Pty Ltd and its related entities, the payment processing provider used by the Service.

Stripe Connect Account means the account created by an Organisation with Stripe to receive donations directly.

Terms means these Terms of Use, as updated from time to time.

User means any person who accesses or uses the Service, including Donors and Organisations.

Website means benewell.org and all associated subdomains.

2.1  By creating an account, clicking "I agree" or accessing and using the Service, you agree to these Terms. If you are agreeing on behalf of an Organisation, you confirm you are authorised to do so and that the Organisation is bound by these Terms.

2.2  If you do not agree to these Terms, you are not authorised to use the Service.

2.3  We may update these Terms at any time by notifying you by email or by posting a notice on the Website. Changes take effect on the date stated in the notice.

2.4  If a change is detrimental to you, you may terminate your account on no less than 10 days' notice, provided that notice is received before the change takes effect.

2.5  Continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

2.6  These Terms were last updated on 30 May 2026.

3.1  Benewell is a giving platform that enables Organisations to create Journeys, share Moments and receive donations from Donors.

3.2  Benewell is not a financial institution, payment processor or charity. We do not hold, process or control donor funds. All donations are processed directly by Stripe and paid into the Organisation's Stripe Connect Account.

3.3  Benewell takes 0% platform fee on donations. The full donation amount (less any Stripe processing fees, which are borne in accordance with the Donor's selection at checkout) is paid directly to the Organisation.

3.4  The Koha is separate from the donation and supports Benewell's operating costs. It is never deducted from the donation amount.

3.5  We will use reasonable efforts to ensure the Service is available at all times. The Service may be unavailable from time to time for maintenance, updates or due to circumstances beyond our control.

3.6  The Service interoperates with third-party services including Stripe, Cloudinary, CloudConvert and Resend. We make no warranty regarding the availability of those services and may adjust or remove features that rely on them if they become unavailable.

To use the Service as an Organisation, you must:

• be a registered charity, incorporated society, trust or recognised Christian organisation;
• hold a current registration number with the relevant charities authority in your country (for example, Charities Services NZ, ACNC in Australia, the Charity Commission in the UK, the IRS in the US or CRA in Canada);
• complete Benewell's verification process, including providing accurate registration details and completing Stripe's identity verification requirements; and
• maintain a Stripe Connect Account in good standing.

4.2  Organisations are held in a restricted state until manually approved by the Benewell team. Organisations may not accept donations until that approval is granted.

4.3  You must notify us immediately if your charity registration lapses, is revoked or your organisation's circumstances change materially.

As an Organisation, you are responsible for:

• the accuracy and completeness of all information provided to Benewell and Donors;
• ensuring your Journey and Moment content is truthful, not misleading and complies with all applicable laws;
• the proper use of all funds received through the Service in accordance with your charitable purposes;
• maintaining a valid receipt template that complies with the requirements of your country's tax authority;
• ensuring your receipt template contains all information required for donors to claim any applicable tax credit or deduction; and
• complying with your obligations under the Charities Act 2005 (NZ) or equivalent legislation in your jurisdiction.

4.6  Benewell generates donation receipts on behalf of Organisations using the template uploaded by the Organisation. Benewell is not responsible for the accuracy or tax compliance of the content of those receipts.

4.7  Organisations are solely responsible for:

• ensuring their receipt template meets the requirements of the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) or equivalent tax authority;
• the accuracy of all information populated into receipts, including charity registration numbers, IRD numbers and financial year dates; and
• advising Donors of their eligibility to claim tax credits or deductions.

4.8  Benewell provides a test receipt function to help Organisations review their template before it goes live. It is the Organisation's responsibility to review and approve their template before it is used for live donations.

4.10  Free tier access is available to all verified Organisations at no charge.

4.11  Paid subscription tiers (Essentials, Growth and Network) will be made available in a future phase. Subscription fees, features and terms will be published at benewell.org/plans before launch.

5.1  Donations made through the Service are gifts to the Organisation. Donations are non-refundable unless required by law or in the event of a proven processing error.

5.2  By making a donation, you authorise Stripe to process your payment in accordance with Stripe's terms of service and privacy policy.

5.3  Benewell does not hold, process or have access to your payment card details. All payment information is handled by Stripe.

5.4  The Koha is a separate, optional contribution to Benewell's operating costs. It is not part of your donation to the Organisation and is non-refundable.

5.5  You are responsible for:

• verifying that the Organisation you are donating to is the organisation you intend to support;
• ensuring your donation is made for a lawful purpose; and
• claiming any applicable tax credit or deduction in accordance with the laws of your country.

5.6  Benewell does not provide tax advice. Whether a tax credit or deduction is available depends on your personal tax circumstances and the eligibility of the Organisation in your jurisdiction. Please seek your own tax advice if you are unsure.

5.7  Receipts are generated on behalf of Organisations. Benewell does not warrant that any receipt will be accepted by your tax authority for the purpose of claiming a tax credit or deduction.

6.1  All Users must:

• use the Service only for lawful purposes;
• not impersonate any person or misrepresent their authority to act on behalf of others;
• not attempt to undermine the security or integrity of the Service;
• not use the Service in any way that may impair its functionality or the ability of others to use it;
• not transmit or store any content that is defamatory, obscene, harmful, threatening or unlawful;
• not use the Service to facilitate fraud, money laundering or any other illegal activity; and
• comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

6.2  Organisations must not use the Service to raise funds for purposes other than those disclosed in their verified charity registration.

6.3  A breach of these Terms by any personnel of an Organisation is deemed a breach by the Organisation.

7.1  All content uploaded or posted by Organisations and Donors remains the property of the person who uploaded it.

7.2  By uploading content to the Service, you grant Benewell a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use, store, display and distribute that content for the purpose of operating the Service.

7.3  You warrant that your content does not infringe the intellectual property rights, privacy rights or any other rights of any third party.

7.4  All intellectual property rights in the Service, Website and Benewell software remain the property of Braided River Consultancy Limited, trading as Benewell. You must not copy, modify or reverse engineer any part of the Service.

7.5  The Benewell name, wordmark and logo are trade marks of Braided River Consultancy Limited, trading as Benewell. You must not use them without our prior written consent.

8.1  Benewell collects and handles Personal Information in accordance with its Privacy Policy, available at benewell.org/privacy. You agree to the collection and use of your Personal Information as described in that policy.

8.2  Organisations acknowledge that Benewell acts as their agent for the purposes of the Privacy Act 2020 when collecting and processing Personal Information about Donors through the Service.

8.3  Organisations are responsible for obtaining all necessary consents from Donors to enable Benewell to collect, use, hold and process their Personal Information in accordance with these Terms.

8.4  Donor names and contact details are made available to Organisations solely for receipting and donor relationship management. Organisations must not use Donor Personal Information for any other purpose without the Donor's consent.

8.5  Personal Information may be stored and processed on servers located outside New Zealand, including in the United States. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.

8.6  Benewell will take reasonable steps to protect Personal Information from unauthorised access, use or disclosure. In the event of a notifiable privacy breach, Benewell will comply with its obligations under the Privacy Act 2020.

9.1  Each party must keep confidential all non-public information obtained from the other party in connection with the Service and must not disclose it to third parties without prior written consent, except as required by law or as necessary to perform obligations under these Terms.

9.2  Benewell may use anonymised, aggregated data derived from use of the Service for internal research, product development and statistical analysis. That data will not identify individual Users or Organisations.

10.1  Each party warrants that it has full authority to enter into and perform its obligations under these Terms.

10.2  To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• Benewell makes no warranty that the Service will be uninterrupted, error-free or free from viruses or harmful code;
• Benewell makes no warranty that the Service will meet your specific requirements or be suitable for any particular purpose;
• Benewell is not responsible for the actions of Organisations, including how they use funds received through the Service; and
• Benewell is not responsible for the tax compliance of any receipt or the outcome of any tax credit claim made by a Donor.

10.3  You agree that you are acquiring access to the Service for the purpose of trade. The Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 does not apply to the supply of the Service to the extent that it is fair and reasonable to exclude it.

11.1  Benewell's maximum aggregate liability to you under or in connection with these Terms, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or otherwise, must not in any 12-month period exceed the greater of:

• NZD $500; or
• the total fees paid by you to Benewell in the 12-month period before the event giving rise to the claim.

11.2  Neither party is liable to the other for any loss of profit, revenue, data, goodwill or any consequential, indirect, incidental or special loss or damage of any kind.

11.3  The limitations in clauses 11.1 and 11.2 do not apply to:

• personal injury or death caused by negligence;
• fraud or wilful misconduct; or
• a breach of the confidentiality obligations in clause 9.

12.1  These Terms commence on the date you create an account and continue until terminated.

12.2  Either party may terminate these Terms by giving 30 days' written notice to the other.

12.3  Either party may immediately terminate these Terms if the other party:

• breaches any material provision of these Terms and fails to remedy the breach within 10 days of receiving written notice requiring remedy; or
• becomes insolvent, is placed in liquidation or receivership or ceases to carry on its activities.

12.4  Benewell may immediately suspend or terminate an Organisation's access to the Service if:

• the Organisation's charity registration is revoked or lapses;
• Benewell reasonably suspects fraud, misrepresentation or misuse of funds; or
• Stripe suspends or terminates the Organisation's Stripe Connect Account.

12.5  On termination:

• all pending donations processed by Stripe will be paid to the Organisation in the normal course;
• Benewell will retain donor and donation data as required by law and in accordance with its Privacy Policy; and
• Organisations may request an export of their data within 30 days of termination.

13.1  These Terms are governed by the laws of New Zealand.

13.2  Any dispute arising from these Terms will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New Zealand courts, and the parties submit to the jurisdiction of the courts at Christchurch, New Zealand.

13.3  Before commencing court proceedings, the parties agree to attempt to resolve any dispute by good faith negotiation for at least 20 business days following written notice of the dispute.

14.1  These Terms constitute the entire agreement between the parties in relation to the Service and supersede all prior agreements, representations and understandings.

14.2  If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, that provision will be severed and the remaining Terms will continue in full force.

14.3  A failure to exercise or a delay in exercising any right under these Terms does not constitute a waiver of that right.

14.4  You may not assign your rights or obligations under these Terms without Benewell's prior written consent. Benewell may assign its rights and obligations, including in connection with a sale or merger of its business.

14.5  Notices under these Terms must be in writing and delivered by email to the address associated with your account (for notices to you) or to hello@benewell.org (for notices to Benewell).

If you have any questions about these Terms, please get in touch.