Zimbabwe

Legal forms of philanthropic organizations included in the law: Association, trust, other(s): Private voluntary organization

Five main social issues addressed by these organizations: Higher education, youth and family, food, water and sanitation, human rights

Average time established by law to register a philanthropic organization: Varies by organization type

Zimbabwe has three types of registration. The period for registration can range from a week to over two years depending on which type of registration the organization is pursuing.

Average cost for registering a philanthropic organization: US$0-$5,000

Typically, a Trust is the easiest form of registration requiring a week to register and costing an average of US$2,000. A Private Voluntary Organization, which must receive approval from the Office of the President, can take over two years for approval and would require at least US $10,000 in the form of a non-refundable application fee. The third form of registration, Universitas, is free; only requiring that the organization have a constitution guided by common law. Most organizations that use this form of registration are associations and often face operational challenges from the state in Zimbabwe.

Government levels primarily regulating the incorporation of philanthropic organizations: Central/federal government, local government   

Though not specified in the law, local government authorities have been increasingly interfering with the registration and operations of community-based organizations.