Empowr

Donor Terms and Conditions

Effective date: 2026-03-24Last updated: 2026-03-24Version: 1.0

Empowr CIC Hero Programme

Last Updated: March 2026

Welcome, Hero

Thank you for choosing to support Empowr's mission to transform lives through experiential learning. These terms explain how your contribution works, what you can expect as a Hero, and the important legal details about donating to a Community Interest Company.

We've written this in plain English because we believe you deserve to understand exactly where your support goes and what it means to be part of our Heroes community. If anything's unclear, just email us at hero@empowrcic.org — we're here to help.

1. About Empowr CIC

Empowr CIC is a Community Interest Company registered in England and Wales.

Company Details:

  • Registered Name: Empowr CIC
  • Company Number: 13660924
  • Registered Office: Crown House, 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX
  • Contact Email: hero@empowrcic.org

As a Community Interest Company, we exist to deliver community benefit through experiential learning programmes that improve lifelong wellbeing. We're not a charity — we're a social enterprise with a legal commitment to use all our assets for social good.

2. What Your Donation Supports

Your contribution directly funds:

  • Experiential learning programmes for young people and communities
  • Programme delivery and facilitation by trained practitioners
  • Access to transformative learning experiences for those who need them most
  • Development of new programmes and community impact initiatives
  • Operational costs necessary to deliver our mission

Every pound you contribute goes toward creating lasting positive change in people's lives through the power of experiential education.

3. The Asset Lock — Where Your Money Goes

This is important: Empowr CIC operates under a legal "asset lock."

What This Means:

  • All donations are permanently dedicated to community benefit
  • Funds cannot be distributed to private shareholders or members
  • Assets are locked for Empowr's social mission forever
  • If Empowr ever closes, remaining assets must go to another asset-locked organisation (another CIC or registered charity)

Why This Matters to You:

You can be confident that your contribution will always be used for social good. It's not just our promise — it's a legal requirement enforced by the CIC Regulator.

This asset lock is what makes CICs different from regular companies. It's our guarantee to you that profit will never come before purpose.

4. Gift Aid — Important Information

Empowr CIC does not qualify for Gift Aid.

Gift Aid is a tax relief scheme available only to registered charities. As a Community Interest Company, we are not a charity, which means:

  • We cannot claim Gift Aid on your donation
  • Your donation will not be increased by 25% through government top-up
  • If you're a UK taxpayer, you cannot reclaim tax on donations to Empowr CIC

We want to be transparent about this. While we don't receive the tax benefits that charities do, we have greater flexibility in how we operate and deliver community impact. If Gift Aid is important to you, you may prefer to support a registered charity instead — we completely understand.

5. Types of Contributions

Monthly Hero Tiers:

  • Seed Hero — £10 per month
  • Momentum Hero — £25 per month
  • Community Hero — £50 per month
  • Champion Hero — £250 per month
  • Legacy Hero — £500 per month

Monthly subscriptions are processed automatically on the same day each month until you cancel.

One-Time Hero:

  • Any amount you choose
  • Single payment, no recurring charge

Founding Patron:

  • Transformational investment of £100,000 or more
  • Bespoke partnership with tailored impact reporting
  • Direct engagement with Empowr leadership
  • Contact patron@empowrcic.org to discuss

6. Non-Refundable Contributions

All donations to Empowr CIC are non-refundable.

Once we receive your contribution, we immediately allocate it to programme delivery and community impact work. We cannot reverse or refund donations.

For Monthly Subscriptions:

  • You can cancel at any time via your Stripe customer portal (link provided in your payment confirmation email)
  • Cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period
  • You will not be charged again after cancellation
  • Previous payments cannot be refunded, even if you cancel

For One-Time Donations:

  • Payment is immediate and final
  • No refunds or chargebacks

For Founding Patrons:

  • Payment terms are agreed individually in your partnership agreement
  • Refund provisions (if any) will be specified in your bespoke agreement

7. Payment Processing

We use Stripe to process all payments securely.

What This Means:

  • Your payment details (card number, billing address) are handled entirely by Stripe
  • We never see or store your payment card information
  • Stripe is PCI-DSS compliant and meets the highest security standards
  • You'll receive email receipts from Stripe for all transactions

Stripe's Role:

  • Stripe acts as our payment processor
  • They collect your email address, name, and payment details
  • For Stripe's privacy practices, see their Privacy Policy
  • For payment disputes or billing questions, contact hero@empowrcic.org and we'll help resolve them with Stripe

8. Your Hero Benefits

As a Hero, you receive:

All Heroes:

  • Digital Hero Badge — sent to your email within 7 days of your first contribution
  • Quarterly Impact Reports — see exactly where your support is making a difference
  • Access to the Heroes Community — connect with fellow supporters (platform details shared in welcome email)
  • Exclusive Updates — behind-the-scenes news and stories from our programmes

Tier-Specific Benefits:

Benefits vary by tier and are detailed on the Hero Tiers page. These may include:

  • Personalised impact updates
  • Invitations to programme visits
  • Recognition on our website (with your permission)
  • Direct engagement opportunities

Important Notes:

  • Benefits are contingent on maintaining an active subscription or having made a contribution
  • We aim to deliver all benefits promptly, but timelines may vary
  • Benefits do not constitute a purchase or exchange — they are tokens of our appreciation for your support
  • If you cancel your monthly subscription, you retain access to the Heroes community but may no longer receive tier-specific ongoing benefits

9. How We'll Communicate With You

When you become a Hero, we'll use your email address to:

  • Send your Hero badge and welcome materials
  • Provide quarterly impact reports and newsletters
  • Share invitations to Heroes community events
  • Communicate about your tier benefits
  • Notify you of any changes to these terms or our privacy policy

You're In Control:

  • You can unsubscribe from non-essential emails at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email
  • You cannot unsubscribe from essential service emails (payment confirmations, important policy updates)
  • To stop all communications, you must cancel your subscription

For full details on how we handle your data, see our Privacy Policy.

