Donating for the Needy: 7 Organisations Compared
Friday evening, the donation box at the mosque has already been collected, and you still want to give your Sadaqa today. On your phone, ten donation pages open up, all promising quick help, but only a few clearly show where your money goes. This is exactly where it is decided whether you donate or give up.
Before every transfer, check three things. First, is the organisation documented as non-profit, or does it only claim this itself? Second, can you see the target amount, progress and dated updates? Third, is the fee model shown openly next to the donate button?
Trust is not a gut feeling. You recognise it through verifiable profiles, traceable use of funds, and understandable payment information.
The need is great and ongoing. The Federal Statistical Office reports in its press release on EU-SILC that in 2024 around 17.6 million people, or 20.9% of the population, were at risk of poverty or social exclusion. Donations for the needy are therefore not just crisis donations, but plannable help for a large group.
I rank the following seven organisations according to a fixed review grid. You will see who helps where, how well documented the use of funds is, and which type of donation suits which purpose.
Table of Contents
- 1. SadakaNow
- 2. Islamic Relief Deutschland
- 3. Hasene International
- 4. Nezir Europe
- 5. Tafel Deutschland
- 6. Malteser
- 7. ADRA Deutschland
- The Seven Organisations in Direct Comparison
- Donating with Purpose: From Comparison to Decision
1. SadakaNow
SadakaNow is the first choice if you want to give Sadaqa specifically to vetted Muslim projects. The German platform brings together mosques, aid organisations and social initiatives, rather than directing you to a single organisation. You choose a project, enter an amount and pay via SEPA direct debit, PayPal or credit card.
All campaigns are checked for non-profit status before being published. Public transparency pages, project updates and the anonymised live feed Sadaka Pulse show how a campaign is progressing. The organisation may only use earmarked donations for the stated purpose.
Fees and Security Without Small Print
No platform fee is charged for SadakaNow projects, your donation is forwarded in full. We finance the platform through voluntary tips, with which you can round up your amount. We do not touch donated funds ourselves, the money is held in trust and paid out directly to the respective organisation.
- 0% platform fee: Applies to SadakaNow projects, only the payment provider's costs are shown transparently in the form.
- Vetted campaigns: Non-profit status is checked before publication, progress is publicly visible.
- Secure payment: SSL encryption, PCI-DSS Level 1 and GDPR compliance protect your data.
- Clear specialisation: Projects ranging from mosque construction and water projects to aid projects for the needy.
- Additional tools: Live feed and campaign launch for organisations in under 24 hours.
As a trust signal, we cite more than 307,000 donors and describe ourselves as the market leader for donations to Muslim projects in Europe. These are self-reported figures from the platform; independent certifications are not cited as awards. Also note: after publication, the operator generally only rechecks a donation appeal if there is a specific occasion or following a report. You should therefore check each project individually based on its goal, updates and organiser.
The limit is clear. The selection is restricted to listed partners with a focus on Muslim communities and Sadaqa. Anyone who specifically wants to support a non-listed local initiative in Germany must donate there directly.
Recommendation: Use SadakaNow for earmarked Sadaqa and Zakat-related projects if you want to track progress publicly and donate without any platform deduction.
2. Islamic Relief Deutschland
Your donation to Islamic Relief Deutschland goes toward international humanitarian aid. You can choose between earmarked campaigns and a flexibly deployable emergency fund. Annual reports and information on the use of funds show where the money goes.
It's worth distinguishing between the levels of evidence here. Annual reports and progress updates are self-disclosures by the organisation. The donation certificate from the Deutscher Spendenrat is the stronger signal, because an external body reviews the information. Anyone wanting to compare the focus areas of several providers will find a breakdown of which association covers which purposes in the overview of Muslim aid organisations.
What this donation is suited for
- Zakat and themed projects: You assign your donation to a type of donation or a theme such as nutrition.
- Emergency aid plus long-term work: Alongside acute aid, longer-term programmes run as well, such as sponsorships.
- Flexible amount: One-off and recurring donations are possible via the online form.
The emergency fund deserves a closer look. The organisation decides flexibly how to use it according to need. In a crisis that makes sense, but for you as a donor it is less concretely predictable than a project donation. If a particular country or a particular purpose matters to you, choose the earmarked campaign and read the relevant form before you pay.
The limitation is stated openly in the FAQ. Islamic Relief does not provide individual case-by-case aid for private individuals and works mainly in crisis regions outside Germany. For people in need in your own city, this is not the right address.
Recommendation: Donate here for documented international emergency aid and Zakat with an external certificate, not for local individual case aid.
3. Hasene International
Zakat, Sadaqa or Fitra: anyone who wants to assign their donation to a specific religious due will find a direct selection on the donation page of Hasene International. There you can see projects such as food parcels, emergency aid and water projects, along with suggested amounts that let you set an appropriate sum without lengthy calculation.
Payment runs online via PayPal, credit card or SEPA. Campaign reports show the implementation of individual actions. How concrete the feedback on your chosen campaign turns out to be is best checked on the relevant project page before you pay. This is particularly worth checking for orphan projects, and you'll find further selection criteria in the article on donating for orphans.
The key thing to check before donating
With this provider, you should actively clarify three questions before paying.
- Tax deductibility: Check on the donation page whether a donation receipt is issued for German tax purposes. Anyone who needs the deduction should not leave this to be clarified only after the transfer.
- Choice of location for projects: For well and Qurban campaigns, ask whether your donation is firmly assigned to a single project or pooled and distributed.
- Feedback: Check whether, and in what form, you receive information about your campaign after implementation.
If a well in a particular location matters to you, or if you want to claim the donation for tax purposes, ask both questions before paying.
Recommendation: Choose Hasene if the religious categorisation of your donation is your priority and you have clarified the open questions beforehand.
4. Nezir Europe
The Cologne-based association Nezir Europe covers the broadest range of Islamic donation types on this list with Zakat, Sadaqa, Fitre, Fidye and Qurban. In addition, there are general aid projects in the fields of food supply, water, education and emergency aid. A Zakat calculator helps with the calculation before you donate.
The documentation of the activities is strong. The website publishes activity reports with date and location, so you can see when and where aid measures took place. According to the association, aid is directed at people regardless of origin, religion and gender, and Sadaqa can be given in any amount.
Putting self-disclosures into perspective
Check Nezir more carefully than certified providers. Information on non-profit status, projects and donation receipts comes from the association itself. No independent DZI individual rating confirming this information externally was found in the search results.
Activity reports with date and location are a good sign. However, they do not replace an external review of non-profit status and the use of funds.
- Broad offering: From Fidye to Qurban, you can find almost every type of Islamic donation.
- Traceable activities: Dated reports provide indications of the location and timing of aid.
- Low entry threshold: Sadaqa is possible in any amount, with no minimum.
For a general donation, the use of funds is less tightly defined than for a specific project donation. So choose a named project if you want to know exactly what your donation is funding.
Recommendation: Donate here on a project basis and check the non-profit status and certification directly with the association before making larger donations.
5. Tafel Deutschland
If your donation is meant to reach people in need in Germany, Tafel Deutschland is the most direct address on this list. The Tafeln collect surplus, flawless food and pass it on to people affected by poverty. In doing so, they combine food rescue with concrete local support.
The need among families is clearly documented. The Federal Statistical Office reports an at-risk-of-poverty rate of 15.2% among people under 18 for 2024, which corresponded to a good 2.2 million minors. Food aid addresses a need that affects both nutrition and participation.
Umbrella organisation or local Tafel
You make this decision before the transfer. The umbrella organisation carries the DZI donation seal, and the DZI rates its advertising and administrative costs as reasonable. However, a donation to the umbrella organisation does not automatically benefit your local distribution point.
- Monetary donation to the umbrella organisation: Supports the overarching work with an externally verified seal.
- Donation to the local Tafel: Has a local effect; offerings and acceptance of in-kind donations vary by location.
- Food and in-kind donations: Possible, but only sensible after consulting with the respective Tafel.
Clarify your expectations. The aid consists of food, not freely available money for rent or electricity for individual households. Anyone wanting to relieve a family's energy costs needs a different project.
Recommendation: Donate locally if your city matters to you, and contact the local Tafel beforehand instead of transferring money to the umbrella organisation across the board.
6. Malteser
The Malteser are the right choice if you want to support homeless and needy people in Germany. Their services range from food distribution and clothing rooms to warming rooms and warming buses, as well as medical help for people without regular access to the healthcare system.
The donation page makes the impact tangible. It names example services such as meals or sleeping bags instead of only speaking about help in general terms. As a member of the Deutscher Spendenrat, the Malteser disclose financial information on the use of funds, which makes it easier for you to check before donating.
Central donation or local offer
You can donate generally, for a project, or for a specific occasion. However, a central donation is not necessarily allocated to a particular local initiative. If you want to fund the warming bus in your city, contact the respective Malteser branch, as offerings and in-kind donation options vary by location.
- Strong domestic focus: Help with poverty and homelessness, where you live.
- Concrete examples: Meals and sleeping bags show what an amount makes possible.
- Disclosed finances: Membership in the Deutscher Spendenrat and published financial information.
