Refund Policy

1. General Policy

Donations made to Trees Fund are generally considered non-refundable as they are charitable contributions intended for tree plantation initiatives. However, we understand that exceptional circumstances may arise, and we will consider refund requests on a case-by-case basis.

2. Eligible Refund Scenarios

Refunds may be considered in the following situations:

Technical Errors

• Duplicate transactions caused by technical glitches
• Incorrect amount charged due to system errors
• Failed transactions where money was deducted but not credited to the campaign

Fraudulent Activity

• Unauthorized transactions from your account
• Identity theft resulting in fraudulent donations

Campaign Cancellation

• If a campaign is cancelled before its deadline and no funds have been disbursed
• If a campaign is found to be in violation of our terms and is removed

Other Circumstances

• Donation made to the wrong campaign (subject to verification)
• Significant error in donation amount (e.g., added extra zeros)

3. Non-Eligible Refund Scenarios

Refunds will generally NOT be issued for:

• Change of mind after making a donation
• Disagreement with how funds are utilized (as long as they align with the campaign's stated purpose)
• Campaigns that have already concluded and funds disbursed
• Requests made more than 30 days after the donation date
• Partial refunds for any reason
• Donations for which tax benefits have already been claimed

4. Refund Request Process

How to Request a Refund

To request a refund, please follow these steps:

1. Send an email to contact@treesfund.org
2. Include "Refund Request" in the subject line
3. Provide the following information:
   • Your full name
   • Email address used for the donation
   • Transaction ID (from your donation receipt)
   • Date and amount of donation
   • Campaign name
   • Reason for refund request

Processing Time

Refund requests are typically processed within 5-7 business days. You will receive a confirmation email once your request is received, and another email with the decision.

Required Documentation

Depending on the nature of your request, you may be asked to provide:

• Copy of the donation receipt
• Bank statement showing the transaction
• Government-issued ID (for identity verification in fraud cases)
• FIR copy (for unauthorized transactions)

5. Refund Methods

Approved refunds will be processed using the original payment method:

• Credit/Debit Card: Refunded to the same card (5-10 business days)
• UPI: Refunded to the original UPI ID (3-5 business days)
• Net Banking: Refunded to the source bank account (5-7 business days)
• Wallet: Refunded to the original wallet (2-3 business days)

Please note that processing times may vary depending on your bank or payment provider.

6. Tax Implications

If you received a tax exemption certificate (80G) for your donation and subsequently receive a refund:

• The tax certificate will be cancelled
• You must not claim tax benefits for the refunded donation
• We will inform the relevant tax authorities as required by law

7. Campaign-Specific Policies

Some campaigns may have specific refund policies that differ from this general policy. In such cases:

• The campaign-specific policy will be clearly stated on the campaign page
• The specific policy will take precedence for donations to that campaign
• General principles of fairness and transparency will always apply

8. Dispute Resolution

If your refund request is denied and you believe it should have been approved:

1. You may appeal the decision by responding to the denial email with additional information
2. Our management team will review appeals within 10 business days
3. The decision after appeal is final

9. Contact Us

For any questions about our Refund Policy or to submit a refund request, please contact us: