FCRA Compliance for NGO Websites: What You Must Display and Track

If your NGO is registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act and receives foreign donations, your website has specific legal obligations. The Ministry of Home Affairs has tightened FCRA enforcement in recent years. An NGO website that does not meet FCRA requirements is a liability — to your organisation and your donors. This guide explains exactly what your FCRA-registered NGO website must display and how to stay compliant.

What is FCRA and why does it affect your website?

The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 regulates how Indian NGOs, associations, and individuals receive and use foreign donations. If your NGO has FCRA registration, you can legally receive donations from foreign sources — but with strict conditions around how those funds are tracked, reported, and displayed. Your website is your public face. The MHA and donors expect transparency. Certain information must be publicly visible.

FCRA website compliance checklist

Here is what every FCRA-registered NGO website must prominently display:

• FCRA registration number and current validity status
• Purpose for which foreign contribution is sought/received
• Bank details: FCRA-designated SBI bank account number (mandatory after 2020 amendment)
• Annual FCRA returns filed — FC-4 form link or display
• Utilisation of foreign contribution — project-wise breakdown
• Total foreign contributions received in the current financial year
• Names of chief functionaries of the organisation
• Registered office address and contact information
• Details of foreign source/donor (if required by specific grant terms)

The mandatory FCRA-designated SBI account

Since the 2020 FCRA amendment, all FCRA-registered NGOs must receive foreign contributions exclusively in a designated FCRA account at the State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch. This is a hard requirement. Receiving foreign funds in any other bank account — even your existing SBI account in another city — is a violation. Your website must display this FCRA-designated account number publicly.

Annual reporting and your website

Every FCRA-registered NGO must file Form FC-4 annually with the MHA by December 31st for the previous financial year. The form captures total foreign contributions received, source-wise breakdown, and utilisation. While the form is filed with the MHA, good compliance practice (and increasing regulatory expectation) is to display a summary of this information on your public website. Transparency builds donor trust and reduces regulatory scrutiny.

Separate FCRA accounting — what your website should show

All foreign contributions must be maintained in a separate set of accounts. Your NGO's general funds and FCRA funds cannot be commingled. If your website shows financial information or a balance sheet, it must distinguish between domestic funds and FCRA funds. This is not just good practice — it is a statutory requirement.

80G vs FCRA — what donors see on your website

Many NGOs have both 80G registration (for domestic donations) and FCRA registration (for foreign donations). Your website must clearly differentiate which donation types qualify for which benefits. Domestic Indian donors who give online get an 80G receipt (if you have 80G registration). Foreign donors through FCRA channels do not get an 80G receipt but should receive an acknowledgement letter showing how their donation will be used.

How Big NGO handles FCRA compliance

Big NGO's Enterprise plan includes dedicated FCRA compliance features. Your FCRA registration number, validity, and designated SBI account are displayed on your public website. Incoming FCRA donations are tracked separately from domestic contributions. The system maintains an FCRA-specific ledger. Annual reporting data can be exported in FC-4-ready format. Your admin dashboard shows both domestic and FCRA donation streams clearly separated.

Common FCRA website compliance mistakes

These are the errors we most commonly see on Indian NGO websites that have FCRA registration but are not displaying it correctly:

• FCRA number on the About page but not on the donation page
• Expired FCRA number displayed — registration lapsed, website not updated
• FCRA bank account not displayed (required post-2020)
• Foreign donations accepted through non-FCRA bank account
• No separation of domestic and FCRA donation campaigns on website
• Annual FC-4 utilisation data not published