The limitation for Muslim donors should be clearly stated. The Malteser have a Christian background and are not geared towards Zakat or Sadaqa. Your donation acts as general charity, not as a designated religious payment.
Recommendation: Donate here for homeless support in Germany if the local purpose matters to you and no Islamic designation is required.
7. ADRA Deutschland
ADRA Deutschland is suitable for donors who want to give long-term and in a plannable way. The organisation combines humanitarian emergency aid with long-term development cooperation and offers both unrestricted and project-based donations. Payment is possible by direct debit, PayPal, or bank transfer, either one-time or recurring.
ADRA gives a concrete example, stating that 25 euros a month can provide a family with food and drinking water for a week. According to the organisation, recurring donations make long-term project planning easier, because income does not depend on individual crises. The DZI donation seal additionally provides an independent assessment for orientation.
What ADRA does not provide
Read the limitations before donating. According to its own information, ADRA does not offer direct financial support for individuals in emergency situations, and according to its FAQ generally does not accept private in-kind donations in Germany. Anyone looking for concrete refugee assistance may also find the article on donating for refugees helpful.
- Independent review: The DZI donation seal externally confirms the handling of donated funds.
- Plannable impact: Monthly donations support projects beyond acute crises.
- Experience in several countries: Long-standing projects in emergency aid and development cooperation.
ADRA has a Christian background but, according to its own statements, supports people regardless of religion, origin, age, or gender. Zakat is not listed as a separate donation option.
Recommendation: Choose ADRA for a verified ongoing donation to development projects, not for Zakat or direct case-by-case aid.
The Seven Organisations in Direct Comparison
| Organisation | Focus | Islamic Donation Types | Seal or Membership |
|---|---|---|---|
| SadakaNow | Donation platform for Muslim communities and social projects | Sadaqa; Zakat calculator | No awards or independent certifications mentioned |
| Islamic Relief Deutschland | Humanitarian aid in crisis and poverty-stricken regions | Zakat | Donation certificate from the Deutscher Spendenrat |
| Hasene International | Humanitarian projects, such as food, water and orphan aid | Zakat, Sadaqa, Fitra | No information on a seal or membership |
| Nezir Europe | Aid in the areas of water, education, food and emergency relief | Zakat, Sadaqa, Fitre, Fidye, Qurban | Non-profit status according to the association; no independent DZI individual rating found |
| Tafel Deutschland | Food rescue and provision for people affected by poverty in Germany | No Islamic donation types listed | DZI donation seal for the umbrella organisation |
| Malteser | Aid for people in need and homeless people in Germany | No Islamic donation types listed | Member of the Deutscher Spendenrat |
| ADRA Deutschland | Humanitarian emergency aid and long-term development cooperation | No Islamic donation types listed | DZI donation seal |
From Comparison to Decision: Donating with Purpose
First decide on your donation type. Are you giving a specific project donation, flexible emergency aid, or a religious due such as Zakat? Only after that does it make sense to look at the organisation, because otherwise even a reputable provider can fail to match the wrong purpose.
Need is broader than many donation sites show. The Statistisches Bundesamt reports for 2025 that around 13.3 million people, or 16.1% of the population, were at risk of poverty, including employed people. So ask about the target group, the number of households, the cost per case and local delivery for every project, instead of only reacting to visible need.
Then check the same three points for every organisation. Is there proof of non-profit status, or just a self-declaration? Is the use of funds documented through reports, seals or dated updates? And can you reach a contact person if a payment fails?
Check rule before you click: No proof of non-profit status, no date on the last update, no clear fee model, no donation.
Also plan your help beyond the immediate cause. The Deutsche Spendenrat reports in the Bilanz des Helfens 2025 that private individuals donated a total of 4.649 billion euros in 2025, around 9% less than the previous year, while social causes such as poverty and homelessness saw increases. A small monthly amount gives local projects more planning security than a single crisis donation.
For your decision, this means in concrete terms: choose Islamic Relief or ADRA for externally verified international aid, Tafel or Malteser for people in need in Germany, and Hasene or Nezir for narrowly defined religious dues after your own review.
At SadakaNow, campaigns are reviewed before they go live, the donation is not routed through our own account, and we answer questions about donations or payments at hilfe@sadakanow.de. Anyone who wants to give Sadaqa specifically to Islamic projects and follow the progress publicly will find a direct way in there. Decide today, instead of putting off the good intention until next Friday.
Give your Sadaqa where non-profit status is verified, project progress is publicly visible, and your donation is passed on without a platform fee. On SadakaNow you choose from verified mosque, water and aid projects, pay securely via SEPA, PayPal or credit card, and follow every campaign through updates and the live feed. Start your donation for people in need now and turn your intention into tangible help.