10. Cancelling Your Subscription

How to Cancel:

  1. Log into your Stripe Customer Portal (link in your payment confirmation email)
  2. Select "Cancel subscription"
  3. Your cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing period

What Happens When You Cancel:

  • You will not be charged again after your current period ends
  • Previous payments are not refunded
  • You'll retain access to the Heroes community
  • You'll stop receiving tier-specific ongoing benefits (e.g., quarterly updates, invitations)
  • Your digital Hero badge remains yours — we don't take it back!

Need Help?

If you can't find your Stripe portal link or need assistance, email hero@empowrcic.org and we'll help you.

11. Changes to the Hero Programme

We reserve the right to:

  • Modify tier benefits or pricing with 30 days' notice
  • Change the structure of the Hero programme
  • Discontinue specific benefits or communications

If We Make Changes:

  • We'll email you at least 30 days in advance
  • You can cancel your subscription before changes take effect if you don't agree
  • Price changes do not apply retroactively — existing monthly subscriptions continue at your original rate until you cancel or we discontinue a tier entirely

12. Our Commitment to Impact Reporting

We believe you deserve to know exactly how your support makes a difference.

What We'll Provide:

  • Quarterly Impact Reports sent via email to all Heroes
  • Transparent reporting on:
    • Number of people reached through programmes
    • Locations and communities served
    • Programme outcomes and participant feedback
    • Financial overview of how donations are allocated

Annual CIC Report:

As a Community Interest Company, we're legally required to file an annual CIC report with Companies House. This public document shows:

  • Community benefit activities we've delivered
  • How we've consulted with stakeholders
  • Director remuneration (if over £200,000 aggregate)

You can view our CIC reports at Companies House.

13. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law:

  • Empowr CIC provides the Hero programme and benefits "as is"
  • We make no guarantees about specific outcomes from our programmes
  • We are not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages arising from your participation in the Hero programme
  • Our total liability to you for any claim related to your donation shall not exceed the total amount you have contributed

What This Means:

We're committed to delivering impact and treating you with respect, but we cannot be held financially responsible for things outside our control (e.g., delays in badge delivery due to email provider issues, programme cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances).

14. Intellectual Property

Our Content:

  • The Empowr name, logo, and all website content are owned by Empowr CIC
  • You may not use our name, logo, or materials without written permission
  • Your Hero badge is for personal use only — you cannot sell or commercialise it

Your Hero Status:

  • We may feature you as a Hero supporter on our website or in communications (first name and tier only, e.g., "Sarah, Community Hero")
  • We will always ask your permission first before using your full name or story publicly
  • You can opt out at any time by emailing hero@empowrcic.org

15. Dispute Resolution

We hope you'll never need this section, but if a dispute arises:

Step 1: Talk to Us

Email hero@empowrcic.org with your concern. We'll respond within 5 business days and work with you in good faith to resolve the issue.

Step 2: Formal Complaint

If informal resolution doesn't work, send a written complaint to:

Empowr CIC

Crown House, 27 Old Gloucester Street

London, WC1N 3AX

We'll investigate and respond within 14 days.

Step 3: Independent Resolution

If we still can't resolve the matter, you may:

  • Contact the CIC Regulator if your complaint relates to our asset lock or community benefit obligations
  • Seek mediation or legal advice

Governing Law:

These terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Any legal disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

16. Data Protection and Privacy

Your privacy matters to us. We collect and process your personal data in accordance with:

  • UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
  • Data Protection Act 2018

For full details on what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights, please see our Privacy Policy.

Key Points:

  • We only collect data necessary to process your donation and deliver Hero benefits
  • We never sell your data to third parties
  • You have the right to access, correct, or delete your data at any time
  • Contact hero@empowrcic.org to exercise your data rights

17. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Donor Terms & Conditions from time to time to reflect:

  • Changes in law or regulation
  • Updates to the Hero programme
  • Improvements based on feedback

When We Update:

  • We'll post the new terms on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date at the top
  • For material changes, we'll email you at least 30 days in advance
  • Continued participation after changes take effect means you accept the new terms
  • You can cancel your subscription if you don't agree with the changes

18. Entire Agreement

These Donor Terms & Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Empowr CIC regarding your donation and Hero programme participation.

19. Questions or Concerns?

We're here to help. If you have any questions about these terms or your Hero status:

Email: hero@empowrcic.org

Founding Patron Enquiries: patron@empowrcic.org

Mailing Address:

Empowr CIC

Crown House, 27 Old Gloucester Street

London, WC1N 3AX

Thank You for Being a Hero

Your support makes our work possible. Together, we're creating lasting change through experiential learning.

With gratitude,

The Empowr Team

These terms were last updated on March 24, 2026.